A Soldier’s Play (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Charles Fuller
- First Published: 1981
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Mystery
- Time of Work: 1944
- Setting: Fort Neal, Louisiana
- Principal Characters: Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, Captain Richard Davenport, Private C. J. Memphis, Private First Class Melvin Peterson
- Genres: Social realism, Drama, Mystery and detective drama, War drama
- Subjects: African Americans, Racism, Suicide, Murder or homicide, South or Southerners, 1940’s, Detectives, Liberalism, Military life or service, Soldiers, Baseball, Work or workers
- Locales: Fort Neal, LA
The Play
A Soldier’s Play exposes the institutional racism of the Army in the 1940’s and explores the psychological effects of oppression on African Americans. Although set in 1944 in a segregated barracks at Fort Neal, Louisiana, the play shows the pervasive effects of racism by utilizing the detective mystery form. Ironically, the all-black company is eager to fight for justice in World War II, but has not yet been deployed because of discrimination.
The play begins with Sergeant Vernon C. Waters’ murder; the setting then immediately shifts to the barracks...
[The entire page is 2622 words long]
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