FRAGMENTATION AND RECONNECTION IN THE PLAYS OF ADRIENNE KENNEDY AND AUGUST WILSON

Abstract [English]

The Fragmentation of existence and attempt at reconnection are two fundamental aspects of black American life history. Under the disorienting effect of brutal system of slavery and racial discrimination over the ages, the socio-cultural life of black American life underwent fragmentation. The families, cultures and communities broke apart and remained separated over the ages through the many generations across the continent. This severe physical dislocation at multiple levels led to psychic disintegration and mental imbalance. In the face of disintegration there have been consistent attempts on their parts and reconnection both at social and psychological levels during and after slavery. There have been attempts at searching out lost and separated members of community, reconnecting the cultural roots they have been alienated from and uniting fragmented parts of culture and maintain psychological balance and stability. Adrienne Kennedy, a prominent female playwright and August Wilson, a male playwright have delineated the themes in their plays. The paper is an attempt on the presentations of the thematic understanding.