C.E. Morgan does few things on accident, and the names of her characters in The Sport of Kings are no exception. C.E. Morgan’s selection of names in the novel strengthens the themes presented in the novel and serves to further develop the characters.
The main Forge characters all have very similar names -- John Henry, Henry, and Henrietta -- which emphasizes the need of John Henry and Henry to carry on the Forge name and alludes to the later reveal of incest. “A legacy. [Henry] wants folks to remember he was like a great man… You take the risk because a legacy is forever” (328). Henry’s need for a legacy causes him to have a relationship with his own daughter in hopes of getting an heir. Also, the names of the three Forges makes it even harder for them to escape their legacy. One of the first lines of the novel, “How far away from your father can you run?” (3), is a consistent theme in the novel, as both Henry and Henrietta attempt to escape their legacy but ultimately fail. Henrietta tries to escape through her relationship with Allmon, but Henry makes it impossible for her to leave because of their sexual relationship, and she dies without ever truly escaping. Henry, similarly, cannot escape his legacy, even though he tries to escape John Henry by going into horse breeding. “Until today, until [Henry] had brought Samuel into the rain-washed open air of Churchill Downs, he had never rebelled against his father, not really” (520). Henry’s inability to escape stems from his upbringing and the ideals that John Henry implemented, such as racism and misogyny. The Forges’ similar names allude further to the fact that it’s impossible to run from their own family because they are all too connected, both by name and by physical means.
Allmon’s name establishes him as a Christ figure. Allmon’s name, when spoken, sounds like “all men” because he symbolizes the common man subject to the rich white man. When Allmon dies, he’s described as “sprawled on the ground, his arms extended wide, palms open to the sky” (540), similar to Jesus on the cross. It’s implied that Allmon’s “sacrifice” of his life enables Henry to start anew with Samuel, leaving some semblance of hope at the end of the novel. Henry’s naming of Samuel insinuates that Henry hopes for a new start in the Forge name. Because Samuel Forge was presented as being the first Forge, the name holds significance, especially since Henry is giving the name to a mixed-race baby; Henry acknowledges that he has failed in running away from his legacy, but that Samuel could make the Forge name great again.
The names in The Sport of Kings add depth to the characters and further establish themes such as legacy and change. Names are important not only to the Morgan, but also to the characters themselves, and that obsession influences their thoughts and actions throughout the novel.
The insight that the name of Samuel connects to both the original Forge who crossed into the Kentucky basin and the baby is one that is illustrated well in this piece. Having the baby be named Samuel leads one to believe that this is a new start of the Forge family, which was mentioned above. The new start makes one think that Henry realizes the error of his ways as a parent with Henrietta and hopes to raise Samuel in such a way as to be proud of his upbringing but not to make the Forge name great again. Henry’s transformation throughout the fifth chapter shows the shift in his mentality from building up the Forge name to being a good grandfather would most likely lead to this outcome.
ReplyDeleteUsing Allmon as a Christ figure seems like a good surface level analogy but does not stand up to scrutiny. At no point during the crucifixion of Jesus does he raise his palms to the sky. He instead gives up his spirit to the Lord and dies. The point about Allmon sounding like “all men” and him being used as a placeholder for black men in Kentucky is an astute point that shape a different lens for which to view the story told in the book. Having him fit this role shows the stereotypical relationship between working-class and upper-class people and the disdain stereotypical rich racists view poor black people. Overall the observation that names were intentionally chosen is a good one that shows the detail Morgan put into this book.
I believe one key point that you briefly touched on is just how similar of a name John Henry and Henry have. That reality makes it all the more difficult for Henry to escape his father. This leads to an internal conflict where he has numerous forces pulling him in different directions. On one hand there is that terrible relationship with his father, and how he clearly states, “I am Henry Forge” in italics right at the start of the book signifying his desire to differentiate himself from his father (3). He wants to badly to not be his father and goes so far as to completely convert the farm into a horse breeding farm. Conversely, there is still pride in his family name despite that clearly conflicting hatred for his father. Henry goes so far as to name his daughter Henrietta and continue the trend of Henry-like names. He has a great deal of pride about his family line and making sure it stays pure, and that pride seems strangely out of place when juxtaposed with his relationship with John Henry. With these actions, it makes me question just how hard Henry tried to run from his father, as he emulates him in a number of ways, and his actions speak for themselves.
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