Play Four, Ties That Bind Summary

A narrator announces the title and the setting for this play as the same place, 27 years later (1819).

The action begins with a playful wrestling match between Zach, a young white man, and Jessie, a young black man. Another young white man, Zeke, sits on the porch and reads the Bible. Zach suddenly starts spitting blood. Jessie runs for Zach's father, but Zach says not to because Jessie will get in trouble. Zach reaches out a hand, but when Jessie starts to help him up, Zach hauls him down and the wrestling match is back on. It doesn't last long, as Jessie pins Zach without a problem.

When Jessie lets Zach go, Zach gets angry at Zeke for not helping him. Zeke says it hurt to see his brother trapped like that, but Zeke figures it...