Set in the year of 1911, Joe Turner Come and Gone seems like it would be a play past the rhetoric of slavery and struggles of African Americans. However, August Wilson’s, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, speaks of the vivid history of many African Americans post slavery days and powerfully displays the themes, images, and language of newly free slaves interactions in the North. The play explores the reality of a troubled history, memories forgotten and remembered, and the idea of personal struggles. Furthermore, many of the characters in the play are searching for something in their life. The search for answers from the past, hope for the future, and struggles of everyday life bind the characters together in this short play. Nevertheless, August Wilson creates a dynamic play that takes the reader on a search for promise, heritage, and a future in a society that doesn’t want any part of African Americans.
In the play, Loomis is a central figure that has many complex sides to his character. The idea of the enslavement of Loomis is central to the plays theme. Loomis characcter in general refers to the idea of having no air to survive in society. Nevertheless, the post slavery freedom of Loomis refers to many African Americans
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Once again, Loomis is the key character that exemplifies this idea of being lost and finding his way. Nevertheless, Loomis has lost his song and lost his true identity as a result of his enslavement. Bynum proclaims to Loomis, “ Now, I can look at you, Mr. Loomis, and see you a man who done forgot his song. Forgot how to sing it. (Wilson, 71).” To the contrary of many people, the slaves were not actually fully set free. The mind wasn’t free therefore they moved from one form of oppression into another form of oppression. There is a myriad of psychological baggage that’s holding back the characters from thriving and being at their