Analysis of the major themes in the play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone essay
Many American writers have covered the themes associated with the struggles and lives of African Americans after the end of slavery. The play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone written by an American playwright August Wilson discusses how the African American residents of a Pittsburgh boardinghouse in the early1900s made attempts to “rediscover, repossess and redefine themselves historically and socially as free citizens” (Bogumil 52). Actually, the theme of displacement is well-developed in the play through the discussion of dramatized vicissitudes. The main characters of the play are the children of “newly freed slaves” who have a great desire to comprehend and find their place in the world that is hostile and unpredictable for them. The events of the play are set in the second decade of the 20-th century. The playwright provides a description of the lives of a few freed former enslaved African Americans, placing emphasis on the conflicts of racism and discrimination they have faced in the North. Thesis statement: In the play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, August Wilson discusses a few themes that play a vital role in understanding of African Americans’ soul, including the theme of displacement, the search for identity and the theme of racial conflict and discrimination.
One of the major themes in the play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is the search for identity. Herald Loomis, a displaced slave, believes that he is searching for his lost wife, Martha. However, according to Bynum Walker, the African conjurer, Herald is searching for his identity or his song. Actually, Herald has forgotten his song and lost his identity as a result of his long-term enslavement by a mean plantation owner Joe Turner, who illegally enslaved newly freed slaves to work for him. Bynum explains that Joe Turner stole his song when he made Herald work on his plantations. Bynum says: “Now he’s got you bound up to where you can’t sing your own song. Couldn’t sing it them seven years “cause you was afraid he would snatch it from under you.” (73).
The second important theme in the play is the theme of displacement. August Wilson investigates the major causes of the migration of people after the emancipation of the slaves. He finds out a variety of social and cultural issues that are hidden in the nation. According to literary critics, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone repeats the theme of the Great Migration and its losses challenges” (Cook 80). Most Wilson’s characters are the so-called ghost hunters who keep their memories and individual experiences that stand for the “psychological baggage that accrues as a result of the disruptions they experienced in life” (Cook 80). Thus, the greatest disruption for them is displacement. August Wilson writes: “from the deep and the near South the sons and daughters of newly freed African slaves wander into the city” (4). Most of them lost their songs and their identity.
The third important theme covered in August Wilson’s play is the theme of racial conflict and discrimination. The author states that although the North is different from the South, and there seems to be freedom for people of all colors and a variety of jobs, in some situations, it resembles the South, especially in terms of racial conflict. Jeremy Furlow faces severe discrimination, although practically Wilson’s characters encounter white people’s intolerance. Racial discrimination affects all the residents of the boardinghouse. The author relates to racial injustice and alienation. Moreover, the high level of exploitation can be felt throughout the play. Rutherford Selig gets money to find people he relocates, while the police take Jeremy’s money. The fact that the Civil War has ended does not mean that the African Americans are treated equally. Rutherford Selig is one of the characters who perpetuate the mistrust between the blacks and the whites. Actually, the title of the play has direct relation to the theme of racial conflict. The title Joe Turner’s Come and Gone comes from a well-known blues song: “They tell me Joe Turner’s come and gone They tell me Joe Turner’s come and gone (Oh, Lordy) Got my man and gone” (Wilson).
Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson is focused on the analysis of several protagonists who can be viewed as the single soul of all black Americans. The playwright shows how they struggle to regain their identity and individuality in human society. The author covers multiple themes, such as the theme of displacement, the theme of the search for identity and the theme of racial discrimination which help the public to better understand African Americans’ soul, their “song” that is hidden inside them. In general, Wilson’s play promotes the significance of African American history and relies on historical facts. The themes of displacement and identity are linked to the racial conflict that was not a new phenomenon after the Civil war. African Americans were ready to search for economic opportunities, being forced to move without any opportunity of contacting their families.
