Fences,_Kindred,_Tewwg_Dialogue

Emmett Ogiony AP English Summer Reading and Writing Assignment 2009 Background: The scene takes place in a typical Harlem department store. Each of the characters meets in an aisle all looking for various items that make up their personality. It is a rainy day in the summer, so the characters are already frustrated by the weather. The time is in the mid-1940s where racism is evident and degrading; even between race members. The scene focuses on the negativity of racism and the quality of all people. As the scene progresses it is clear of the barriers of the time and what needs to be done to bring it down. “Nigger I ain’t know where the jeans are, I’m having enough trouble finding the wood for the fence I be building,” says Troy in a steamy voice. “Well excuse me! I was just asking for help, there is no need to bring those harsh words into this,” says Dana, surprised at the words. The slight sound of the word made her shiver; the racism even between another person of the fellow race kills her inside. “What’s going on heh'” Janie says in a commanding voice as she walks into the aisle. “You, woman, don’t know what you’re talking about here. This word here is fine, I use it all the time,” Troy says as he eyes up Janie. “You know little lady if you weren’t old as my mother I’d take you out for a night,” Troy states. There was a time when he could do that he says; without that woman Rose always on him like a she wolf. “Oh please sir, I been wit many men in my life and not any of em have used dat word around a lady,” said Janie as she looked through the shelves for make-up with a look of despair. She sighed as she remembered Tea Cake, the man she used to love ever so dearly. “That word has brought our whole race down for centuries, and look at you; just throwing it around as if it’s nothing! Now look here, that woman over there is an example of all we stand for. She is strong and respected, which is exemplary in this time,” Dana says as she gives a sinister look to Troy. This is what she hated, and angry man like Rufus doing this to her and her fellow people. People need to realize what kind of life we live in now she thought to herself. Troy with anger building in his deep voice says, “Look at me here, just trying to buy a bat and wood, now I have to argue with all ya women! This is a disgrace; you younglings don’t know how good you got it. When I was younger all I did was work and get beat. Look at this employee here, he get paid for doing jack nothing!” Troy looks back and remembers the hard times he used to have to survive; surviving the times he did and now look at this, what respect! “You don’t know how hard we work; you are just assuming this because we’re women. Times are harder than ever and trying to put us in your place doesn’t make it any better,” Dana says. “This girl heh is right she knows wat it is like for women right now, we all gotta stick together now,” Janie says as she now becomes more involved in the argument. She looks over at Dana with acceptance and a bond with a certain common ideal being shared. They knew what was needed to be done now. “Oh please women; you haven’t felt the pain Troy’s felt. My dad hit me and worked me, I don’t suspect that happened to you! Times now aren’t all farming, it just business and politics,” Troy says completely right. He went to his past where he saw the troubles of his childhood. As Troy becomes depressed he thinks of Bono, his best friend to keep him going. Janie intervenes, “Man, you don’t know bout’ meh troubles. I loved and lost many times more than a woman heh should.” Janie reminisced about her past, and then that anger dwelled up in her from all the lost love. “At least you been loving freely, I been faking mine for years and will be faking it till done death comes for me,” Troy says with a stern look on his face thinking about Rose. “I don’t want to see this hate here, it kills me inside. This fighting is the fighting done during slave times. We all have to stick together,” says Dana feeling sorrowful. She remembered the slave times, all the hurt and pain welled up in one another. “You know dis girl over heh is right, why you got to be all aggressive and mean-like to us man'” Janie says. Janie, in her life, has seen enough violence to last for a million years bringing up her past husbands, and the flood that killed her Tea Cake. “Troy don’t need to listen to no women like you, this here is stupid talk. I’m Troy, a man, and I don’t need to listen to all the trash you be talking misses. I says back in my old day woman were happy just not to be hit by their man,” Troy says. “I mean we don’t get hit anymore, and we all are equal,” Dana says with scorn, she looked over at troy with power and control. “She right, we all have same jobs and rights. You sir need to get wit the times,” Janie says. “You know we all aren’t all equal, the white man still brings us down. We may have the rights but we sure don’t have the money to get us up. The black people are down and can’t get up,” Troy says with a somber voice. Finally realizing he is at fault, he sees where the ladies are getting at. “I’m glad we can at least agree at one point. With that you should see how to make us stronger, not weaker,” Dana says glad as she finally broke through Troy with Janie’s help. “She right, we all gotta fight back at them white men,” Janie says. “Well old Troy here has to get on his way, don’t wanna let death catch up on him,” Troy says. “Likewise sir, thank you for understanding me,” Dana says. “Thank you sir for sitting heh and talking to us,” Janie says. “It isn’t anything but a heart break misses, I’ll be seeing you,” Troy says as he walks away. The scene closes with all the characters dispersing down separate aisles, and a window outside shows the sun finally showing itself through the black clouds.