Critical Scholarly works on August Wilson's Literature: 

 

Play reviews: Fences by August Wilson (historical criticism perspective)

by: James Jackson

 

Bridging the Gap

 

Have you ever felt like your own worst enemy? As if the world is against you? Troy Maxson feels the same way in the play Fences by August Wilson. In the play we learn that the self destructiveness of one person is not a lonely ride. The main issue here is race and the huge barrier between black and white people and its effect on the Maxson family, especially Troy.

 

 

I believe the author wanted to connect the issues of himself, his wife Rose and their son, Cory.The main character Troy strains to deal with the inequalities as a black man in the 1950's and as an old fashioned father during changing times. He has a churning inner turmoil that sometimes disables him to make the right decision.

 

 

The story begins when Troy and Bono, best friends, are sitting around shooting the breeze' and drinking at Troy's house. Bono and Troy and garbage workers and Troy asks why there aren't any black garbage truck drivers. Then Bono asks Troy about the girl he was speaking to after work, a girl named Alberta. Rose comes in and tells Troy about a football recruiter coming to Pittsburgh to talk about Cory's future. Cory plays football for his high school, much to Troy's dismay. Troy wants Cory to focus more on his job at the A&P grocery store.

 

 

Later on, Cory and Troy work on the fence Rose told him to build. Cory tries to start a conversation with Troy but fails. Troy shows little interest in Cory and Cory asks him why. Troy says that taking care of him is a part of his job as a man and liking him isn't a requirement. Then Troy tells him to go get his job back at A&P because Cory left it for football.

 

 

The next day, Troy receives good news: he is now a garbage truck driver, the first black one in the city. Soon after, Cory comes home, mad that Troy told his football coach that he can't play anymore. Troy warns Cory of his subordination, telling him that this is "strike one". Later on in the day, Troy reveals to Rose that he has been having an affair with the girl he was flirting with earlier in the play, Alberta. To make matters worse, he is having a baby with her too.

 

 

Everything in this new house is better and bigger than it was at his Harlem ghetto. It all seems to be going so well with him until he accidentally breaks one of Ann's glasses, cutting his hand. Panicking and fearing the worst, he hastily cleans up the mess and rushes to Dora Belle's house, which does nothing at first but then bandages his wound. Later on, the Aimsleys

discover that Perk is missing after thinking that she was at a friend's house. Two police officers show up and find the bloodstain on the kitchen floor. Everyone except for Gail instantly blames Imanu because of his past.

 

The book is a novel of mystery of intrigue and yet entertaining because of Imanu's development of character. In the beginning of the story, Imanu seems like a guy who just lets life happen.

Although he longs for his mother, he knows that not even God himself can change her ways. At the climax of the story, we see how Imanu breaks out of his shell. He grabs control of his life and tries to make his things right with his foster father who already has a negative view of him. But the clues are hidden well within the text and are sometimes hard to find. However if you look, you will find that this story gives you more than you bargained for.

 

 

The book suggests that Imanu comes away a better person at the end of this book. However, the book doesn't develop the issue of race. The Disappearance takes place in 1970's New York City and although the racial tensions of the 60's are long gone, it's still in existence in big urban areas like New York. When the two police officers take Imanu into custody, they interrogate him like all the other black suspects they had, presuming that they are guilty. Imanu isn't, but his attitude towards the police force is that of a guilty man.

 

 

I disagree with the author's ignorance of racism in this book unlike Richard Wright who uses race to centralize his plot line in the novel Black Boy. She neglects to use it mainly because it's irrelevant. Rosa Guy doesn't really develop the issue in this book. Part of the reason is because her focus is on Imanu Jones and the development of his character. That storyline has nothing to do with race unlike Richard Wright's novel Black Boy. The suggestive title is all you need to determine that, but it's Richard Wright's autobiography about him growing up as a black boy in the 1920's segregated south. Things and times are different in the timeframe of Imanu's story, which is good for the sake of the story.

 

 

To sum up, the novel The Disappearance by Rosa Guy is an out of the box, in your face type of book that ties in the values of trust and past lives into it. Imanu Jones has been through a lot and at times it seems like there's no hope for him. In the end, he emerges as a better, wiser person with respect from all of the characters. If you're looking for a sob story, go somewhere else. However, if you're looking for a page turner that has emotion and a great story, then pick up The Disappearance by Rosa Guy. Trust me, it won't disappoint!