August Wilson's Fences And The Piano Lesson

Originality

Originality stands out in the midst of all who together, form one category. In a world full of writers, where literature has always been a part of life, it is hard to say that all writers captivate the heart and mind of a reader. Despite many who lack originality, August Wilson portrayed a different side of writers. Wilson truly shows originality and depth within his plays Fences, The Piano Lesson, and his poem Home. By incorporating his own personal life experiences into these forms of literature August Wilson not only captivates the reader’s attention, but creates a sense of understanding towards life circumstances. August Wilson, brought up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, subsisted

Wilson’s Fences paints a picture of African American living in the 1950’s in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, which is Wilson’s hometown. The main character Troy Maxon is a garbage man, who feels he could give the world more than what segregation permits him to. Clive Barns in his review “Fiery Fences” refers to the main character Troy Maxon, “as complex and as tormented as black America itself” (1020). From the beginning of the text one acknowledges that Troy was self-determined, and demanded to prove himself equal to the rest of the “white folks.” As for Wilson growing up and moving from schools occasionally due to oppressions toward his skin color, he as well craved to show his worth, and prove he could deliver excellence. One may distinctly infer that Troy never got to prove his talents in baseball due to his complexion. Meanwhile, Wilson never had the chance to justify his writing talents while in school due to the assumption that because of his race he was not knowledgeably capable of creating brilliant papers. Further in the text Troy speaks about his father asking, “How he gonna leave with eleven kids? And where he gonna go” (Wilson 991)? By questioning his father’s choices one grasps Troy also dealt with a father’s absence throughout his life such as August Wilson

Conflicts arise between Bernice, Boy Willie’s sister and Boy Willie due to Willie’s desire to sell a piano which had lived within the family for years in order to become independent and purchase land in the south that his ancestors worked on. Neil Heims states “this drama also symbolizes the conflict between the past and the future played out in the present” (August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson Criticism, 2). Boy Willie embodies the characteristics of Wilson. Willie is very passionate over concerns of racial intolerance. Willie appears to carry a firm belief that he is no less than a white man, he does not accept the circumstances he lives in. Willie’s sense of courage and pride in who he is during such an excruciating time period is truly admirable. Does Wilson choose to call this main character Willie in reference to himself? Based off the information already stated, one knows that Wilson fully believed he was capable of delivering outstanding work despite the color of his skin or where he came from. We acknowledge Wilson’s passion to prove others wrong just as Willie in this drama. The drive to be successful and independent alone is enough to state that Willie mirrors Wilson and this could be why Wilson chose to name his main character