The label "dirt road sport" holds much portent for this novel. The author's use of the word "sport" to describe his main character refers to the "sporting man culture" which is defined by Wikipedia as involving "men leading hedonistic lifestyles that included keeping mistresses as well as excessive eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, and big game hunting. It is applied to a large group of middle- and upper-class men in the mid-19th century, most often in Great Britain and the United States." A Gulf South version of this culture is adopted by the character of Buck Bannon once he leaves the family farm in Chapter 1 and in each subsequent chapter, the reader only gains clues as to the precise methods used by Buck to quickly amass the great fortune necessary to support such a lifestyle and at the same time provide financial support to his 13 younger siblings.