An Analysis Of August Wilson's Fences From The Perspective Of Intergenerational Trauma

August Wilson is hailed by the critics as the greatest African-American dramatist in the history of American literature.Fences,one of his most award-winning plays,is a masterpiece that lays his foundation as an American playwright.Since it was performed at the Broadway in New York in1986,it caused a sensation in the province of dramatic critics and they fully affirmed this work.Apartheid and discrimination have profoundly influenced African-Americans,leaving intractable trauma and affecting the complete construction of identity and personality of African Americans in different generations.In Fences,there are some verbal narratives and written narratives to directly or indirectly show the racial trauma transmitted from the elder generations to the younger generations,so it is of practical significance to study the drama from the perspective of intergenerational trauma.Therefore,this thesis,taking the concept of intergenerational trauma proposed by Abraham and Torok as the entry point,guided by the trauma and recovery theory of Judith Herman,analyzes the relationship among characters and their personality development through the close reading to construct the connection between the fate of three generations and the intergenerational transmission of trauma.Through the analysis of the images of intergenerational trauma and the typical traumatic symptoms of three generations,this thesis clearly demonstrates the living conditions of the Troy family.Via the exploration of the background causes of the formation of intergenerational trauma and the interpretation of the transmissive channels of the intergenerational trauma,this thesis summarizes that most traumatic events are transmitted through two channels,of which one is direct verbal narrative,and the other is indirect written narrative.Ghost-like trauma lingers between generations,affecting the identity of African-Americans and the formation of a healthy personality,but they are also trying to find a cure to make a new self.Through analyzing the characters in the drama,the experience of the characters in the drama tells the modern people who have experienced intergenerational trauma that if they try to find some possible methods,the trauma can be healed.By returning to the family where a sense of security can be established and returning to the family culture and reconnecting with the ancestral culture,the shadow of trauma can be avoided,and a person can achieve a new self.