Thursday, April 30, 2015

August Wilson and His Legacy

August Wilson, a man that produced plays that not only entertained an audience but also altered the viewpoint or perspective of racism. Wilson not only reminded people of how he saw our world but informed others of how it was like to be an African American during his time. But it wasn’t like Wilson wrote his plays from the kind of perspective that white people were mean to black people, he wrote the plays to allow everyone to see that we are all the same. ‘Fences which is one of the most popular plays Wilson created is centered on that same idea. “Recognizing that these things are as much part of his life as theirs can affect how they think about and deal with black people in their lives” (Shteir). Bridging the gap between whites and blacks was the goal of August Wilson, or at least getting people to notice and think about our lives and the stereotypes we encounter each day. Stereotypes most commonly associated with physical appearance that seems for most people to help categorize individuals into a certain racial category. It is like the known statement “don’t judge a book by its cover”. You shouldn't be able to make assumptions about another person based on their appearance, you should be focused on the individual’s actions and what they go through in life. “Assumptions about race and behavior often appear to be supported by what we see around us” (Bailey). This is very true, most people’s views come from what they notice around themselves. One of the more common one being media and how that portrays a certain individual. Wilson not only portrayed these ideals in the many plays he created but he also got people thinking about race in it of itself. “Race is not about what one is, but rather what one counts as in a particular time and place” (Bailey). Wilson dove deeper into this idea and explored how we as a world see race. Wilson wanted to show the world the true meaning of race and help remind others of the basis of human interaction. His legacy is a culmination of how race, power, and language all come together and form different views in the world. 

5 comments:

  1. great essay and good in-text citations to prove your points

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  2. great essay and good in-text citations to prove your points

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  3. Enjoy the post. August really helped break down a lot of wall that people had built up. It's hard to not get worried when we find ourselves pumping gas in a sketchy neighborhood or walking down the street at night. We make quick judgement and jump to harsh decisions based on institutionalized racism. It's a corrupt system that we've been brought up in but I think Wilson's work helps us look further into our simulations then our differences.

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  4. I really enjoyed your post, Chuck!

    The part that stuck out to me the most was "You shouldn't be able to make assumptions about another person based on their appearance, you should be focused on the individual’s actions and what they go through in life" I couldn't agree more, if we go day to day judging people by their appearance we will live a miserable life. Missing out on the opportunity to make a new friend or help someone in need. You never know what a person goes through on a day to day basis. The hurtful comment you might have made or ignoring someone trying to start a conversation, for how they look is just wrong.

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