The Nature of Family

The concept of what does and does not constitute a family is a major theme in "Master Harold" . . . and the Boys. Just as Hally's parents are never seen during the course of the play, they are in many respects absent in his life as well. Despite the difference in their ages, Sam, and to some extent Willie, served as brothers for Hally when he was a child. Now, Sam has stepped in as a father figure and mentor. He has seen the problems in Hally's relationship with his father and quietly taken it upon himself to teach the boy a better way of living. This is most clearly demonstrated in his description of the kite incident. While Hally saw the experience simply as a fun afternoon of play, Sam reveals that he built the kite in order to give Hally something to look...