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Racism In A Soldier's Play

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A Soldier’s Play written by Charles Fuller is a compelling murder mystery that gives insight into the racism and prejudice experienced by blacks in the military during World War II. This novel centers on the murder of an African American Sergeant in the army, Waters, which is being investigated by an African American military lawyer, Davenport. Fuller does an excellent job of capturing the societal issues faced by African Americans during World War II including systemic racism within the military and the hatred blacks received both outside and inside of the African American community.
Initially the play starts with the mysterious shooting of Sergeant Waters but of course the reader is not privy to the knowledge of who the shooter is. The obvious suspect for this murder would be “The …show more content…

He is not well received by Captain Taylor, who thinks that sending a black man to investigate this type of claim will never be taken seriously and he wants Davenport to be removed immediately, this does not happen. Ultimately Davenport discovers that it was not a white man who committed the murder at all and the most unlikely suspect found of guilt is indeed a black man, Melvin Peters. Peters sought revenge against Waters for the suicide of C.J.
A Soldiers Play takes a fascinating look at the controversy and unfair treatment of black soldiers in the segregated army. Fuller was very effective in exhibiting the destructive effects of racism blacks and whites alike. This was one of the most enjoyable war stories that I have ever read, the plot twists and the unexpected surprise ending kept me intrigued. This book included all of the elements of a drama including betrayal, racism and what loyalty means. It also made me sympathize with the soldiers who fought so hard for a country that refused to give them the respect and consideration they

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