Racism and Oppression in August Wilson's Fences
This paper examines institutionalized racism as depicted in August Wilson's play Fences, focusing on the African-American protagonist Troy Maxson. Drawing on the play alongside James Baldwin's "My Dungeon Shook" and Lyndon Johnson's "The American Promise," the paper argues that Troy's frustrations, unethical choices, and ultimate emotional isolation are products of a society that systematically limits Black Americans. The analysis covers racial discrimination in employment, the color barrier in baseball, and the moral compromises Troy is forced to make, concluding that the play exposes what is fundamentally wrong with everyday racism in the United States.
- Introduction: Institutionalized Racism and the American Dream: Racism limits Black Americans despite promises of equality
- Racial Discrimination in Employment: Troy confronts workplace racial bias to drive truck
- The Color Barrier in Baseball: Troy's baseball career blocked by racial segregation
- Moral Compromise and the Cost of Racism: Troy uses Gabriel's money to buy a home
- Confrontation as the Only Path Forward: Troy succeeds only by challenging racial stereotypes
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its literary analysis in a broader social and historical context by weaving in primary sources beyond the play itself, including Lyndon Johnson's congressional speech and James Baldwin's essay, which strengthen its claims about institutionalized racism.
- Each body paragraph focuses on a distinct example from the play — employment, baseball, and Gabriel's money — giving the argument a clear, evidence-driven structure.
- The paper consistently connects character behavior to systemic causes rather than individual moral failings, demonstrating analytical sophistication appropriate to literary criticism.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models effective use of textual evidence by embedding direct quotations from the play and from supporting prose texts, then interpreting each quotation in relation to its central thesis about institutionalized racism. Rather than letting quotations speak for themselves, the writer explicitly explains their significance within the argument.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a broad claim about racism in America and narrows to Wilson's play and its protagonist, Troy Maxson. Three body paragraphs each develop a distinct example of racial oppression Troy faces. A final analytical paragraph draws these threads together, arguing that Troy can only advance by conforming to, rather than challenging, racist structures. A brief conclusion ties the character's fate to the paper's larger claim.
Introduction: Institutionalized Racism and the American Dream
Racism and racial prejudice take many forms, some more obvious than others. For people who are part of minority populations, there will often be some level of bias when it comes to hiring practices or other benefits. African-Americans, for example, had to deal with racism — even when the perpetrators did not recognize their own behavior as racist — in nearly every aspect of their daily lives. Some prejudicial beliefs are so deeply accepted in the social fabric that they become ingrained in the national psyche and are never questioned as either true or false. The biases of those in positions of authority created situations in which African-Americans were hindered and prevented from achieving the happiness promised by the mythos of the American Dream. President Lyndon Johnson, in a speech to Congress, declared that the United States government had pledged to protect the civil liberties of every person regardless of gender or skin color, and to ensure that each citizen had equal opportunities — a promise that was not being kept because of the institutionalized racism embedded in the nation (Johnson 369).
Literature as an art form is used to express the feelings and emotions of the underrepresented. In Fences, the heartbreaking oppression of the white majority forces the African-American protagonist to experience frustration and anger, which culminates in his desire to separate himself and his family from the rest of the world. When he realizes that he can never escape the oppression of white society, he dies with a heart hardened by years of racism and bias inherent in the social landscape.
Works Cited
Baldwin, James. "My Dungeon Shook." American Protest Literature. Ed. Zoe Trodd. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2006. 342–345. Print.
Johnson, Lyndon. "From 'The American Promise.'" American Protest Literature. Ed. Zoe Trodd. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2006. 369–374. Print.
Wilson, August. Fences. New York, NY: Samuel French, 1986. Print.
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