Africanism and the African American’s Search for Personal Identity in August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

ABSTRACT

Literature recreates experiences, reality and happenings in the society to inform, educate, instruct and enlighten people. Literature creatively tells stories, myths, legends and folktales to entertain audiences, it also serves as a record to inform generations. August Wilson‟s Pittsburgh Cycle tells the history and legacy of slavery and the African American experience. It constructs the effects of slavery on Blacks and their search for an identity to redefine their existence as their selfworth has completely been stripped by colonialism and slavery, Wilson emphasizes the importance of this search in the lives of the Blacks as well as the importance of their legacy. August Wilson‟s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone depicts the trauma of slavery on African Americans and their struggle to achieve freedom in America, as well as their struggle for equality as they have been subdued as a result of captivity. It is important for the African American to recover their identity and assert their worth and place in America. Through qualitative findings, the history of slavery and the African American experience is brought to light, detailed analysis of the events of this experience is also reviewed and the history of colonialism is examined to portray the result of colonialism and the journey of the African American to reclamation. The African American‟s jaunt has been a struggle to achieve liberation and escape the clutches of repression in America, to achieve equality in America, and reclaim selfsufficiency. It is noteworthy that the African American‟s heritage is their ancestry and to reclaim their heritage would mean reclaiming their identity.