The Great White Hope -- by Howard Sackler (1969)

Description
The blurb on the inside book cover best summarizes the show: "Based on the tumultuous career of Jack Johnson, who in 1908 became the first Negro heavyweight champion of the world, it transcends both history and myth to reveal -- with excitement, sweep, and eloquence -- the wages of Black success and individualism."

I expected more scenes of actual boxing. Instead, Sackler served me scene-after-scene of mounting tensions not simply on Jack's physical opponent. No, Jack fights society and race in the play as he manages both his career and his love life.

The play starred a young James Early Jones and Jane Alexander. Both leads would recreate their roles in the film version. Watch the trailer here.

Candid Reactions

• How big is this cast? How many parts are doubled?
• Well, they certainly spent no time referring back to the title. 
• I always wonder how the author decides when to insert asides and how they determine the purpose of the asides. 
• Jack is a straight-shooter. He retorts that if he loses the match, then he'll be the "n***** of the minute" (31). 
• How did they determine where to start their sentences? Like, the lines are not all starting on the left side of the page . . . 
• Jack's challenge to not compare Ellie to a "pet bunny" is intriguing. 
• The "black hope" question seems to have been inevitable. 
• The cop's aside that the white crowd will receive their guns back after the fight is scary. 
• Jack and Ellie's story is similar to Romeo and Juliet's thematically. 
• Guilt and expectation seem to be key topics in the play. 
• Jack accuses America of being self-centered when he argues, "The world ain't curled up into forty-eights states here!" (117)
• I am so confused at the start of Act Two. 
• A whole scene in French? Thank God for cognates. 
• Jack's starting to push others away . . . oh, no . . . this can't be headed any place good . . .
• There is just so much dialogue. How did James Earl Jones do it?
• Jack is antagonistic, although he's the protagonist. 
• This is just getting more chaotic. 
• Clara flat-out scares me. 
• I wonder how strategic Sackler was being in using the word "poison" (221). 
• Man, Ellie is MAD. 
• Jack argues, "All Ah has to is be black and die, lady--" (226). Jack here reminds Ellie of his humanity and his "obligations" put upon himself. 
• Enough with the actual fighting-- these verbal spats are brutal on their own!
• Of course Brady is going to be the ref. 
• What a sad ending. Do we get a catharsis?

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning
1. Inner-racial commentary
Sackler's play is not simply a commentary on black-white relations in America. Sackler investigates black-black relations. Personally, I think the most thought-provoking parts of the play occurrs when Jack provides perspective, Clara loses her cool, and Scipio doles out his philosophies. The tension between the white community and the black community is apparent. The tension within the black community is layered. 

2. Tragic Masterpiece
The structuring of the story is impeccable. The story reads like Oedipus, Romeo and Juliet, and/or Evita. Sackler understands how tragedies work and executes the structuring without a hitch.

Classroom Implications
I am sure I could find more rich texts to use with my students. I think students would find it to be a fairly accessible text. The themes and social commentary are the most engaging parts of the play. I think that this could be included with a study on tragedy as an optional piece.

Personal Takeaway
Some stories are inherently engaging.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 6.5
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story (.5)	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity (1.5)	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points (1.5	Devices somewhat enhance story	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (2)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping!	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically