--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the play offers (white Americans)…" description: "\"I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans For instance, in 'Fences' they see a garbageman, a person they don..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png" --- # I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way… ![“I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans For instance, in 'Fences' they see a garbageman, a person they don't really look at, although they see a garbageman every day. By looking at Troy's life, white people find out that the content of this black…” quote by August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png) > “I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans For instance, in 'Fences' they see a garbageman, a person they don't really look at, although they see a garbageman every day. By looking at Troy's life, white people find out that the content of this black garbageman's life is affected by the same things- love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty. Recognizing that these things are as much part of his life as theirs can affect how they think about and deal with black people in their lives.” [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. White audiences can see black lives reflected in ordinary roles, revealing shared humanity and common emotions. **In simple terms:** Seeing black experiences in everyday jobs shows common humanity. Key Takeaway Recognize shared human experiences across races. Themes race empathy representation humanity Mood thoughtful reflective Type cultural educational When to use this quote - Theatre discussion - diversity training - community dialogue Key Concepts social identity cultural perception narrative empathy Questions to Reflect On - How does portraying a garbageman change racial perceptions? - What other ordinary roles could bridge understanding? A Different Perspective Might simplify complex racial issues to a single narrative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Black americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-americans/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Fences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fences/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [Black Americans, no more than white Americans, they do not want more government programs which perpetuate dependency. They don't want to be a colony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/black-americans-no-more-than-white-americans-they-do-not-want-more/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“...would factor into a wealth disparity of white Americans having an average net worth ten times that of black Americans by the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkerson-isabel/would-factor-into-a-wealth-disparity-of-white-americans-having-an/) Wilkerson Isabel > [We want everybody to think about what's in their interests. And I believe that our Democratic party platform has a better vision and better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-want-everybody-to-think-about-what-s-in-their-interests-and-i/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [I realized that most white Americans knew very little about our history and our struggle, and were having difficulty understanding the basis for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-realized-that-most-white-americans-knew-very-little-about-our/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [ I read that Hollywood wanted to film Fences years ago with a white director, but \[August\] Wilson refused. He thought that the director needed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-read-that-hollywood-wanted-to-film-fences-years-ago-with-a-white/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [“Like you? I go out of here every morning… bust my butt…putting up with them crackers everyday…cause I like you? You about the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/like-you-i-go-out-of-here-every-morning-bust-my-butt-putting-up-with/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [ “Troy: "Then when I saw that gal \[Alberta\]...she firmed up my backbone. And I got to thinking that if I tried...I just might be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/troy-then-when-i-saw-that-gal-alberta-she-firmed-up-my-backbone-and-i/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [My greatest influence has been the blues. And that's a literary influence, because I think the blues is the best literature that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/my-greatest-influence-has-been-the-blues-and-that-s-a-literary/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I think all in all, one thing a lot of plays seem to be saying is that we need to, as black Americans, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-think-all-in-all-one-thing-a-lot-of-plays-seem-to-be-saying-is-that/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [There's no reason why you can't say "August Wilson, playwright" even though all of my work, every single play, is about black Americans, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/there-s-no-reason-why-you-can-t-say-august-wilson-playwright-even/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [We were land-based agrarian people from Africa. We were uprooted from Africa, and we spent 200 years developing our culture as black Americans. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/we-were-land-based-agrarian-people-from-africa-we-were-uprooted-from/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I write for myself and my goal is bringing that world and that experience of black Americans to life on the stage and giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-write-for-myself-and-my-goal-is-bringing-that-world-and-that/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [ Deeply versed in history, \[John Adams\] said over and over that America had no special providence, no special role in history, that Americans were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/deeply-versed-in-history-john-adams-said-over-and-over-that-america/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [But Americans are different from everyone else in the world - except the Canadians, and Americans are more different from the Canadians than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pfaff/but-americans-are-different-from-everyone-else-in-the-world-except/) [William Pfaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pfaff/) > [Americans have different ways of saying things. They say 'elevator', we say 'lift'... they say 'President', we say 'stupid psychopathic git.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/americans-have-different-ways-of-saying-things-they-say-elevator-we/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) ## More by August Wilson > [Most of black America is in housing projects, without jobs, living on welfare. And this is not the case in 'The Cosby Show,' because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/most-of-black-america-is-in-housing-projects-without-jobs-living-on/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I just write stuff down and pile it up, and when I get enough stuff, I spread it out and look at it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-just-write-stuff-down-and-pile-it-up-and-when-i-get-enough-stuff-i/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I don't look at our society today too much. My focus is still in the past, and part of the reason is because what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-don-t-look-at-our-society-today-too-much-my-focus-is-still-in-the/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [The director works as an interpretive artist, but he's still an artist, so you also have to give him room to create and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/the-director-works-as-an-interpretive-artist-but-he-s-still-an-artist/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I dropped out of school, but I didn't drop out of life. I would leave the house each morning and go to the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-dropped-out-of-school-but-i-didn-t-drop-out-of-life-i-would-leave/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [When I first started writing plays I couldn't write good dialogue because I didn't respect how black people talked. I thought that in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/when-i-first-started-writing-plays-i-couldn-t-write-good-dialogue/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [“Like you? I go out of here every morning...bust my butt...cause I like you? It's my job. It's my responsibility!... Not cause I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/like-you-i-go-out-of-here-every-morning-bust-my-butt-cause-i-like-you/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [“-How long you been with the rail road now? -Twenty-seven years. Now, I'll tell you something about the railroad. What I done learned after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/how-long-you-been-with-the-rail-road-now-twenty-seven-years-now-i-ll/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [Scripts were rather scarce in 1968. We did a lot of Amiri Baraka's plays, the agitprop stuff he was writing. It was at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/scripts-were-rather-scarce-in-1968-we-did-a-lot-of-amiri-baraka-s/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [All you need in the world is love and laughter. That's all anybody needs. To have love in one hand and laughter in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/all-you-need-in-the-world-is-love-and-laughter-that-s-all-anybody/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I ain't never found no place for me to fit. Seem like all I do is start over. It ain't nothing to find no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-ain-t-never-found-no-place-for-me-to-fit-seem-like-all-i-do-is/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I don't write for a particular audience. I work as an artist, and I think the audience of one, which is the self, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-don-t-write-for-a-particular-audience-i-work-as-an-artist-and-i/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I dont write particularly to effect social change. I believe writing can do that, but thats not why I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-dont-write-particularly-to-effect-social-change-i-believe-writing/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [“Don't try and go through life worrying about if somebody like you or not. You best be making sure they doing right by you,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/don-t-try-and-go-through-life-worrying-about-if-somebody-like-you-or/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [Suffice it to say, I'm not poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/suffice-it-to-say-i-m-not-poor/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) [Explore all 124 August Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) Sharlene05 > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-don-t-think-wayne-rooney-would-be-affected-if-you-booed-him-that-s/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans For instance, in 'Fences' they see a garbageman, a person they don't really look at, although they see a garbageman every day. By looking at Troy's life, white people find out that the content of this black garbageman's life is affected by the same things- love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty. Recognizing that these things are as much part of his life as theirs can affect how they think about and deal with black people in their lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "August Wilson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans-a-different-way-to-look-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans-a-different-way-to-look-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/august-wilson-3646_affected_i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans_3200731.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the play offers (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans For instance, in…” — August Wilson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "August Wilson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the play offers (white...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans-a-different-way-to-look-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-think-the-play-offers-white-americans-a-different-way-to-look-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```