Berry

Question 1

Summary

Answer 1

Berry is about a young black man called Millberry Jones who is employee at Dr. Renfield’sHome for Crippled Children. He was reluctantly employed by Mrs. Osborn, the housekeeper,because the Scandinavian kitchen boy had left without notice, leaving her no choice in hiring
Berry. Her reluctance to hire Berry stemmed from his race, initiating questions like where he would sleep? How would the other servants react to the presence of a Negro? She had a meeting with Dr. Renfield and they decided to hire Millberry on a reduced salary.

Question 2

Setting

Answer 2

 Dr. Renfiled’s Home for Crippled Children

 New Jersey coast

Question 3

Main Characters

Answer 3

Dr. Renfield
Mrs. Osborn
Millbury Jones (Berry)

Question 4

Characteristics of Millbury Jones (Berry)

Answer 4

 A Black male, approximately 20 years old.
 Described as good natured and strong.
 Poor and uneducated.
 Very observant and intuitive about people and places.
 Very good with children due to his gentleness.

Question 5

Characteristics of Mrs. Osborn

Answer 5

 The housekeeper at the children’s home.
 Rumoured to be in love with Dr. Renfield.
 Very high handed with her staff, but docile with Dr. Renfield.
 Displays racist characteristics in subtle forms.

Question 6

Characteristics of Dr. Renfield

Answer 6

 Rumoured to have romantic affairs with his female staff.
 Berry observes that the Home is ‘Doc Renfield’s own private gyp game’ (Hughes, p. 162),
meaning that he runs his establishment for his own profit, instead of a desire to take
genuine care of the children.
 He is blatantly racist.

Question 7

Themes

Answer 7

Racism