Research Essay: August Wilson’s Fences
You should already be reading August Wilson’s Fences. For your research essay, you will have several topics from which to choose; choose only one topic:
-In what ways do race and racism affect the characters in the play? (Choose 2-4 characters to argue)
-In what ways is Rose limited or defined by gender expectations of the time period?
-Argue about the purpose of the role that baseball imagery plays in Wilson’s Fences. Examine it on both a literal and figurative level.
Explain the significance of the play’s title, Fences, for the 2-4 characters of your choice, and discuss the various levels of meaning in the title.
-Argue for or against Troy as a sympathetic character, providing proof for your assertion. NOTE: I am not asking here whether Troy has sympathy for others in the play but if the audience is meant to have sympathy for him.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: The Significance of the Play’s Title, Fences, and its Multifaceted Meaning for the Characters in August Wilson’s Fences
Introduction
August Wilson’s play, Fences, explores the lives of African American characters living in 1950s Pittsburgh. The title, Fences, holds great significance as it symbolizes various aspects of the characters’ lives and experiences. This essay will delve into the multifaceted meaning of the title and discuss its significance for two central characters, Troy Maxson and Cory Maxson.
Body
The Symbolic Nature of Fences
The literal presence of fences in the play serves as a visual representation of barriers and boundaries. Fences are erected to protect and enclose a space, to establish ownership and control. In Fences, these physical fences mirror the emotional and psychological barriers that the characters construct in their lives.
Troy Maxson’s Fences
Troy Maxson, the protagonist of the play, constructs metaphorical fences to protect himself from perceived threats and disappointments. His life has been shaped by racial discrimination and limited opportunities, leading him to build emotional walls to shield himself from vulnerability. These fences prevent him from fully connecting with his loved ones, including his wife Rose and son Cory. Troy’s fear of being hurt or betrayed contributes to his infidelity and strained relationships.
Additionally, Troy’s fence represents his desire for control and power. Throughout the play, he exerts dominance over those around him, asserting his authority as the head of the household. However, this desire for control ultimately isolates him emotionally, leaving him disconnected from his loved ones.
Cory Maxson’s Fences
Cory Maxson, Troy’s teenage son, also encounters fences that shape his life. These figurative fences are a result of his father’s expectations and limitations placed upon him due to both race and gender. Troy projects his own unfulfilled dreams onto Cory, pressuring him to abandon his aspirations of playing college football in order to pursue a more practical career path. This paternal influence creates barriers that impede Cory’s personal growth and independence.
The fences Cory faces also extend beyond paternal expectations. They represent the systemic racism prevalent in society during that time period. Despite his talent and potential, Cory is confined by societal barriers that limit opportunities for African Americans. These external fences challenge Cory’s ability to pursue his dreams and achieve success.
Conclusion
In August Wilson’s Fences, the title holds significant meaning for the characters’ lives and experiences. The literal and metaphorical fences depicted in the play symbolize barriers and boundaries that shape their relationships, dreams, and aspirations. For Troy Maxson, the fences represent emotional walls that isolate him from his loved ones, while for Cory Maxson, they symbolize societal limitations and racial discrimination that hinder his personal growth.
The multifaceted meaning of the title Fences showcases the complexities faced by African Americans during the 1950s. It highlights the struggle to break free from societal constraints and the impact these limitations have on personal relationships and individual aspirations. August Wilson uses the concept of fences to shed light on the enduring legacy of racial discrimination and the challenges faced by African Americans in pursuing their dreams.
