Introduction
Fences was written by August Wilson wrote who was an American writer; the play became famous for exploring the African American experiences among race relations. The negro head of the family who was struggle ling for money in the play is the center of attention for many people belonging to African American race. The play was adapted into a film in 2016 and was chosen as the top ten films by American Film Insititute as well. The theme of Fences was set by an African American writer back in the 1960s who had a strong passion to highlight the issues of the black community. By the hat time, some progress was made on race relations like uniting of professional sports teams. But the entire nation of America had a long way to go regarding building strong relationships with people from a different race.( Wilson, 1998)
1950sand 60s was an important era for the African Americans in the history when America stood the summit of the world. U.S becme the strongest military power in the world during the 1950s and economy was booming, more consumer good were developed and more conflicts arise in the 50s than ever before. There was an element of rarcial discrimination in the American society that highlights the inequality among African Americans and white races. A growing group of Americans spoke out against inequality and injustice during the 1950s. African Americans had been fighting against racial discrimination for centuries.
Analysis of Fences
The main theme of the play/movie Fences is race and racial issues in the American society. In the 1960s, the slavery had been abolished from the United States, but the shadow of slavery still existed in many areas of life for the African American people in the form of racial discrimination. The characters of the play show that they had to face the serious issue of racism in the American society every day. The was written before the advent of Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, but a decade ago, Fences prove the world that this movement was the fate of African American people in the next ten years. ( Wilson, 1990)
The supereme courst of United States announced separate facilities for education for the black community in the 1950s because of raical discrimination; white people thought that children of black people were unequal to their kids. They were a victim of intimidation and violence by the hands of white students in schools. A new movement was born in 1955 with Rosa Parks who refused to give her seat to a white person in the bus and got arrested. The Cold war between USSR and USA began also that increased the tension in the area. Keeping in mind all these issues, the author portrays a real image of society in his writing.
The characters were trapped in the troubled time when racial discrimination was at the top in America; the play shows that racial discrimination had a way to bring stress and anxiety to the American families living in the 60s. The main tension between the two character of father and son i.e. Troy and Cory shows that Troy did not learn much from his father and repeated same old mistakes. The play throws a question of morality over men, as well as one, can ask the question many times what it takes to become a good man indeed? ( Wilson, 1990)
In the 1950s, Bemjamin Oliver became the very first African American Fir Force General after playing his part in the war of Korea, that was a strange phenomenon for the black people who cheered it much. While Martin Luther King was also elected as the president of Montgomery Improvement Association in 1955. The system of America was against the minorities and national television was not helping the black community to raise their voices. Therefore Fences was an effort to open the eyes of public to bring that matter to notice.
It was no doubt that in the play, a harsh example was set by the father for his son which created his idea or concept of manhood. At the end of the play, Cory learned to become a man and left si negative influences of his father behind. Racism and morality are the two continuous themes of the play Fences. Troy had to fight to the death in the play, and he eventually won the battle; he, therefore, taunts death on several occasions. He dared death to come again and take his soul away. Fences seem to view human mortality as both a dark inevitability and our ultimate chance for peace.( Wilson, 1990)
The death of Troy allowed his family and son to heal; Troy never let his fear of death control his mind. Therefore, he set an example of courage. The fact that the protagonist wanted to take his baseball career to a next professional level but he failed to do so because of the racial issues, and discrimination problem in America is intriguing which speaks about the negative black experience in America. The writer Wilson was a black person too who wrote about the American experiences in his play; there is a human experience as well highlighted in his characters in addition to the general American experience. It is the most important African American play which was converted into a movie which won Oscar awards. It is an important piece of writing in the history of America. Cory’s chances of becoming a professional college player were destroyed by the cruel hands of society when he no longer pursued his dream. That was the reason towards the end of the play that Cory must find a new dream to pursue; he lost his old one. .( Bryer, 2006)
Troy in the play was left in the end like a bitter person who could never achieve his goals or dreams and always expected to achieve more than he could. Troy was robbed of his baseball career which is a symbolic representation of racial discrimination in America. The shadow of this injustice by society took a toll on his mind, and he became a bitter person. The play makes a better definition of drama; the tone from the author is also a unique representation of the African American dialect and poetry. It is rather an indirect approach to address the all-important issue of a society that affected the lives of characters negatively. .( Bryer, 2006)
The writing style of Wilson has always been realistic and true; the writer shows the relationship of society with everyday lives of people, especially with the lives of African Americans. Everyday situations were discussed brilliantly with black characters in focus who speak in African American tone. Fences is a simple yet powerful message to the world about how the writer feels about the African American community and their struggles and injustices during the 1960s. It is both heartbreaking story of father and son and also funny at times. The characters are complex, but one can relate to them easily if they are hardworking men belonging to the African American community. .( Bryer, 2006)
The fate of African American people brought them to the shores where they were dissatisfied with their lives. Troy is the best example in the opening scenes of the play; putting a stop to his dreams due to racial discrimination means writer want public attention towards this menace of racism in America at a particular time period. Troy even challenged the racial discrimination at the workplace while love affairs of Troy simply show that there is a tender touch in the play about his relationship with his wife and other women.( Bryer, 2006)
References
Bryer, Jackson R, and Mary C Hartig. Conversations With August Wilson. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2006. Print.
Wilson, August, and August Wilson. Fences; And Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1988. Print.
Wilson, August. The Piano Lesson. New York: Dutton, 1990. Print.
Wilson, August. Two Trains Running. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2008. Print.
