Thoughts about “Fences” by August Wilson
Wilson wrote this play as a portion of a series of plays documenting the living conditions of the African-American in each decade between 1900 and 2000. This play covers the 1950’s. Having been a child in that decade I can tell you that the work of the “tipster” was horrible. The garbage cans were metal and usually they rusted through before the homeowners replaced them. The bugs, mice, dirt, and rotten food often covered the tipsters. Please note the tipsters were 100% black and the truck drivers were generally white. The cities ran the garbage collection service and cared nothing about retaining employees--benefits including health insurance was poor, and safety precautions were a joke. The pay was lousy, but being a garbage man was considered a “good job,” because the pay was better than most jobs African-Americans were able to get.
(Homeowners usually left a skillet, a little money, or other Christmas presents for the tipsters. I have no idea how the tipsters were supposed to share the skillets between them or how they were supposed to handle them all day. I just remember that my parents always put something on top of the garbage can on the last collection day before Christmas Day.)
The amount of improved racial relations in this country has been dramatic since the 1960’s but the foundation for the changes were being laid in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The action of Fences covers most of the 1950’s--gives hints about the growing number of descrimination cases getting into the courts--gives hints about the growing ability of African-Americans to shop at previously all white markets--and at the same time shows the lack of civil rights progress. All of these political and social issues are wrapped in with the universal human emotions and actions.
Thoughts about Rodeo by Jane Martin
This is a one person, one scene play. It may be a character analysis, or a situation analysis, or just an angry slap. You may or may not like Big Eight, but you will hear her absolute belief in herself and in her understanding of the world. Having been to rodeos, I know that what I saw was a commercial package---somewhat fake somewhat interesting. For all of the commercialism, I at least had a chance to see a rodeo. I never would have had an opportunity to see the rodeos discussed by Big Eight.
Thoughts about Trying to Find Chinatown by David Hwang
This is a two person, two scene play. This play could never have come before the 1990’s, people were not open to finding identities. The switches he sets up are interesting and highlight the fact that most of us do not meekly accept the world we are handed.
Assignments:
Fences is a powerful look at the America of the 1950’s as seen by a group of African-Americans. We see the struggles of the individuals in developing their own place in the world and their relationships with each other--all pressured by the dominate White American world. Look at the characters’ relationships with each other and the outside world--who gives, who takes, what do they give/take, how do their relationships change??? Many of their relationships were impacted by the time-period. Look at some social history and compare it to the play. Determine how their relationships and self definition were impacted by the times. Finally, August Wilson (1945-2001) himself was affected by the time period and he is making many comments about the time and the effect on the African-Americans. What is he saying? Again, a look at social history will help here.
This is a five to eight page paper done in MLA format. Please remember this paper is 25% of your grade and give it the effort it deserves.
Rodeo and Trying to Find Chinatown are discussions from a limited perspective. What is Big Eight discussing? What are Ronnie and Benjamin discussing. What feelings are each of them bringing forth, blinded by, and guided by? What are the theme and the message of the two plays?
This piece will be handled as a two or three page paper. Potentially, we will move our papers to the discussion board so that we can comment on and share each other’s thoughts.