Fences: An American Play by August Wilson

Fences

Introduction
Fences is an American play written by August Wilson. It was based on the tough time faced by the African Americans during the time of Civil rights movement. It is the story of a character named Troy who is depicted as a baseball player who had to leave his game because of color discrimination prominent in that era. The play revolved round the family of Troy, who has to live miserably by doing a menial job of garbage collector. He lives with his wife and son and his younger brother who was an ex – soldier and received a head injury which rendered him psychologically ill. The play was written in 1983 but it was based on the happenings common in 1950s as it was the prominent time in which Civil Rights Movement was at its peak. The protagonist of the play was thus black who is just managing to meet the needs of his family. The other characters were his son from a previous marriage, a lady with whom he has an extra marital affair and his friend Bono.
Main Body
The Civil rights movement was characterized by the developments for equal rights for the African Americans. There was development of governing bodies like National Association for the advancement of Colored People (NAACP). They address issues and filed for lawsuits for the betterment and equality of the African American. The protagonist of the play was also an African American thus there were connections and glimpses of the civil rights movement in the play. The protagonist Troy was portrayed as a baseball player who was discriminated because of his color and not taken into the tam for which he had to suffer a life full of difficulties and problems. He was never financially secure and t...

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...e family of troy who has to live miserably by doing a menial job of garbage collector. He lives with his wife and son and his younger brother who was an ex – soldier and received a head injury which rendered him psychologically ill. The play was written in 1983 but it was based on the happenings common in 1950s as it was the prominent time in which Civil Rights Movement was at its peak. There were many activities, attitudes and social practices of that period which are reflected in the play and hence there was much resemblance.
Works Cited
¬ Jackson R. Bryer, Mary C. Hartig. “Conversations with August Wilson. University Press of Mississippi (2006): 19-37. Print
August Wilson. “Teaching baseball, Teaching race: Richard Fuller’s A soldiers’ play and August Wilson’s Fences”(2003). Print
Sandra J Shanon. “August Wilson’s Fences”. Greenwood Press (2003): 43-150. Print