Genre
Drama
Language
English
Setting and Context
A Great Hole. In The Middle of Nowhere. - Present Day 1990
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Black Man With Watermelon
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Black Man With Watermelon. Antagonists are the Sailors that come after Columbus.
Major Conflict
Black Man With Watermelon continues to get killed scene after scene, and is told to write down what happens and put it under a rock.
Climax
Black Man With Watermelon tells his wife to remember him and she does the same. Before Columbus tells everyone, "LAND HO!" which means the time of the white men, slavery and torment is upon them.
Foreshadowing
Lots Of Grease And Lots Of Pork tells us this is the death of the last black man in the whole entire world. This foreshadows the Black Man's death is coming.
Understatement
It is understated that Black Man and Black Woman are married.
Allusions
The play is an allusion to the fact that Black history was not recorded because of the torture and slavery and murder perpetrated upon them. Thus, the truth of their history does not exist as it should.
Imagery
LAND HO! being shouted by Before Columbus signifies the horror that is to come upon the characters as Columbus approaching means death for them.
Paradox
Black Man With Watermelon dies. But, in each scene he comes back to life in order to die again.
Parallelism
Yes And Greens Black-Eyed Peas Cornbread stating that someone must write it down and put it under a rock early in the play parallels them saying it at the end of the play as a demand.
Personification
Black Man With Watermelon becomes the personification of death as in each scene he must suffer through another horrible murder.
Use of Dramatic Devices
Parks uses a Chorus in order to give specific information as to the character's journey. Also, the use of a bell shifts the direction of the scene throughout the play.
