The Symbolism Of Water In 'Gem Of The Ocean' By August Wilson

Gem of the Ocean

Gem of the Ocean was written by August Wilson. In the play, Wilson uses many symbols to convey various messages. One symbol in particular stood out the most. The question of how is water symbolic throughout the play came to mind, when reading. In Gem of the Ocean, August Wilson uses water to symbolize deliverance through new beginnings, death and hardships.

Although, Wilson uses many symbols to convey his message there is one particular message that he wants the audience to understand. There is an underlying theme that explains that the society African Americans are living in is unjust. Due to this, African Americans feel as though they must be delivered into a new realm; whether it be death or a new start.

Wilson uses

water to symbolize new beginnings. In Act one, scene one, he discusses Garret Brown’s drowning. Wilson wrote, Garret Brown was a man accused of stealing a bucket of nails, but he was innocent (1.1). He jumped into the river and drowned because he knew that he did not commit the crime and did not want to live his life in bondage. Garret Brown’s drowning symbolized a new beginning. Garret Brown was tired of being wrongfully accused for things he didn’t do, so he decided to get a new start by drowning himself. Wilson also uses water to symbolize new beginnings with character, Citizen Barlow. Citizen Barlow comes looking for Aunt Ester to get his soul cleansed. “I ain’t no robber. You said to come back Tuesday. I can’t wait till Tuesday. I can’t wait. I have to see you now. They say you can help me. They say you wash people’s souls.”(Wilson 1.2). His soul needs to be cleansed because he killed a man. The water in this situation is purifying Citizen Barlow and giving him a fresh start. The last place Wilson uses water to symbolize new beginnings is in Aunt Ester’s dream. “I dreamed you had ship full of men and you was coming across the water…Said you was going to Alabama”(Wilson 1.1). Aunt Ester’s dream happens on a ship and it’s about Solly. Solly is on the ship and he loses his crew and ends up going to Alabama. This water symbolizes a new beginning because Solly most likely did not know where he was going initially but ended up starting over in Alabama.
Not only does August Wilson use water to symbolize new beginnings, but also death. Garret Brown drowning is a perfect example. The water Garret Brown used to drown himself symbolizes death. He wanted to escape. Wilson explains that Garret Brown would rather die in truth than to live a lie (1.4). Another example is Aunt Ester’s dream. “You come on back and all your men had drowned and the boat was sinking” (Wilson 1.1). In the dream, Solly left and came back seeing that all his men had drowned and the boat had sunk. Her dream of Solly on that ship symbolized that he has and maybe was going to lose a lot of people around him. The water around them symbolized death. The last example that symbolized death was the trip Citizen Barlow took to the City of Bones. Wilson explains, to get to the City of Bones, Citizen Barlow had to get there by boat on the water. Citizen Barlow nearly loses his boat and Aunt Ester emphasizes, how imperative it is for him to keep his boat because he cannot get to the City of Bones any other way (2.2). When Citizen Barlow get to the City of Bones he reaches twelve gates and must pick one to enter. “The Gatekeeper… the Gatekeeper… its Garret Brown the man who jumped in the river” (Wilson 2.2). Citizen Barlow recognizes the gatekeeper and it is Garret Brown, the man who died for Citizen Barlow’s crime. At this point, Citizen Barlow would realize that he is essentially dead, due to the fact that he is awaited by a dead man; which symbolizes death.
Wilson goes on to show that water symbolizes hardships.

Again, in Aunt Ester’s dream Solly is on the ship with his men. “You come on back and all your men had drowned and the boat was sinking” (Wilson 1.1). He leaves and when he comes back his ship and his men both sank. Wilson uses the water to symbolize hardship because this is something tragic Solly had to go through. Another example of Wilson uses to show hardships through water is with Citizen Barlow’s City of Bones trip. “I’m chained to the boat. Who chained me to the boat? Somebody help me” (Wilson 2.2). With this, Wilson is explaining that this trip was not a pleasant one. Citizen wanted to go to the City of Bones, but did not know it would be hard to get there. This showed that you have to go through hardships to get to the good times. Wilson uses Solly’s character to show hardships through water when he says, “I told myself I just can’t sit around and collect dog shit while the people drowning. The people drowning in sorrow and grief. That’s a mighty big ocean. They got the law tied to their toe. Every time they try and swim the law pull them under” (Wilson 2.2). Wilson is personifying the water as the law. He explains that people are drowning because the water is pulling them down. Essentially, he is saying that the law is constricting people and not allowing them to have any opportunity to live their life causing

hardships.
Ultimately, August Wilson wants his readers to understand that water is a universal symbol for a variety of things.