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    Fences

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    This research paper analyzes the themes of racism and discrimination in August Wilson's play Fences. The main character, Troy Maxson, struggles with racism having been denied a professional baseball career due to his race. His flawed belief that racism prevents black people from success causes conflict. The paper examines how Wilson drew on his own experiences with racism growing up biracial in a white suburb. It concludes that Wilson successfully conveyed the themes of racism and the character's flawed mindsets in dealing with discrimination through the play.

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    Fences

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    api-302753912
    482 views3 pages
    This research paper analyzes the themes of racism and discrimination in August Wilson's play Fences. The main character, Troy Maxson, struggles with racism having been denied a professional baseball career due to his race. His flawed belief that racism prevents black people from success causes conflict. The paper examines how Wilson drew on his own experiences with racism growing up biracial in a white suburb. It concludes that Wilson successfully conveyed the themes of racism and the character's flawed mindsets in dealing with discrimination through the play.

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    This research paper analyzes the themes of racism and discrimination in August Wilson's play Fences. The main character, Troy Maxson, struggles with racism having been denied a professional baseball career due to his race. His flawed belief that racism prevents black people from success causes conflict. The paper examines how Wilson drew on his own experiences with racism growing up biracial in a white suburb. It concludes that Wilson successfully conveyed the themes of racism and the character's flawed mindsets in dealing with discrimination through the play.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    482 views3 pages

    Fences

    Uploaded by

    api-302753912
    This research paper analyzes the themes of racism and discrimination in August Wilson's play Fences. The main character, Troy Maxson, struggles with racism having been denied a professional baseball career due to his race. His flawed belief that racism prevents black people from success causes conflict. The paper examines how Wilson drew on his own experiences with racism growing up biracial in a white suburb. It concludes that Wilson successfully conveyed the themes of racism and the character's flawed mindsets in dealing with discrimination through the play.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Mario Saldierna

    Jurik
    AP Lit

    Research Paper on Fences

    In August Wilsons play Fences, he sheds light on the aspect of racism, which was
    still prevalent in his time, but looking at Wilsons past already one can tell that he had
    experienced racism firsthand. While there are some sub-themes within this play, such as
    the need to enforce ones masculinity, racism ultimately prevails as the most prevalent
    theme.
    The main character of this play, Troy Maxson, is considered to be the tragic
    hero, such as Oedipus or Macbeth (Weber), due to the fact that while their character is
    great they contain one fatal flaw. In Troys case his flaw is the need to show off his
    masculinity to his family and that he is always right. For example, in the play Troy
    refuses to send his son Cory to play professional football because he believes no black
    man can make it professionally The white man aint gonna let you get nowhere with that
    football noway (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 78). He also rejects the idea that times are
    changing, and is hell-bent on the idea that his wife Rose is wrong in saying that things
    have changed They got lots of colored boys playing ball now. Baseball and football,
    (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 76). Due to this naivet or need to show he is the boss, he loses his
    son from his life forever. Troy has this nave mindset due to the time period he was in and
    the social discrimination he faced.

    The aspect of racism or discrimination is an immense topic that, even to this day,
    is still around. Although the play is set in the 1950s, where the joining of races is
    occurring, Troy refuses to accept the change. This is primarily due to the fact that he was
    denied access to be a professional baseball player just because he was black; from then
    on he held constant belief that no black person will ever amount to anything simply
    because they are black. It is also because of this that he becomes said tragic hero in the
    play and somewhat loses hope in the society he lives in. These aspects of discrimination
    are drawn from August Wilsons own experiences as a child growing up.
    August Wilson was born from a German immigrant, by the name Kittel. His
    mother, Daisy Wilson, was an African American woman. He kept his mothers maiden
    name of Wilson, primarily due to the fact that his father was rarely present in his life.
    Being an African American growing up in a white suburb he was faced with racial
    discrimination extremely often. So often, in fact, he felt the need to transfer high schools.
    Due to this grim past, one can infer that it is not the hardest to come up with the works he
    is known for.
    In conclusion, August Wilson successfully conveyed the themes that were
    intended for this play. He conveyed his characters need to be the top dog, and the
    constant struggle with discrimination. He did this so well, primarily due to the fact that he
    was raised in a time where he faced that social injustice on a daily basis.

    Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web.


    28 May 2015.
    OReilly, Mollie Wilson. Fertile ground: August Wilsons Fences. Commonweal
    137.11 (2010): 20+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 May 2015.
    Weber, Myles. Rescuing the Tragic Bully in August Wilsons Fences. The Southern
    Review 50.4 (2014): 648+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 May 2015.

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