Double Consciousness in August Wilson’s Fences

Abstract

The present paper tries to explore August Wilson’s play Fences in the light of Du Bios’ concept of the double consciousness. The characters in the play are clearly torn between their African and American consciousnesses. They can never find a compromise, simply speaking because each of these consciousnesses is deeply rooted, Therefore, Wilson tries to depict the characters’ struggle with their double consciousness and their endeavors to find a compromise. The characters have to surrender to the fact that they can never live with one of the consciousness on the expense of the other.

Keywords

• Wilson
• Du Dios
• Double Consciousness
• Fences

References

1. Allen, E. Jr, “Du Boisian Double Consciousness: The Unsustainable Argument,” The Massachusetts Review, 43-44, 2002.
2. DuBois E.B. William. The Souls of Black Folk, in three Negro Classics.1903. New York, 1965.
3. Elam, Harry. “August Wilson,” in African American Writers, 2 ed., vol2. Edited by Valerie Smith. New York: Scribner’s, 2001. 848
4. Koprince, Susan. “Baseball as History and Myth in August Wilson’s Fences”. African American Review, 40-42.
5. Louis, Henry. The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African American Literary Criticism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.