August Wilson & Fences

August Wilson & Fences Dr. Moschetta English 12 Advanced

Life & Background • Born in Pittsburgh to a white father (Frederick August Kittle) who never lived with his family and a black mother (Daisy Wilson) from North Carolina. He shared life with his mother and five siblings. • 1960s - Flunked out of 9th grade and at worked menial jobs beginning at age 16. He received his education in libraries and in town hubs.

Life & Background • 1960s - 1970s - Became involved in the civil rights movement and began to describe himself as black nationalist. • Moved to Minneapolis and began to write, clearly using speech patterns and rhythms that were familiar to him from black neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. his writing was also strongly influenced by the blues.

Life & Background • Began writing plays in Pittsburgh and then took a job in St. Paul writing dramatic skits for the Science Museum of Minnesota. • 1968 - Founded and directed the Black Horizon Theatre Company in Pittsburgh in a predominantly black neighborhood referred to as the Hill.

Life & Background • In 1972 he began writing a play, Jitney, about a Gypsy cab station, which was produced in 1978 at Black Horizon and in 1982 at the Eugene O'Neill Center's National Playwright Conference. The play was revived and presented at the 1997 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

A series of 10 of Wilson’s plays, nine of which are set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, each set in a different decade All designed to represent the African American people’s existence in the United states during the 20th century 1900s – Gem of the Ocean 1910s – Joe Turner’s Come and Gone 1920s – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (set in Chicago) 1930s – The Piano Lesson 1940s – Seven Guitars 1950s – Fences 1960s – Two Trains Running 1970s – Jitney 1980s – King Hedley II 1990s – Radio Golf The Pittsburgh Cycle

Fences Written in 1985 Pulitzer Prize in 1987 The Piano Lesson Written in 1989 Pulitzer Prize in 1990 Pulitzer Prize Winning Plays

August Wilson’s Death • In August 2005, he was diagnosed with liver cancer and given 3-5 months to live • He died on October 2, 2005 at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle

Fences • Fences presents a slice-of-life in a black tenement in (Pittsburgh?) set in the late 1950s through 1965. • The main character, Troy Maxson, is a garbage collector who has taken great pride in keeping his family together and providing for them.

Fences • Troy's rebellion and frustration set the tone for the play as he struggles for fairness in a society which seems to offer none. In his struggle he builds fences between himself and family. • Troy also wrestles with the idea of death and claims that he sees death as nothing but a fastball, something he can handle. The baseball metaphor is used in relation to death and throughout the play.

Arthur Miller and Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller One of the great playwrights of the 20th century Born in New York City in October 1915 Son of a women’s clothing manufacturer who lost everything in the stock market crash

Arthur Miller • Growing up in the poverty of the Great Depression shaped Miller’s life and views • Insecurity of modern existence • After high school, he worked in a warehouse to earn enough money to attend the University of Michigan • Started writing plays at UM

Miller’s Writing • First success = Focus, 1945, a novel about anti-Semitism • All My Sons was the first play that established him as a playwright • About a manufacturer of faulty war materials • Death of a Salesman (1949) secured Miller’s reputation as one of the country’s foremost playwrights

Death of a Salesman • Mixes social realism (common theme of Miller’s work) with a more experimental structure • Leaps in time and place as Willy Loman (protagonist) drifts into memories of his sons as teenagers • Willy Loman is an American archetype • Victim of his own delusions of grandeur • Obsession with success that haunts his failure

Death of a Salesman Won a Tony award Won a Pulitzer Prize Play has been frequently revived in film, television, and stage productions

The Crucible • Followed Death of a Salesman • Tale of the Salem Witch Trials • Obvious analogies to the McCarthy anti-communist hearings of Miller’s time • 1956 – Miller found himself part of the hearings • Called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee

McCarthy Hearings Miller refused to name people he allegedly saw at a Communist writers meeting Miller was convicted of contempt Appealed the verdict and later won

Marriage & Personal Life • Married Marilyn Monroe the same year he won his appeal • They divorced in 1961 (same year she died, same year as her last film) • The Misfits (Miller wrote the screenplay) • After divorcing Monroe, Miller married Ingeborg Morath • Stayed married to her until she died in 2005 • They had a son and a daughter together

August Wilson & Fences