Religion in August Wilsons Fences Essay examples - 814 Words

In August Wilsons play, Fences, the character, Troy Maxson, is by no definition a religious man. He has created his own religion through his own philosophies, especially baseball. Sandra G. Shannons critical analysis, The Good Christians Come and Gone: The Shifting Role of Christianity in August Wilson Plays, gives analogies for the way Troy deals with his own spirituality. It is agreeable that Troy, like other Wilson characters, deals with religion in his own way. Shannon asserts, this cynical black man does not lay his burdens down at the churchs altar. As is the case with each of Wilsons men, Christianity plays no role in Troys search for comfort and direction (382). Troy never does find comfort and direction, even†¦show more content†¦Troy pushes his wife and his son out of his life by attempting to make them see this life in a very narrow perspective. By doing this he cannot compromise, nor can he ask for forgiveness, (Shannon 383). It is also apparent, Shannon states, that Troy fits death into his baseball analogy as well. She states, Seen this way, its hold becomes less ominous when the victim has a role in determining his own fate (383). I agree with this statement because Troy seeks comfort in baseball. Therefore, he uses it for an uncomfortable situation, death. He is unlike others who may find comfort in God when it comes to the question of death. Shannon also states that Troy describes death as a fastball on the outside corner (383). Shannon is right by stating this because through baseball, Troy does not have to deal with death on a Christian level. He can personify it. This point is also proven in a quote Shannon put in her essay from the book Wrestling Against History by Mei-Ling Ching, Through his intentional mockery of death, [Troy] cleanses himself of his deepest fear and reaffirms his claim to life (383). In addition, Troys relationship with his brother Gabriel is another time Troy is faced with religion and denounces it. Gabriel, who believes he is the Archangel and a spokesman of God, is treatedShow MoreRelatedSpirituality Religion in August Wilsons Fences1072 Words   |  5 PagesFen Spirituality amp; Religion | In August Wilson’s â€Å"Fences† | | Mia Savage ENG 102 Essay #3 | 11/11/2011 | Introduction: â€Å"Fences† is one of ten plays written by August Wilson that document historic periods in Black American life. It is a colorful and thoughtfully written piece that tells the story of one family’s struggle in Civil Rights Era America, an empowering and complicated time for lower and middle class blacks struggling to attain an ideal of the â€Å"American Dream†. TroyRead MoreFences Research1694 Words   |  7 PagesThe Impact of Physical and Psychological Boundaries in August Wilson’s Fences The early 1950’s was a time of enormous importance because of the Civil Rights Movement which emphasized equal rights for blacks and whites. According to the book Approaching Literature, this time period became very familiar to August Wilson, the author of the play Fences. Wilson, an African American man, was raised by his mother and his ex-convict father. For a short period of time, before moving back to hisRead MoreAnalysis Of August Wilsons Fences 1800 Words   |  8 PagesAugust Wilsons â€Å"Fences† takes us on a journey that transforms the 20th century impression of a Negro Family with Insatiability, Tenderness, and Sacrifice. The famous play is an autobiography of an American Negro man who loses his dreams for the people he loves. Fences demonstrates us what sacrifice looks like and how egocentricity still exist today. Fences takes place with a family in Pittsburgh from 1957 to 1965. The characters are Troy, Bono, Rose, Lyons, Gabriel, Cory, and Rayne ll. Fï  ¥Ã¯  ®Ã¯  £Ã¯  ¥Ã¯  ³Ã¯â‚¬  Ã¯  ©s importantRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesUniversity Press, 2005). 74. Richard Alba and Victor Nee, Remaking the American Mainstream: Assimilation and Contemporary Immigration (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2005); Milton Gordon, Assimilation in American Life: The Role of Race, Religion and National Origins (New York: Oxford University Press, 1964). 75. G. William Skinner, â€Å"Creolized Chinese Societies in Southeast Asia,† in Sojourners and Settlers, ed. Anthony Reid, 1–41. 76. Amy Freedman, Political Participation and Ethnic