August Wilson Paper
Introduction
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a 1982 play by August Wilson chronicles the African American experience in the twentieth century. The play that was set in Chicago advances the issues of religion, art, race and the historic exploitation of recording artists of black origin by white producers. The author of the play uses it to comment on various social problems in America. August Wilson uses Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom to show the intra and interethnic conflicts that manifested in the form of economic, racial, gender, religious and artistic disparities and the exploitation of the black population by the whites.
Social problems highlighted by August Wilson
August Wilson used the play to advance different social problems facing the African Americans in the twentieth century. One of the social problems advanced in the play is isolation and ignorance. The issues of isolation and ignorance are deeply embedded into the back musicians. This is especially regarding the perception of the white-dominated world about black musicians. Firstly, the setting of the play is very enclosed and solitary. The black musicians in the play, almost exclusively live in the band room. Irvin and Sturdyvant rarely live in the recording studio which is located upstairs and obscured from the basement. The only communication line available between the two rooms is a loudspeaker system, a very impersonal approach that lacks the direct contact among the participants in the conversations. The racial hierarchy that the loudspeaker system represents is what the characters in the play believe is the proper way to run the world. As such, the play depicts the ignorance of the black musicians in believing that this is this the sole way in which things should be run since this is the only kind of life to which they have been exposed. This robs the black fraternity of the opportunity to develop and learn of the real world. With no other alternative, they remain isolated to their current positions and watch the shades of real life pass right by them.
August Wilson uses the play to depict the economic disparities between the black community and the white fraternity. The play exposes the exploitation suffered by the African American Musicians in the predominantly white commercial music industry. In the play, Ma Rainey, a successful and demanding Blues singer has unending battles with her band members and producers, including Levee, the ambitious and talented trumpeter. Through this, Wilson illuminates the psychological consequences that African American musicians go through in the struggle for artistic and economic self-determination. Wilson contrasts this with the face of shifting marketplace and racism. Even with the widespread ignorance in the black musicians, Toledo, an informed black musician tries to enlighten his fellows. Toledo wants them to understand the division of power between the white and black musicians, and why it has been that way over time. In the analogy, Wilson explains how over the years the whites have used free skills and labor from black slaves for their own good. With the abolishment of slavery, the whites had nothing to do with the backs. As such, the blacks had to take their position as the ‘leftovers’ and advance their race to bring it on equal economic, political and social footing as the white fraternity. Wilson uses Toledo to expand the theme of economic disparity not only in the commercial music industry but also in the general society (McDonough 78)
August Wilson reflects on the gender issues facing the black community in twentieth century. While exploring the theme of self identity, the band members in the play engage in the process of self definition. This is done through their interactions with each other and with Irvin and Sturdyvant and through story telling. Every story a band member tells shows readers something about the band member and also forms a theme of the Blues. For instance, we see Toledo’s definition through his ability to read. His failure to form fruitful relationships with women also edifies his definition. Levee, another band member defines himself via his appearance, of which shoes are a central symbol. His womanizing habits also show his undesirable traits of objectifying the female gender. The inherent differences between Levee and other members of the bad as pertains music also help his self definition. Levee tells a story about the murder of his father and the brutal attacks to his mother by the whites. This offers insights into the argumentative nature of Levee and the abuse meted on the female black community. Through Cutler’s story, we see a familiar story for the black community through appeasing white power in order to survive (Gray 129)
The struggle for power in various levels is one of the issues highlighted by Wilson in the play. He uses the play to reflect on the struggles for power by the inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic groups. The sad thing about the revelations from the play is that even when they were oppressed and subdued by the whites, the black musician and by extension the entire black fraternity still fought within themselves. The lack of unity put them at a grave disadvantage especially within the ranks of commercial music industry where divided they had no purchasing power. Throughout the play, the dramatic question looms as to whether the band will finish their recording session because of embedded conflicts within its ranks and the struggles for power between Sturdyvant and Rainey (Wilson 59).
The reigning battles of will between Sturdyvant and Rainey embody the historical battles between workers and capitalists. The only difference is that Rainey holds strongly to her music. As the good it is, she produces her genre of music until she attains her needs from the white producer. Rainey signs her contract only after the band members have been paid and her demands met by the white producer. August Wilson reflects on the generational conflict that is defined by varied attitudes towards music. This is depicted by the power struggles between the band members and Levee over the edition of ‘‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’’ that is to be recorded. August Wilson tells of a generational conflict between the old crop represented by Rainey and the band that prefer the status quo and the new generation represented by Levee, who favors improvisation by the incorporation of jazz sounds into the music. The conflicts denied the black musicians the bargaining power that unity would have afforded them. This is the general theme that sank the black community deeper into oppression at the hands of the Whites (Ludwig 163).
Conclusion
The play is an audible voice to the tribulations that faced the blacks in the early twentieth century. Given voice by actors in the play, August Wilson gives voice to the economic disparities, power struggles and gender indignities the black musicians suffered under the hands of white producers. All in all Wilson serves as the voice of the voiceless and the aid that makes audible the low tones that desire the ears of caring people.
Works cited
Gray, Herman. Watching Race: Television and the Struggle for Blackness. Minneapolis: U. of Minnesota P, 2004. Print.
Ludwig, Patrick. African American Identity in the City in August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2009. Print
McDonough, Carla J. Staging Masculinity: Male Identity in Contemporary American Drama. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2006. Print.
Wilson, August. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2007. Print.
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