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Themes of racial discrimination in fences
Research paper on fences
Theme of Racial segregation in fences
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Commonality in Themes Many novels share a common theme, this allows for literary connections to be made in order to further analyze the novels. For example, the three literary works that will be closely analyzed are; Fences,A Lesson before Dying, and Devil in a Blue Dress. Fences is a play written by playwright August Wilson, Fences is set in the 1950’s during the break in racial segregation. The play revolves around the current discrimination and the acts to overcome it in everyday life. Next, the novel written by Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson Before Dying. The plot of A Lesson Before Dying revolves around the injustices of their current society and trying to live a normal life within the brink of racial discrimination. Lastly, the third …show more content…
The plot consists of the main character,Troy, being responsible for taking care of his children. In one scene Troy explains that he does not lawfully have to like or accept Cory, his son, although it is his responsibility to take care of him. “Who the hell say I got to like you?” “Don't you eat everyday?” “Got a roof over your head.”(Troy 37). The next example of responsibility shown in the play is the situation of Raynell. Raynell is Troy’s bastard child. Troy was untrue to Rose, his wife, which resulted in the birth of Raynell. When the child was born the mistress died in childbirth, resulting in only Troy to take care of her. Troy at this point had lost his wife’s support and could have very easily chosen to ignore his fatherhood duties. Instead, Troy took Raynell and explained to Rose “She's my daughter, Rose. My own flesh and blood. I can't deny her no more than I can deny those boys.” (Wilson 79), this statement accurately represents his strong commitment to his responsibilities despite the circumstances.Another major beneficiary to the plot is the social climate. The social climate at the time the play takes place is a segregated community, although at this time the civilians were beginning to challenge the prejudice society. An example of this is when Troy fights with his employer due to the fact that he is not allowed to drive the trucks, rather he is sentenced to hard labor because he is black.”Why you got the white mens driving and the colored lifting?”(Wilson 2)On the brink of a social evolution, overcoming the segregation presented many problems amongst the working class. Troy diminishes his own self-worth by denying his son of opportunity in order to keep Cory’s accomplishments below his
Troy had faced through so many consequences with in his marriage with Rose. A quote to support that Troy had tried his best to give everything to Rose is “ I ain’t ducking the responsibility of it. As long has it sets right in my heart . . . then I’m okay. Cause that’s all I listen to. It’ll tell me right from wrong every time. And I ain’t talking about doing Rose no bad turn. I love Rose. She done carried me a long ways and I love and respect her for that” (August Wilson, pg 63). This states that it is a comparison between Daisy from The Great Gatsby because Daisy had gone through so many problems with her marriage but all she wanted was the best for her to accomplish an American Dream for her future even though Troy had helped her a lot. Another detail from an outside source is “ Young people are supposed to have a chance to make their own decisions and to live its consequences even if it means failure because life is not about passing or failing it’s about learning from our mistakes and try not to repeat them. After all we are humans and all humans make mistakes”. From https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-parents-allow-children-choose-own-careers-play-parsan-narang. Even though Troy was not a young person he had always tried to take care of his family no matter what happens because when he was a young
Creon felt sympathy when he realizes that his wife killed himself following the death of his own child, and Rose feel sympathy for the baby that Troy has from another women. Rose says, “ Okay, Troy...you’re right. I’ll take care of your baby for you...cause...like you say...she’s innocent...and you can’t visit the sins of the father upon the child. A motherless child has got a hard time. (She takes the baby from him.) From right now...this child has a mother,” (Wilson, 38). Rose feels bad that the baby will have to grow up without having a mother figure, so she steps up in return. I feel like Rose became the bigger person just like Antigone became the bigger person when she didn’t let the king just disrespect her brother so she stepped up and let her dead brother soul be in peace. They are both strong
Reading literature allows the reader to experience feelings of others through literary characters of largely differing backgrounds. This leads to an increased sensitivity and consideration of those around us, which is also called having empathy. August Wilson uses strong examples of metaphors, diction, personification, and various other devices to make the reader empathize with Rose in his play Fences by allowing us to dive deeper into her thoughts and feelings.
Similarly, both Cory and Lyons seek careers that lack stability and security - something Troy finds unfaithful to his beliefs. Cory yearns to join a collegiate football team. To supplement the principals he obtains from his steady occupation, Troy forces Cory to desist his collegiate football career and return to his steady occupation working at the A&P.
Fences was published in 1983 but the setting was the 1950s in August Wilsons home town. Wilson’s main purpose of this play is to show how the separation of humans into racial groups can create social and finance instability and can have a huge effect on African Americans and whites. The 1950s was the middle of the civil rights era. The Maxsons Family is African American, In the 1950s there was not many jobs for African Americans; most people believed that this is what pushed Troy to steal things in order to provide for his family. Troy went to prison for murder and when he got out he was determined to do good deeds and to turn his life around; shortly after he got out of prison he got a job as a Garbage man. Troy is a tragic figure and a villain; he is a tragic figure because he made great effort to do good deeds for his family, but he allowed his imperfections to get in his way which led to a horrible death. Troy is a villain because of what he did to his wife Rose. (Shmoop; Editorial Team)
“As I Lay Dying, read as the dramatic confrontation of words and actions, presents Faulkner’s allegory of the limits of talent” (Jacobi). William Faulkner uses many different themes that make this novel a great book. Faulkner shows his talent by uses different scenarios, which makes the book not only comedic but informational on the human mind. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is a great book that illustrates great themes and examples. Faulkner illustrates different character and theme dynamics throughout the entire novel, which makes the book a humorous yet emotional roller coaster. Faulkner illustrates the sense of identity, alienation, and the results of physical and mental death to show what he thinks of the human mind.
Troy was secretly having an extramarital affair with a woman named Alberta. Troy’s friends all knew the truth, but Troy continually denied any involvement with Alberta. Troy’s best friend, Bono, however, managed to convince Troy what he was wrong for continuing the affair. Troy then came clean to Rose, telling her he was going to be the father of a child Alberta was pregnant with. Rose became heartbroken. She told Troy, “I been standing with you! I been right here with you, Troy. I got a life too. I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in the same spot as you. Don’t you think I ever wanted other things? Don’t you think I had dreams and hopes?” (1606). Rose had given up her entire life to be with Troy. However, Troy never once apologized. Troy continually defended himself, and he went as far as to justify himself. Troy claimed Alberta was an escape for Troy. Troy stated, “It’s just… She gives me a different idea… a different understanding about myself. I can step out of this house and get away from the pressures and problems” (1605). Rose was hurt, however, and Troy never apologized nor stopped seeing Alberta. He continued to live in an illusion that he could keep both his family and his secret life separate. However, Alberta later died in childbirth. Her daughter, Raynell, was to be raised by Troy and Rose. Troy effectively destroyed his marriage because of his excessive pride. He refused to believe he was in the
Poverty and homelessness are often, intertwined with the idea of gross mentality. illness and innate evil. In urban areas all across the United States, just like that of Seattle. in Sherman Alexie’s New Yorker piece, What You Pawn I Will Redeem, the downtrodden. are stereotyped as vicious addicts who would rob a child of its last penny if it meant a bottle of whiskey.
“Often fear of one evil leads us into a worse”(Despreaux). Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux is saying that fear consumes oneself and often times results in a worse fate. William Golding shares a similar viewpoint in his novel Lord of the Flies. A group of boys devastatingly land on a deserted island. Ralph and his friend Piggy form a group. Slowly, they become increasingly fearful. Then a boy named Jack rebels and forms his own tribe with a few boys such as Roger and Bill. Many things such as their environment, personalities and their own minds contribute to their change. Eventually, many of the boys revert to their inherently evil nature and become savage and only two boys remain civilized. The boys deal with many trials, including each other, and true colors show. In the end they are being rescued, but too much is lost. Their innocence is forever lost along with the lives Simon, a peaceful boy, and an intelligent boy, Piggy. Throughout the novel, Golding uses symbolism and characterization to show that savagery and evil are a direct effect of fear.
The theme of August Wilson’s play “Fences” is the coming of age in the life of a broken black man. Wilson wrote about the black experience in different decades and the struggle that many blacks faced, and that is seen in “Fences” because there are two different generations portrayed in Troy and Cory. Troy plays the part of the protagonist who has been disillusioned throughout his life by everyone he has been close to. He was forced to leave home at an early age because his father beat him so dramatically. Troy never learned how to treat people close to him, and he never gave anyone a chance to prove themselves because he was selfish.
mistakes in life that he did. Also, there is conflict including Troy and his young daughter Raynell. By looking at the root of this conflict, one can better grasp the contribution it makes to the drama.
We also see racial inequality when we find out that Troy didn't get play baseball professionally just because he was colored. In addition, Wilson uses a lot of figurative language, especially baseball imagery, to emphasize racial inequality. One example, in Act I
This is the reason why Troy fights against his family and himself, because he feels like he is the only one who can protect them. To Cory and Rose, Troy is destroying the family because of his stubborn thoughts but to Troy he is saving the family from falling apart and this distrust causes the family to eventually fall apart. Troy really does try his hardest to be a good father and is bothered by the fact that Rose and Cory do not see it as him trying to protect them but more of him destroying the family. This hurts Troy because his family is his everything they are what he “fights” for he works day end and day out to put food on the table and try to give them a life he thinks the deserve. August Wilson in “fences” Troy says, “ I love this woman, so much it hurts. I love her so much… I done run out of ways to love her.”(1.1) Wilson uses to show how much Troy actually cares for his wife, to Troy Rose is his everything, she is the light in his darkness, she try’s to guide him back to a sane man. Another Way Wilson shows how much Troy loves his family is when Troy is talking to his family and says that “ You all line up at the door, with your hands out. I give you the lint from my pockets. I give you my sweat and my blood…”(1.3) Troy is saying that he will give them everything until he has absolutely nothing but the lint from his pockets. He will go out of his way to make
. this child got a mother’” (79). The innocence of Raynell was the reason that Rose took her in, she was not feeling anything for Troy but he could not raise a little girl correctly by himself. Rose “‘take[s] care of your [Troy’s] baby . . . [because] she’s innocent’” (79).
The author of Fences, August Wilson, brought characters and the audience together using very detailed characterization. Throughout the play and story, August Wilson gives each and every major character their time to shine, whilst describing the type of person they were. By doing so the audience gets to connect with each character. Each character deals with personal conflict, I believe that because people who read or watch this story can personally connect with at least one of the characters. Some may connect with Troy Maxson, he is the father in the story.