August Wilson

through? The answer is no, simply because some groups of people are not allotted the same opportunities as others. Jay Gatsby – protagonist of the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – and Troy Maxson – protagonist of the play Fences by August Wilson – wish to achieve their dreams and advance in life; however, they are unable to do so because of society’s unjust exclusion of those who are not born both white and rich. From the time Jay Gatsby was known as James Gatz, he had always…

Rebellion Rebellion is an uprising against a specific group or idea that a person does not agree with. In the plays “Fences” by August Wilson and “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, acts of rebellion are shown. In Fences, the rebellious act takes place between a father (Troy) and a son (Cory). Troy has a belief on how the relationship between father and son should be, and is appalled when Cory rebels against this idea and defends himself in an argument. On the other hand, in The Crucible, the…

In Franz Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis, the reader is presented with an underlying theme of alienation. This state of alienation or estrangement is seen by the isolation of the main character from a group or activity and their loss or lack of sympathy. Gregor Samsa loses his identity through the estrangement of his obligation to financially support his family and his duty as a traveling salesman. This estrangement is initially somewhat apparent by his physical transformation and later on thoroughly…

Both Ghost Sonata and The Beggar have similar approaches when it comes to stage directions; their philosophy is more is more. We are first introduced to Ghost Sonata with a page and a half long stage direction that rivals Shaw. In it there is an incredible amount of detail. It describes what each character is doing onstage at all moments of the scene; it also gives as much information as possible regarding the atmosphere. “A steamship’s bell ring, and now and then silence is pierced by low…

Family values in Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” is portrayal as the same way a business is run. When the leader of the family can’t perform the job anymore someone must take his place. You can see this when Gregor’s father takes it upon himself to lead the family after Gregor fails to do his job. The family also shows business mentality of firing anyone that hurts the business. They did this when they were talking about getting rid of Gregor as he only held the family back. Doesn’t matter what…

In William Faulkner’s southern gothic novel, Light in August, deception plays a major role in the lives of each of the main characters. Characters such as Joe Christmas and Gail Hightower are scarred by the deceptions of others, preventing them from ever finding their place in society. However, one character is not a victim of deception, but rather wields it for his own use: Joe Brown, also known as Lucas Burch. His actions serve as a major driving force behind the plot of the novel, as his lies…

Despite offering a different character’s point of view, several of the dramatic techniques resident in Miss Julie are exhibited. Even more importantly, Strindberg again insists on placing the family of the play in the context of a Darwinian battle of the strongest. It is natural for us to expect similarities between The Father and Miss Julie due to the close proximity of their writing, but the points made about Strindberg’s later work help provide an additional insight into the playwright’s…

Strikes by industrial workers and unions were increasing rapidly in the United States during the 1880s. This was a time when working conditions often were dangerous and physically exhausting while wages were extremely low. The American labor movement during the industrial age included a mixture of socialists, communists and anarchists who believed the capitalist system should be changed. The capitalist society oppressed and exploited the working class, which had essentially built America. Since…

Throughout history there remains universal themes explored in life and fiction that are not dependent on time or place. In Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis it follows Gregor Samsa, a travelling businessman who transforms into a bug. As a bug, Gregor lives an unfortunate life full of loneliness, which is barely different than his life as a human. In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron we follow the rise and fall of Harrison himself in a society where everyone is completely equal. Harrison,…

In the short story, “Ball”, by Sam Koperwas, the author teaches us that parents putting their dreams and aspirations on their kids is dreadful thing for the kid and the parent. In the part, where the son gives up on trying to make a basket, the father pulls him by his ear and slams the ball hard into his stomach. Then, the father rambles on about eating an apple everyday and saying prayers can help you accomplish tasks. The father continues with this statement, “Argue and I’ll slap your eyes…