# V: The Justice of Men explained — The Sport of the Gods > Chapter companion for The Sport of the Gods by Paul Laurence Dunbar. ## What happens Berry Hamilton is arrested and convicted for stealing from Maurice Oakley, despite a lack of evidence and his previously spotless reputation. The community, both black and white, turns against him, with former friends and church members disavowing him. After his conviction and ten-year sentence, Maurice Oakley evicts Fannie Hamilton from the cottage. Joe Hamilton, hardened by the injustice, stays up all night with burning eyes, while the women of the household weep. ## Themes in this chapter ### Racial Injustice Berry Hamilton is convicted despite lack of evidence, his former good name ignored; the community's presumption of guilt is rooted in racial prejudice. ### Hypocrisy and Self-Deception Berry's lodge audits his accounts instead of offering comfort; his church expels him; friends are silent while enemies gloat, showing a lack of charity and moral courage. ### Cycle of Suffering and Fate Berry's downfall is met with schadenfreude from both races; the Hamilton family is isolated and destroyed, and Joe is forced into premature cynicism. ## Character check-ins ### Berry Hamilton Arrested, convicted, and sentenced to ten years at hard labor for theft; collapses in court upon hearing his sentence. ### Maurice Oakley Grim and relentless in court; evicts Fannie Hamilton from the cottage after the trial. ### Fannie Hamilton Evicted by Maurice Oakley; weeps all night with the women of the household. ### Joe Hamilton Visits his father seldom, unable to bear his abject misery; stays up all night with hard, burning eyes after the conviction. ### Kitty Hamilton Bowed with shame and grief, dares not appear on the streets where girls hoot at her. ### Old Isaac Brown Speaks indignantly about Kitty Hamilton snubbing his daughter Minty. ## Key lines > It seems a strange irony upon the force of right living, that this man, who had never been arrested before, who had never even been suspected of wrongdoing, should find so few who even at the first telling doubted the story of his guilt. It is ironic that a man with an unblemished record found almost no one willing to doubt the accusation against him. _Highlights the community's immediate assumption of guilt despite Berry's history._ > In the black people of the town the strong influence of slavery was still operative, and with one accord they turned away from one of their own kind upon whom had been set the ban of the white people’s displeasure. The black community, still affected by slavery, collectively abandoned Berry once whites condemned him. _Shows the lingering fear and disloyalty inherited from slavery._ > The judge and the jury saw otherwise. Berry was convicted. He was given ten years at hard labour. Despite the defense's evidence, the judge and jury found Berry guilty and sentenced him to ten years of hard labor. _Emphasizes the unjust legal outcome._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sport_of_the_gods_se/chapters/v-the-justice-of-men - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sport_of_the_gods_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sport_of_the_gods_se/chapters