A Raisin in the Sun and Fences

A Raisin in the Sun and Fences

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A Raisin in the Sun and Fences

Why “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Fences” are coincidence plots.

The plots of both “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Fences” are a coincidence. In both the texts, the central characters who are Walter and Troy respectively portray the same characterization of causing misunderstanding in the families as well as reverse fortunes which significantly brings confusion and irony at the climax of both stories. Coincidentally, in both the texts the authors depict the collapse of the African-American families around the mid-1950’s where the settings are in poverty based black residential in the United States.

The climax of “A Raisin in the Sun” arose as Walter gets into a disagreement with his wife and mother after the insurance money left by their deceased father. The ten thousand dollars confused the family as Walter seen it as an opportunity to venture into liquor business that he believed could earn him significant profits. Mama and his wife were for the money be used to pay Beneatha’s medical school expenses, and the rest could be used to find a new apartment where the family could comfortably settle (Hansberry, 1994). It is ironical that despite Walter going against the family will of paying his sisters fees, the money ends up being stolen and they ended up moving to the new mansion. Considering the text “Fences,” Troy get involved in a conflict with his Son Cory by being a hindrance to the boy being register to a college football scholarship forum. It is ironical that the unfinished fence around their backyard signifies incompletes of the family which is portraying by the protagonist act of straying with another woman and misunderstanding in the family leading to its breaking. Also, the irony is depicted by the action of Gabriel wishing his deceased well and sings that the doors of heaven to be opened for him despite his mistreatment.

Stagecraft description.

Stagecraft efficiently depicts the author’s skills in writing stage plays. Stagecraft in both “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Fences” does not only portray the settings and other literary devices in the plays but also essential in suggesting the actions in the play through physical elements. Minimal use of the stagecraft in both plays significantly leaves the audience in suspicion not having the precise information regarding what will happen next in the play, hence creating attraction. It is right that in both texts the devastating power of poverty, segregation, and oppression of the black American are portrayed to affect the families depicted throughout the plot. For instance, in the “A Raisin in the Sun” Ruth tells Travis that Mama could not give him fifty cents to go to the supermarket because they do not have the money. However, how have they portrayed the theatre epic? The use of right costume and other traditional elements that could postulate the culture of Africa-American during this decade would be significant for the audience.

In suggesting the actions and plot of the plays, both the writers depict their skills in staging. In consideration of the “Fences,” August Wilson’s has significantly applied the art by symbolically using the undone fence around Troy’s backyard. It depicts the incompleteness the couple’s relationship, and it becomes clear later after the act of Troy moving out of the marriage for another woman. It also signifies the certain boundaries that put the African-Americans in working for the white to earn a living and sustain their requirements. The minimal offering of the stagecraft to the audience in both plays makes the drama interesting as apart from generating their eagerness it also depicts the culture through the use of physical activity limitations.

Walter and Troy characterization

They were both pessimistic. Being African-American men who had families, they had hopes and worked hard to one day ensure that their families live well regardless of their ethnicity. Walter worked as a chauffeur for the white man, and he had hopes that the left insurance money by his father would be an essential opportunity to venture into a business that could brighten the family’s future. On the other hand, despite Troy having the lousy character of stealing, after the jail term, he worked hard to establish his baseball potentiality and also worked for the white men as other black people to sustain the family’s needs. Both are depicted as egoistic. The act of Walter refusing to pay his sisters medical school expenses only to end up investing all the money in an unviable business postulated selfishness. He did not mind about the other family members’ views and feelings and was only for his opinions be put in place. The case is the same with Troy as for the first instance he did not help his brother Gabriel with the compensation money and instead he purchased a mansion where they lived with his family.

Round characters by the authors depict both Walter and Troy. They are fully developed to serve the purpose of the plays from the beginning to end. Walter is the main character has been reflected as an antagonist of other family members as well as a caring and loving person at the end by his act of admitting not to sell the new mansion. Also, Troy has been portrayed as a three-dimensional character regarding his act of trying all he can to survive moving from the act of stealing to playing baseball and finally working family sustenance. Both generate the plots of the plays.

Walter Lee foils

The author illustrates Lena Younger and Beneatha Younger as Walter’s foils. At all the instances they are against the protagonist, and there is no any single time they do not support Walter. Lena Younger despite being Walter’s mother she is his antagonist and this is depicted during their disagreement on how to spend the inheritance money. After making her decision, Lena states that three hundred and fifty dollars have been used to purchase the mansion and the rest will be given to Walter to deposit them in his bank account, pay three hundred dollars for Beneatha’s schooling and use the rest in his business. She qualifies to be a foil as throughout the play she appears to contradict Walter’s will and end up standing for the family betterment.

On the other hand, Beneatha Younger apart from being Walter’s sister she is an active antagonist throughout the play. It is portrayed when they disagree when arguing about the insurance money spending. Walter tells her to stop her education eagerness and find a job to earn a living or marry like other women in the region (Hansberry, 1994). It hurts Beneatha as she is passionate in studying medicine and ends up blaming and assuming her brother’s words which are devastating. The drunk Walter abuses her boyfriend in her presence, but she ignores that and goes their ways leaving him alone.

Troy as the protagonist

Troy is the central character in the play “Fences” by August Wilson. He is the personality that evolves throughout the play, and the plot of the drama is developed through his characterization. The theater can be said to depict his life and association with other people. At the beginning of the scene he is portrayed as a criminal after the rejection and mistreatment by his father, and he ended up in jail where he realized his baseball passion. The climax comes to be through his character of being protective, caring and to some extent egocentric. The act of being protective made conflict arise between him and his son Cory who had a dream of ones becoming a football champion. However, Troy with his experience at the higher level athletes prevented his success in being registered to the college football league that could significantly open his doors.

The reason behind Troy rejecting his son’s recruitment was saving him from the segregation and discrimination at the higher boards. It efficiently portrays that he is caring and minds about his family future. Troy also worked hard to the extent of being promoted with the aim of providing his family’s needs. On the other side, Troy depicts the egoistic character that made him hurt his wife without minding the effects their relationship was endangered too. After, going astray and getting a daughter with another woman, Troy says that her mother is dead and she is innocent thus it is the role of Rose to bring her up (Wilson, 1994). In all cases the conflict arises in the play, Troy is a victim in one way or the other.

Marriage Troubles

In both Troy and Rose and Walter and Ruth Younger marriages are faced with troubles that endanger their relationships. Regardless of the difficulties in their marriages, the spouses survive till the end as one. To begin with, is the Walter and Ruth relationship that is depicted by the author are the most challenging deed to survive in. Among the difficulties, the marriage is faced with include disagreement, poverty, and restriction. The spouse all through the play has not been portrayed to be on the same side due to Walter’s selfishness. After receiving the inheritance from his father, Walter had the incentive of investing in liquor business which was against Ruth who supported Lena Younger, their mother. She states that the money must be used to purchase a house that the family can live in comfortably and the rest pay his sister’s medical school arrears.

Poverty was another devastating factor that affected the family. When Ruth realized that she was pregnant, she aborted to avoid adding another family member regarding the scarcity and condition of their residence. Ruth was also restricted to poverty as an African-American woman as it was possible to move out of the marriage for another partner but this did not happen. The survivability of the union was enhanced by Ruth’s tolerance and the support from Lena Younger who ensured that they stay well as a family. Regarding Walter’s personality, it would have been difficult to stand for the family alone this depicting the role of his mother in their marriage with Ruth.

ON the other side, the marriage between Troy and Rose underwent various challenges such as brutality and infidelity. Throughout his life, Troy has been aggressive and significantly causing conflict within the family. The act of preventing their son Cory joining the football club was devastating as his success would have been their joy, but Rose did not question about the action. Also, the act of fighting with the same son in front of Rose was not right as she was the mother of the family. She was suggestable to reacting to her husband’s brutality and misunderstanding, and this could significantly affect the relationship. Also, the action of infidelity depicted by Troy was a significant danger to their marriage. Regardless of all these challenges, the ties survived o the end the primary control being Ruth’s broad-mindedness character.

Restrictive Covenants in Levittown

Levittown is one of the places where its legacy was segregation during the 1950’s. It was right that there was a significant number of Africa-American residents, but the bias was their topic of the day. The Negroes did not have the right to stay at the same reservations with the white, and they used to survive and the harsh conditions along the ghetto. Regarding Ruth in the “A Raisin in the Sun,” she states that their house was under poor conditions and restricted to the extent that she was not ready to bring another life into being at the same environment. It significantly led to her abortion. The case was the same with the blacks in the Levittown. It is during this period that the Negroes were fighting for their civil rights in the nation as they were subjected to too much racism. The same blacks had been involved in the world war as military fighting for the same country that does not consider their equity.

Survival at these conditions was terrible, and the Africa-Americans were forced to work as servants for the white to obtain food as well as income to sustain their families. It is at this era when the Negroes were struggling to get the right to access social facilities such as school and hospitals for better living standards. They significantly had the potentiality of studying and participating in national growth, but they were not granted the opportunities. Also, regarding their capability of participating in sports and athletes, they could not get to the higher levels due to discrimination. The same is depicted in both the “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Fences” was discrimination and poverty are the blacks degrading factors.

References

Hansberry, L. (1994). A Raisin in the Sun. 1959. New York: Vintage.

Wilson, A. (1994). Fences (p. 282). Connecticut Repertory Theatre.