Klevens/English 4
Spring 2011
Drama Essay Assignment #1
Assignment:
Write an analytical essay (approximately 4-6 pages) to August Wilson’s, Fences . Essays must be typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman (or equivalent font), double spaced, stapled, with page numbers in the upper right hand corner of each page. Remember: this is not an opinion paper. Please respond directly to the text and accurately cite page numbers whenever you quote or paraphrase. MLA documentation with Works
Cited page required.
Questions to Answer:
August Wilson’s,
Fences , is divided into 9 scenes, like the 9 innings of a baseball game. This play, however, is not first and foremost about baseball, but rather the game of life. We are introduced to Troy Maxson and we follow him on his quest for true manhood.
Troy Maxson, like his name (a referent to the Mason-Dixon Line dividing the
“Slave South” from the “Free North”), is a compilation of competing impulses, and he is a man who lives on a fence. In a world defined by separation – between fathers and sons, between husbands and wives, between homes, between jobs, between races – what does it mean to be a man? How do “the sins of our fathers visit us,” shape us, and challenge us?
Can we “banish them with forgiveness,” or are we destined to be like our fathers, while struggling to be ourselves, forever pulled in two directions?
Themes to Consider
1.
Separation. Fences are dividers used to separate or make a border, to keep people in or out. What are the fences that you can identify in the play? Are they for protection? How does racism work like a fence? Can fences ever be positive?
How do our characters experience fences? What is the result?
2.
Inherited History. How does the past affect the future? Should the sins of the
father be passed onto his children? What is the history that our characters are dealt How do they reckon with this history? Can they escape it? Can history ever be used productively?

3. Damaged Fathers/Damaged Sons. Many of our characters were reared by flawed
fathers. What does it mean to be a poor role model? How does poor parenting affect
one’s own parenting skills and, subsequently, one’s children? How do fathers teach
their sons about being men?
4. Survival Mechanisms. Life can be hard. What do our characters do to survive the
lives they’ve been leading? What makes their lives difficult? What modes of escape
make it easier? Is it truly easier or just temporary relief? How is the “right to dream”
a survival mechanism? Why is dreaming so important?
Getting Started:
Find your issue. What are you writing about?
Pick several shared themes to compare and contrast the issue, its presentation, and resolution (if any).
Make a decision as to what you think you’ll find, the why , or meaning. This is your resolution/discovery, indicated by your thesis statement.
Find quotes and strong lines that will support your assertions.
Guidelines:
1.
All papers must include an introductory paragraph that outlines the issues/ideas you will raise as well as a thesis that you will support and prove.
2.
All supporting paragraphs must have a topic sentence followed by specific sentences that build on your general point. Remember to use quotes and /or paraphrasing as specific proof.
3.
Your conclusion should restate your issue and sum up your assertions.
Grading Criteria:
Content : Does your essay show an accurate and thorough understanding of the text, and does it respond clearly and directly to the text? Do you explain your interpretation in a way that makes sense?
Structure and Organization : Is the essay organized and easy to follow? Are there smooth transitions between paragraphs? between thoughts?
Language and Mechanics : Did you proofread well? Are your words chosen thoughtfully? Are your sentences well-structured, and is the essay relatively free of error in the areas of spelling, punctuation, grammar etc?
Bring 3 copies of your essay rough draft on peer review day and, as always, proofread your final draft well.
Rough Draft Due for Peer Review: Monday, Feb. 14th
Revision/Final Draft Due: Wed, Feb 23rd