"The Emperor Jones" by Eugene O'Neil

In "The Emperor Jones" by Eugene O'Neil, Emperor Brutus Jones is a very selfish and cunning man. He is a tall powerfully built african american with characteristics "typically negroid" as Jones describes it. I take this to mean Jones is African American traits but it is actually one of three scientific race catagories. It is used to describe characteristics of people derived from Africa. Jones has a quick, sharp mind and a powerful drive which has landed him into trouble over the years. Jones is not the simple southern African American and after being jailed for his schemes, he breaks out and winds up in country where a revolution is going on. A man tries to shoot him and the gun misfires, giving jones time to shoot him dead. Jones immediatly asserts himself as almost a supernatuaral being to the population he deems "Bush Niggers" sayng he was so strong only a silver bullet could kill him. This allowed Jones to become emperor because the natives thought he was immortable. Ambitiouse Jones took full advantage of being emperor extorting "his" people for all they had and sadistically punishing them. Jones' rather crazy ambtition and desire for wealth cause him to get the money he extorts and put it in a bank in france. He suspects that they will oust him from the throne after a while and thus thinks ahead.
Only the immense pride of Jones can match his ambitions. The gun misfiring incident to him was him making the luck, and how he obtained power was just by out smarting the "dumb bush niggers". Jones' blinds himself to his surroundings however and miscalculates when the people will oust him. When his friend Smithers tells him, he is surprised but hides his insecurtity with laughs and says he has gotten everything prepared. In this way Jones alwasys tries to make it seem for himself and for others that he is under control all the time.