Watermelon Dramatic Devices

The first scenes of the play Fences by August Wilson is one of the most significant moments. The author uses this scene to foreshadow a number of things and to also contrast and introduce elements that would occur later in the play. This allows the author to create an aspect of change in the characters of the play. The readers are forcefully made to acclimate to the plays world by inducing from Bono and Troy’s conversation. Bono and Troy are close friends who work tether, based on their first conversation. The most dramatic moment in the first scene is Brownie’s embarrassment because he has a watermelon. This moment makes a direct reference to the racist and stereotypical images of the American Americans. Troy says that Brownie is afraid of letting the white man see him carrying it home.
Troy: "The nigger has a watermelon this big....Talking about...'What watermelon, Mr. Rand?'...Trying to hide that great big old watermelon under his coat. Afraid to …show more content…
This stereotype got its foundation from the early minstrel shows which were a popular mode of American entertainment. The minstrel shows had been popular in America for over two centuries. In these shows, black people were depicted as largely ignorant and lazy and they only enjoyed dancing, singing, eating watermelons and basically wasting time. The black people were also portrayed as people who enjoyed stealing watermelons only for pleasure. There was nothing constructive that the blacks did in these shows. Based on this scene, Troy makes it seem like Brownie was afraid of confirming this stereotype by having the white man see him carrying it home. Perhaps, Brownie lied about being in possession of the watermelon because he did not want to appear a typical black man to Mr. Rand, his white master. Wilson allows his readers to confront the racism that was present in America’s past and is it rampant even in the modern