“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” a play by August Wilson, delves into the African American experience in the early 20th century. This essay explores the interplay between religion and culture within the play, highlighting how these elements reflect the characters’ struggles, identities, and aspirations in a society marked by racial discrimination and a longing for cultural roots.
Introduction
August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” is set in 1911, a time when African Americans were grappling with the legacy of slavery and the challenges of a racially segregated society. The play takes place in a Pittsburgh boarding house, serving as a microcosm of the African American community. Through its characters, Wilson explores various themes, with religion and culture playing pivotal roles.
Cultural Identity and the African Diaspora
The play’s portrayal of cultural identity is closely linked to the African diaspora. Characters like Herald Loomis, who was forcefully separated from his family for seven years by Joe Turner, a real-life figure known for illegally enslaving African Americans, embody the physical and emotional displacement experienced by many at the time. This displacement is not just geographic but also cultural, as African Americans were torn away from their African roots and thrust into a predominantly white, Christian society.
Wilson uses these characters to represent a broader search for identity among African Americans. The loss of their African heritage and the need to navigate a new cultural landscape in America is a central theme. Bynum Walker, the “conjure man,” represents the link to African spiritual traditions. His practices and beliefs, rooted in African religion and folklore, contrast with the more Christian beliefs of other characters, illustrating the cultural and spiritual dissonance in their community.
Religion as a Source of Comfort and Conflict
Religion in “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” serves both as a source of comfort and a point of conflict. Characters like Bertha and Seth Holly find solace in their Christian faith, which offers a sense of stability and hope in a world of uncertainty and injustice. However, this same religion was also used to justify slavery and oppression, creating a complex relationship between the characters and their faith.
Herald Loomis’s journey is particularly telling. His quest to find his wife and his confrontation with his past symbolize the broader struggle of African Americans to reconcile their history with their present. Loomis’s eventual spiritual awakening, facilitated by Bynum’s guidance, represents a fusion of African spiritual traditions with his personal quest for identity and freedom.
The Role of Community in Cultural and Religious Expression
The boarding house, as the play’s central setting, symbolizes the community’s role in preserving culture and religion. It’s a place where characters from various backgrounds and beliefs come together, sharing stories and experiences. This communal space allows for the expression and preservation of African American culture and traditions, despite the pervasive influence of white American culture.
Characters like Bynum, who practices African spiritual rituals, and Mattie, who seeks love and stability, use the boarding house as a space to express and explore their cultural and religious identities. This dynamic illustrates how African American communities created spaces to maintain their cultural heritage and support each other in the face of societal challenges.
Conclusion
“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” is a rich exploration of the interplay between religion and culture in the African American experience of the early 20th century. Through its characters and setting, the play examines how religion and culture serve as sources of conflict and comfort, and as means for individuals to explore and express their identities. Wilson’s work not only highlights the struggles faced by African Americans during this period but also celebrates their resilience and the richness of their cultural and spiritual traditions.
In conclusion, August Wilson’s play is a testament to the enduring spirit of the African American community. It portrays the complex relationship between religion and culture as a dynamic and evolving process, reflecting the ongoing journey of a people seeking to reclaim and redefine their identity in a world that has often sought to erase it.
