Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Fences by August Wilson exposes the idea of a family struggling through social and cultural issues. These allow for the characters to have a difficult time identifying themselves in society. The social norms established for the characters in the play cause for problematic situations in which the family is exposed to. Furthermore, this is the reason why I chose this play. After reading the text, I was able to explore some of the same situations/ themes occurring in society today. It exposed me to

Think about something that symbolizes something for you. Well in the play Fences, fences represent something different for each character. For Troy fences represents a line in the sand, for Rose it represents safety for her and her family and for Cory it represents a separation between him and Troy. The play Fences was written by August Wilson, it is about a black family from the late 1950’s featuring a dad, mom, three kids and an uncle. Fences represents a line in the sand for Troy, on one side

Death of a Salesman: Reality vs. Fantasy From the surface, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is telling a story about what seems to be a typical American family with painful conflicts. Although this is true, the theme for this drama is much more complex. Death of a Salesman is a tragedy published in 1949, a time when America was experiencing a national prosperity after World War II (Cummings, 2003). The postwar prosperity involved a rise in consumerism and industrialization, making Americans more

In Merriam-Webster the definition of fences, “is a barrier intended to present escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary”. Everybody has their reasons for building a fence. For example, to feel safe, keep their love ones close, or just to keep people out of their business. In the play Fences, the character Bono said,” Sometimes it is to keep people in or to keep people out.” In the play Fences there are different characters who have built a fence for their own reason. The fence is a safe haven for

The author Arthur Miller wrote the book Death of a Salesman and it tells the tale of a dysfunctional family and its members. This family is comprised of Willy Loman, a salesman, Linda, Willy’s wife and mother of Biff and Happy, Biff, eldest son of Willy and Linda, and Happy, younger son of Willy and Linda. Each of the characters in the book all have flaws such as Willy being suicidal, Linda being an enabler, Biff being lost, and Happy being a liar. These flaws have created an atmosphere where conflicts

Fences Essay     “Some people build fences to keep people out… and other people build fences to keep people in.” - August Wilson. Fences can be perceived everyday while driving down the road, although you do not know the actual reason people assemble them. They can signify barriers or even security. Fences can be observed as a positive or negative element. In the play Fences by August Wilson, fences are used to symbolize a unique perspective regarding Troy, Rose, and Cory.     To Troy, fences

A simple structure is used in this story to create a theme that challenges certainty in a world, that in reality, is full of grey. Shanley creates a controversial scenario which takes place in a Catholic school in 1964. First of all, the use of a parable helps explain a complicated emotion to the audience. Secondly, each act of the play hits a deep part of society’s ongoing issues such as racism. And finally, the denouement is established, with Shanley leaving the audience behind with the lingering

When you think of a fence, you think of a wooden barrier to keep things in or out. In the play Fences, the word means much more to Rose, Troy, Cory, Gabriel, Lyons, and Rynell. The word is deeper and more meaningful to them than just a fence you put around a house or graveyard. Even if it sounds like it is going to be just a wooden fence, it turns out through the play, the fence begins to symbolize something for each member of the family. To Rose, the fence indicates love. A love she has for her

Doubt is a drama written by John Patrick Shanley. The play is about a nun, Sister Aloysius, who believes that a priest, Father Flynn, has done something to one of the students. Father Flynn opens up the play with a homily. The theme of the homily is uncertainty, which he connects to the disorientation felt by most of the country the year before, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He points out how people came together spiritually and concludes that despair does not have to be an experience

Loman Family Members Analysis Modern day America has always put ambition, goals, and success on a pedestal in society. Individuals all over the nation are working hard on turning their visions into reality. The playwright of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller, wanted to show how Americans were doing everything they can to move up in the success ladder. In theory, I believe Miller wanted to illustrate, through the Loman family members, the immersive experience of trying to succeed in the 20th-century