The Life of A Former CCP AL&D Student

Clybourne Park and Fences really made the readers look deeper and see how racism was affecting everyone in the world, especially the people who were experiencing it first hand. In Clybourne Park, the conflict arises that a colored family wants to move into the neighborhood. Based on the time period of this book, a lot of people had very predominant feelings about this change of events in the neighborhood. I for one, was shocked when Bev stood up for the colored family saying that they needed a chance. In my mind, when I think of this time period, I see a white woman with blonde hair that is not the smartest and is very racist. Reading this book for the first time gave me a different outlook look on how people acted back then, and how they are perceived today. Even though this event took place in the beginning of the play, I believe it was a pivotal moment in the character development of Bev. She has been through a lot in her life losing her son, and had a husband that did not talk much. It shows that she isn't conforming to the “norms” of society. Also, another moment which I myself as a reader thought was essential to the development of Bev was when she stormed off saying she can't take this anymore and stood her ground. It is so gratifying when a character finally stands up and tells the audience how they are actually feeling, which is why I connect Bev to Rose from Fences. Rose, is a black woman living in a time where blacks were not given equal opportunities as whites. Her dominant, obdurate husband is Troy Madison who works for a trash company and is not a driver, he is the one who picks up the trash and puts it in the truck. With this job, he is being paid less than the drivers which are white men. This causes some issues with money and trust between Troy and his family. Despite Troy and Rose’s many years of marriage, Rose is notified by Troy that he is having a baby with another woman. Keep in mind, Rose is a character who keeps to herself and doesn't express the emotions she is feeling. After Troy told her this discovery, all heck broke loose. Rose finally stood up to Troy, and told him how she felt, like Bev in Clybourne Park when she stands up to her husband. Also, both of these characters try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. They know what they believe in, and aren't afraid to say how they feel after standing up for themselves for the first time. Connecting these two characters allowed me to see what the meaning of these two books are all about. To me these books are about standing up for what you believe in, not putting up with the ignorant airheads that try to stand in your way to promote something to benefit everyone equally. Everyone is to be treated equal, no matter what color skin you have, who you love, or your gender. Accepting everyone for who they are is what makes this country great. It's what makes living everyday an adventure, exploring the world and all of the diverse people living on this planet. Bev and Rose standing up for what they believed in, and not putting up with their husbands ignorance is what makes them the people they are. Standing up for someone being bullied shows who you are as a person, and defending what you believe in shows the passion you have to promote something bigger and better to benefit the world and it’s people.

Thoughts on Act 1: Clybourne Park : Act 1 of Clybourne Park has shown me that not all people back in the day were racist of African Americans. Bev is a prime example of this statement. She is the mediator with all of the craziness going on. All she wants is to get rid of the darn chafing dish! She doesn’t see a problem with allowing colored people to live in the house after they move out, but it is Karl who is insinuating racist accusations about this family. This book has taught me to look into everything with nothing but good thoughts, and not to judge a book because of it’s cover. Also, I really can’t stand that Russ is using his son’s death as an excuse to be a lazy bum and not do anything with his life. Bev tries her hardest to get a conversation going with him, but it’s always one word answers and he is really vague with his responses. We finally see the toll it takes on her at the end of the act because she finally says that she has had enough and she can’t live like this anymore. With Bev, I see that she is trying to make the best of the situation with her circumstances, but everyone around her is always so negative and it is probably taking a toll on her mental state. I know I would go crazy with all I had were negative, racist people around me all the time. I choose this gif because I really like the writing style in this play. It makes me feel like I am actually in the scene where everything is going on.

Ok, so I am kinda mad with how this ended. First, HOW DID TROY DIE???!! Was he hit by a car, was he in a car wreck because of his driving skills? Secondly, I do not appreciate the fact that his son did not want to go to his funeral. Sure, he did treat you like crap, but that doesn't justify the fact that he still was your father and raised you with a roof over your head, and clothes on your back. Like Rose said, he is becoming a spitting image of Troy. The man that ruined his childhood because he didn't want his son playing football, and he is becoming just like his father. Ok, lastly I STILL BELIEVE THAT TROY WAS NOT A GOOD FATHER. MY THOUGHTS HAVEN'T CHANGED ON THAT. I thought that my views would change reading further into the book, but nope he still a bad dad.

I was lost for words when reading this scene in class. I was NOT expecting Troy to blatantly disrespect Rose like he did. He always proclaims his undying love to her and shouts it from the rooftops, but then he has the nerve to go and cheat on her! Troy says how he has been stuck on the same base and how his life hasn’t gone anywhere, but I think he did this all on his own. He is the one who has a negative outlook on his life, and fails to look at all of the positive things he has. He has a roof over his head, food to eat, a wife that loves him, and a son that wants to just make his father happy and proud, but Troy is too caught up in his jealousy of not being able to playing sports to actually show his son the love he deserves. The question is going to come into play weather or not Troy is a good father. Well, my answer right now is no. I think he isn’t a good father because a good father puts his children and his wife’s needs before his own. A good father and husband does not cheat and get another woman pregnant. A good father and husband doesn’t risk loosing the two good things he has in his life. I feel so bad for Rose because she was just blindsided by this whole cheating scandal. One minute Troy is trying to seduce her on the porch after scaring her, then he tells her that he is fathering another child with a different woman. I think this scene was a pivotal moment in the development of Rose as a character. She always was the one to be quiet and not speak her mind. When she was pushed to her limit, she gave it to Troy because he deserved it, and he still said he was going to see that woman! Rose isn’t the quiet, housewife we thought she was. She is growing to finally speak her mind which lets the readers and audience relate to her on a more personal level.

I thought the deer was stunned or dead at first while reading this weeks assignment. Earlier when we talked about how religion plays a role in this book, it made me think why did Gordie think that the deer was June looking at him with a gaze that made some connection visible to the reader? So I started thinking and I believe that the deer was made out to be June, and she was looking into his soul, which brings in the Catholic religion to the book. Throughout the book, there have been religious references, for example when Marie had the stigmata on her hand, religion made its presence known in that chapter. In these chapters, I felt there was religion hidden between the lines. With the deer, I felt it represented June because after she died, Gordie turned to alcohol. So when the deer was staring at him, I felt some religious connection.