The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences [PP: 69-75] Peyman Amanolahi Baharvand Department of English Language and Literature Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch Tehran, Iran ABSTRACT This paper traces the impossibility of the fulfillment of the American dream for African- Americans in August Wilson‟s Fences. It examines why Troy Maxon, as the protagonist of the play, is not able to fulfill his dreams of freedom, and economic achievements in an environment of oppression where he finds himself surrounded by hostile whites who hinder his development. It indicates that the racial discrimination, manifested in various forms including racial segregation prevalent in the white-dominated American society, impedes Troy‟s progress. A large number of African-Americans migrated from southern states to the north in 1920s and 1930s in order to find jobs in industrial northern states. They had been told that the United States was the promised land of equal chances wherein everyone regardless of race and gender was able to progress from rags to riches. They left the South, in which racism was still pervasive despite the abolition of slavery, and moved to the North for the fulfillment of the dreams they had been promised. The advocates of the American Dream claimed that hard diligence and intelligence could lead a man to material prosperity. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that since African-Americans are considered to be „„others‟‟ in the white dominated society, financial progress and other aspects of the American Dream remain impossible dreams for them. Keywords: The American Dream, Baseball, Negro, Racism, Slave, Fences ARTICLE The paper received on Reviewed on Accepted after revisions on INFO 21/09/2017 14/10/2017 17/12/2017 Suggested citation: Baharvand, P. (2017). The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 5(4). 69-75.

1. Introduction United States, by European traders in the August Wilson (1945-2005) was a 1620s. Since African slaves were well- prominent African-American playwright built and strong individuals for whose who wrote 15 plays for which he won labor no wage was required, the idea of many awards. To name only a few of the slavery was of great financial benefits for prizes Wilson won, one can refer to a slaveholders. Though it is impossible to Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for his think of the exact number, roughly six to play Fences, and a second Pulitzer Prize seven million slaves were imported to the for The Piano Lesson. Wilson is generally New World during the seventeenth and referred to as a dramatist who concentrated eighteenth centuries. African slaves on the sufferings of African-Americans in worked mainly on cotton, tobacco and rice his plays. He intended to depict the lands. Every slaveholder possessed on wretched life of a neglected race in the average fifty slaves who worked in United States in order to draw the attention extremely wretched conditions. They were of social reformers throughout the world to hindered from education and other these miserable people. Fences is the best preliminary social rights. Moreover, most play in which he portrays this suffering. As of black women were subject to sexual Wilson's masterpiece, Fences is a play in harassment by their white masters who which the author foregrounds the troubles took sexual liberty with them. No slave of an African-American family who fails family could feel secure, because to fulfill their dream of success and slaveholders did not hesitate to disintegrate happiness despite the diligence and these families in order to sell them to other constant efforts of Troy Maxon, the head masters. of the household. American slaveholders did not face The first group of African slaves were serious challenges until the brought to the New World, later to be the accomplishment of American Revolution

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017 in 1183. Many of the northern leaders one of the bloodiest wars in the history of associated with this revolution opposed the United States. The casualties exceeded slavery on the basis that it was 600,000 warriors. The war was extremely incongruous to the constitution of the destructive but black people were satisfied United States that acknowledged freedom with the result, because the North won the and equality. They asserted that slavery battle. That is to say, those who defended was immoral and unethical. After all, slavery were severely defeated. northern states were mostly industrial ones Consequently, slavery was formally and unlike southern states did not depend abolished as the 13th Amendment to the on agriculture and farm crops. As a matter U.S. constitution was enacted in 1865. of fact, slavery was never widespread in Freed slaves had been supposedly the North. Consequently, no significant released from wretchedness of life by the objection against newly formed abolitionist end of slavery, but there was yet a long movement rose up in the North. Abolition distance to be taken before gaining full of slavery would evoke an economic crisis citizenship in a country in which many in the southern states that depended white people were still hostile towards entirely on the labor of African slaves. blacks. African-Americans like Troy Therefore, they intensely resisted the Maxson‟s father expected a world full of freedom of black slaves. options; nevertheless, their hopes were The Congress of the United States frustrated. They received the right to attend banned slavery in 1808, but no southern schools and the right to vote but white state obeyed this law. This law gave rise to oppression was too strong to wane in a few more and more abolitionist movements. decades even. Racist groups such as the Ku Many authors served as social reformers Klux Klan never stopped the murder of and attempted to enlighten their audiences blacks. The former black slaves who found through the portrayal of sympathetic black themselves among millions of antagonistic characters. The most prominent author whites in southern stares began to migrate who reacted against slavery was Harriet to the North where they were supposed to Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) whose find jobs and better conditions of life in monumental novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin industrial states. Nearly eight million (1852) was a fatal blow to white African-American moved to the North slaveholders. A lot of fugitive slaves were during the Great Migration. They had fled assisted to escape northern states by the from the aggression and brutality imposed strategy of “underground railway”. It was on them by white masters. However, these conducted neither under the ground nor miserable people realized that they had not through the railway system. However, escaped inequality and racial since railway terms were used in this discrimination. system it got the so-called name. For 2. Review of Literature instance, those who helped the slaves flee Wilson‟s Fences has been subject to a to the North; and the secret houses used in variety of critical articles that sought to this system as shelters were called examine the play based on distinct “conductor” and “station” respectively. theories. Kiffer (2017) argues that Troy More than 1000 slaves escaped by the aid Maxon‟s predicament results from the fact of both white individuals and freed slaves. that he is a black individual. He holds that The election of Abraham Lincoln blackness is a burden that worsened the (1809-1865) in 1861 reinforced the gap misery of the poor in the United States in between the North and the south, because 1930s and 1940s. Kiffer adds that African- he was absolutely against slave trade and American characters in Fences are in uncompromisingly argued against it. search of their identity despite the fact that Furthermore, the economic, social and the country in which they reside has political discrepancies between the North robbed them of their cultural heritage. and the south contributed to the Abdelsamie and Abdallah (2015) state intensification of this gap. One of the that Wilson is concerned, in Fences, with major debates between the two hostile exhibiting black experience in order to sides was the political autonomy arouse the community's awareness with demanded by southern states. The North regard to the plight of African-Americans. advocated a federal government but the They also maintain that black characters in south urged for more freedom for states. A Fences are in quest of rediscovering their war was inevitable in such circumstances. lost identity. Likewise, self-realization and The American Civil War (1861-1865) was "self-authentication" are significant

Cite this article as: Baharvand, P. (2017). The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 5(4). 69-75. Page | 70

The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences Peyman Amanolahi Baharvand

purposes pursued by black characters in later when Troy is fourteen years old. Troy the play. According to Abdelsamie and forsakes the family out of misery. He Abdallah, African-Americans in Fences intends to migrate to northern states in endeavor to overcome their limitations in order to find more options in the industrial the racist American society by recovering North. their Africanness, and also through Troy expects to be granted full recognizing their cultural roots. citizenship in the North, where black Sayni (2017). holds that Wilson people were supposed to have satisfactory indicates the silenced voices of African- jobs. He is not a criminal upon his arrival Americans in Fences. He refers to Wilson to the North. Troy goes to northern states as a competent and gifted playwright who with good intentions. He is going to escape adequately delineates the suffering and destitution, find a good job and recover marginalization of black characters in from all the racial inequalities imposed on Fences. According to Sayni, Wilson also him in the South. Nevertheless, all his leaves room for a promising future hopes are frustrated upon her arrival to the awaiting African-Americans provided that new settlement. Troy realizes that they maintain their integrity and continue regardless of being in the North or the to resist the limitations imposed on them South, he is doomed to fail in that he is a by the white society. “Negro”. The burden of blackness 3. Discussion exacerbates his poverty even in the This paper seeks to examine the industrial areas of the Unites Stares where representation of African-Americans a lot of factories exist that might provide characters' suffering in Wilson's Fences. jobs for freed blacks. Complaining about Wilson tries to contextualize black his misery even after his migration to the characters in the white dominated society North, Troy Maxon refers to the hardship in order to show that the fulfillment of the of lie after migration: American Dream remains only a dream for I walked on down to Mobile and black people in a society in which racism hitched up with some of them fellows that is a great obstacle limiting their was heading this way. Got up here and achievements. The questions that ought to found out … not only couldn‟t you get a be answered concern the possibility of job; you couldn‟t find no place to live. I success for colored characters in Fences. thought I was in freedom. Shhh. Colored Do they have any chance to promote their folks living down there on the riverbanks status through attempting the requirements in whatever kind of shelter they could find of the American Dream? Do they have for themselves. Right down there under the their own voice in the society? Can they Brady Street Bridge. Living in shacks compete with their white counterpart? made of sticks and tarpaper. Messed What are the factors that marginalize Troy around there and went from bad to worse. Maxon? Started stealing. First it was food. Then I August Wilson dramatizes the figured, hell, if I steal money I can buy me suffering of African-Americans in their some food. Buy me some shoes too! One struggle to improve the wretched thing led to another. (Wilson, 1986, p. 27) circumstances of their lives. He depicts The so-called burden of blackness Troy Maxson‟s life in Fences (1985) as an brings about all sorts of restrictions for aspirant and wishful African-American Troy. He encounters different kinds of who fails due to the racial prejudice restrictions that affect his ability to earn imposed on black people by the society. income. The rate of unemployment among Troy‟ father is a sharecropper in southern Negros was highly noticeable. Even those United States. He works for a white who were employed could find no better landlord to receive a meagre share of the jobs that serving as porters, servants or crop. Having ten children, he cannot make laundresses. Apart from unemployment, the both ends meet in such an unfair substandard residence was a major situation. He is not able to afford even problem for African-Americans. They had food for his children. Harshness of life to live in ghettos, slum areas where colored among hostile whites, and absolute individuals lived segregated from white destitution turn him to a “devil” whose people. Ghettos, also called “black brutal behavior leads to the disintegration bottom” neighborhoods were densely of his family. Troy‟s mother flees to rid populated. Despite the low quality of life herself from the savagery of a wicked in ghettos, poor black tenants had to pay husband. Another escape occurs six years high rents. A lot of black people were

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017 Page | 71

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017 forced to rethink the moral values they had vehicle to control colored people. That is learned from the Bible. The result was to say. It persuades them to do what the higher rates of criminal activities and ruling class and factory owners want. immorality. Penurious Negroes, like Troy Obviously, despite the claim that America Maxson, who had come to the North with is the land of equal opportunities, not good intentions turned to robbery to escape everybody has had an equal chance to rise starvation. Consequently, prisons were from rags to riches. The promise of a filled with Negros. Meanwhile, Troy kills a comfortable life that comes after rigorous white man in one of his attempts to steal perseverance and hard work, is not money: applicable to Troy Maxon and his sons in Now I got to worry about feeding you that they are considered inferior members and her. Got to steal three times as much. of the American society whose cheap labor Went out one day looking for somebody to in factories expedites the production of rob … that‟s what I was, a robber. I‟ll tell wealth for white American. Nevertheless, you the truth. I‟m ashamed of it today. But Troy and other black people in August it‟s the truth. Went to rob this fellow, Wilson‟s Fences even do not have the pulled out my knife and he pulled out a chance to work as low-paid laborers in a gun. Shot me in the chest. It felt just like society permeated by injustice and racial somebody had taken a hot branding iron prejudice. and laid it on me. When he shot me I Troy and his sons, Lyons and Cory, jumped at him with my knife. They told confront everywhere in the seemingly me I killed him and they put me in the propitious society the promising motto of penitentiary and locked me up for fifteen high incomes and economic security. years. (ibid p. 27) These slogans seem primarily appealing to Troy and Bono are imprisoned as the an industrious and strong man like Troy, result of the crimes they did not willingly but he is finally disillusioned with the commit. Having no job to handle their American Dream when racial lives, they begin to steal. They live in a discrimination turns out to be a stubborn country that was supposed to be the land of that hampers his progress. No African- equal opportunities, yet they have to American in Fences is able to escape the tolerate different forms of racial tragic and deleterious consequences of the discrimination. Troy's failure can be black color of the skin. The burden of associated with the failure of the American blackness exacerbates the financial Dream. James Truslow Adams (1878- problems of already destitute Troy Maxon. 1949) was the first major American author August Wilson depicts in the context of his who used the phrase, the America Dream, play the inaccessibility of a dream the in his 1931 book Epic of America (1931). basic tenets of which rest on false slogans. He stated in his prominent book that the Referring to the flaws of the American American Dream is "that dream of a land Dream, Jennifer Hochschild (1995) in which life should be better and richer questions its principles as follows: and fuller for everyone, with opportunity The first tenet, that everyone can for each according to ability or participate equally and can always start achievement" (p. 214). Moreover, Adams over, is troubling to the degree that it is not insists that this dream is not limited to the true. It is, of course, never true in the pursuit of material prosperity: strongest sense; people cannot shed their It is not a dream of motor cars and high existing selves as snakes do their skin. So wages merely, but a dream of social order the myth of the individual mini-state of in which each man and each woman shall nature is just that—a fantasy to be sought be able to attain to the fullest stature of but never achieved. (p. 26). which they are innately capable, and be Hochschild holds that the American recognized by others for what they are, Dream is a matter that pertains merely to regardless of the fortuitous circumstances white Americans. She believes that this of birth or position." (ibid p. 215) dream is an impossible fantasy for African- Most American people have always Americans in that they have always been considered the American Dream not only considered as second-class citizens. The as a slogan that says every individual has inferior position of Troy Maxon, who is a the right to get wealthy but also as an garbage collector, proves the failure of the ideology. This ideology promises equal American Dream in the United States. chances for every person to fulfill his Troy comes to believe that success does dream. Nevertheless, it functions as a not necessarily results from hard work in a

Cite this article as: Baharvand, P. (2017). The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 5(4). 69-75. Page | 72

The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences Peyman Amanolahi Baharvand

society in which black people are star, that he definitely deserves, Troy paralyzed by racism. No black character in becomes a garbage collector. He dwells in Fences can succeed based on his/her an environment of oppression that imposes volition and diligence. All of these segregation. Troy‟s unfulfilled dream character have the scars of slavery on their resembles the “deferred dream” elaborated bodies. The misery of wretched People like in Langston Hughes‟s famous poem in Troy and his family is best described by which the poet imagines the dreams of Langston Hughes, one of the most African-Americans drying up, stinking or prominent African-American poets, in his exploding. monumental poem titled “Let America Be Troy‟s exclusion from baseball league America Again (1994)”: is rooted in the institutionalized racism that I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. is supported by a set of laws entitled Jim I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek Crow Laws. Jim Crow was a black And finding only the same old stupid plan minstrel character in American minstrel Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. shows who was depicted as a decrepitude I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. Negro wearing shabby clothes. Later on I am the worker sold to the machine. Lim Crow became a pejorative name for a I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean set of rules imposing racial segregation on Hungry yet today despite the dream. African-Americans. Numerous speeches Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers! were made to support these laws. These I am the man who never got ahead, speeches included harsh critiques of The poorest worker bartered through the interracial marriages that could lead to “the years (p. 189-190) mongrelization of the white race.” These Langston Hughes depicts the affliction laws reinforced the restrictions imposed on of African-Americans who remained in colored people and relegated them to chain even after the eradication of slavery. inferior jobs. Jim Crow laws held that As a gifted baseball player with a muscular white people were superior to Negros in all body, Troy Maxon expects to fulfill his aspects including morality. Hence, sexual promised dream in baseball but it turns out intercourse between whites and blacks to be a futile dream. The proponents of the would result in the impurity of the white American Dream held that everyone who race. Having seen his dreams turned into works diligently and utilizes his/her nightmare because of such laws, Troy intelligence will have the chance to realize complains bitterly about his exclusion his dreams. Gender and race were not form the professional baseball league: supposed to prohibit anyone with regard to I done seen a hundred niggers play the fulfillment of this dream. It is on the baseball better than Jackie Robinson. Hell, I basis of such a dream that Troy Maxson know some teams Jackie Robinson couldn‟t endeavors to play in Baseball Major even make! What you talking about Jackie League. He finds the accomplishment of Robinson. Jackie Robinson wasn‟t nobody. his American dream in the pursuit of sport I‟m talking about if you could play ball then they ought to have let you play. Don‟t care in professional level. Nevertheless, all his what color you were. Come telling me I come hopes are frustrated as he comes to know along too early. If you could play … then that unlike what had been promised, this they ought to have let you play. (Wilson, dream is not attainable for everyone. 1986, P. 7) Troy is the embodiment of a failed Troy denigrates both white and black African-American who has been baseball players in this scene. More than disillusioned with the possibility of success twenty-five years have passed since Troy‟s in a society in which black people deprived failure to play in the white league and now of their social rights. He finds it impossible black players are allowed to play in the to break the color barriers, hence, is professional league after the abolition of hindered from any kind of success. Troy Jim Crow Laws. Jackie Robinson was the goes to the north in order to become an first African-American who managed to urban citizen able to fulfill his dream play in the Major League. He refers to his through diligence. Nonetheless, he turns own talent which he was not permitted to out to be a thief who commits murder. He demonstrate in the professional league. becomes a professional player of baseball Likewise, he does not allow Cory to play during his residence in prison but is football. Troy contends that no significant excluded from the Major League due to change has happened in the society despite racial discrimination. Instead of playing in some visible signs. the professional baseball league as a super

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017 Page | 73

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017

Moreover, owning a magnificent house thwarted in their aspirations to fulfill their comprises a major part of the American dreams due to their blackness. Troy and Dream, but Troy is ashamed of the house Bono represent all those African- in which he lives throughout the play. He Americans whose lives was full of missed owes his shabby house, which is not possibilities despite their undeniable relevant to the ones described in the capabilities. He relies on the possibility of American Dream, to his disabled brother, the American Dream to rise from rags to Gabriel who receives a pension from the riches, but the racial inequality prohibited army after he became disable in the war. their progress and relegated them to Not only is he not able to play in the inferior positions. Therefore, Fences might professional baseball league, Troy cannot a be considered a critique of the American house. Troy is so destitute that he cannot Dream. even afford a television. Cory, Troy‟s As a young man, Troy aspires to be a teenage son, regrets the lack of a television professional athlete in the Major League. frequently; but his father reminds him that He has always heard about the possibility repairing the damaged roof of their house of advancement in a country that is is prior to buying a TV. supposedly the land of equal opportunities. Hence, as mentioned before, as the Therefore, he strives to realize American embodiment of a diligent African- Dream through putting his talent into American, Troy Maxon fails to realize his practice. Nevertheless, the scars of slavery dreams. It might be more accurate, are not healed even after its abolition. The however, to assert that the society fails to color of his skin keeps him away from the provide Troy and other black characters fulfillment of his dream in a society in with any opportunity, if not equal which the authorities propagate the false opportunities when compared with the ideology of the American Dream. This whites, with regard to their advancement. dream remains out of reach and turns to a As discussed above, the color of skin is a nightmare for black people despite all their major determinant in Troy's social life. attempts. Despite the fact that he endeavors to excel References his white peers, the rules and conventions Adams, J. (1931). The Epic of America. of the racist society ruin his exceptional Boston: Little Brown and Company. talent as a basketball player let alone to Abdelsamie, A. M., & Abdallah A. M. letting him rise from rags to riches, as a lot (2015). The Image of the Afro- of white Americans did. American in Fences. Global Journal of The findings of this paper confirm Arts Humanities and Social Sciences. Kafir's argument concerning the suffering 3(3), 73-86. of black characters in Fences, for he Bloom, H. (2009). Bloom’s Modern contends that the burden of blackness is Critical Views: August Wilson. New the most significant barrier that contributes York: Bloom‟s Literary Criticism. to the marginalization of a character like Elam, H. (2004). The Past as Present in Troy. Moreover, Abdelsamie and the Drama of August Wilson. Ann Abdallah's critical arguments with regard Arbor: Michigan University Press. to Wilson's perfect depiction of the misery Elkins, M. (1994). August Wilson: A of black people was also corroborated in Casebook. New York and London: this paper. That is to say, Wilson Garland. successfully manages to raise public Hochschild, J. (1995). Facing Up to the awareness throughout the world American Dream: Race, Class and the concerning the wretchedness of black Soul of the Nation. Princeton: Princeton people's lives under severe racism. University press. Nevertheless, rarely an evidence can be Hughes, L. (1994). “Let America Be found in the play to suggest that black America Again”. In: Drampresad, A. character can adequately rediscover their and Rossel, D. (Eds). The Collected lost cultural heritage. Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: 4. Conclusion Vintage Books. August Wilson portrays the struggle of Kiffer, Meredih. (2017, 2,2). August African-Americans to survive among white Wilson: The Search for Black Identity racists. He intends to show that “there is no and Social Standing in 20th Century avenue for the participation” of black America. Retrieved from people in the society. Ambitious and https://augustwilsonblog.files.wordpress talented “Negros” like Troy Maxson are .com.

Cite this article as: Baharvand, P. (2017). The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 5(4). 69-75. Page | 74

The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson's Fences Peyman Amanolahi Baharvand

Koprjnce, S. (2006). Baseball as History Shannon, S. (2003). August Wilson’s and Myth in August Wilson's Fences. Fences: A Reference Guide. London: African American Review, 40: 349-358. Greenwood Press. Menson-Furr, L. (2008). August Wilson’s Williams, D, and Sandra G. (2004). August Fences. New York: Continuum Wilson and Black Aesthetics. New International Publishing Group. York: Palgrave Macmillan. Pereira, K (1995). August Wilson and the Truslow Adams, James. (1931). Epic of African-American Odyssey. Urbana and America. London: Transaction Chicago: University of Illinois Press. Publishers. Pirnajmuddin, H, and ShirinSharar T. Wilson, A. (1986). Fences. New York: (2011). Space in August Wilson‟s Plume Press. Fences. Studies in Literature and Wolfe, Peter. (1999). August Wilson. New Language, 3: 42-47. York: Twayne Publishers. Sayni, K. (2017). The Drama of August Wilson: Fencin a New Identity in African American Theatrical Imagination. International Journal of Advanced Research. 5(1), 1571-1578.

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460 Volume: 05 Issue: 04 October-December, 2017 Page | 75