What does it mean to find the universal in the particular in the play Fences, and how can this jeopardize reporting the particular?

In "Fences," at the 46th Street Theater, Mr. Wilson, whose previous Broadway play was "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," has turned an interesting trick—he has found the universal in the particular without compromising the latter.

An author who finds the universal in the particular uses specific situations and characters to explore themes that are likely to apply to many people. Reporting the universal could be detrimental to reporting the particular if the level of generalization is so broad that the characters seem to be types rather than individuals.

In Fences, the particular that August Wilson presents is the story of one family. Several elements of the play have such wide appeal that they can be considered universal. Troy Maxson, the protagonist, is a proud but discouraged man. In his youth, he was a talented athlete, but his dreams of playing professional baseball were dashed.

Although Troy loves his wife, Rose, he is unfaithful to her. He also cares deeply about their son, Cory, but is very critical of him. He has a steady job, and part of his discouragement comes from his inability to advance. The family relationships at the core of the play will resonate with many people.

The particulars of the play are specific to some Americans’ experiences in the mid-twentieth century. The Maxsons—and all the play’s central characters—are African American, and the play is set in the late 1950s. Troy’s dashed hopes of playing ball are directly related to segregation. Believing that racial discrimination remains just as strong, he discourages his son from pursuing a similar dream.

What does it mean to find the universal in the particular in the play Fences, and how can this compromise the particular? How would you characterize the particular and the universal in this context?

In "Fences," at the 46th Street Theater, Mr. Wilson, whose previous Broadway play was "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," has turned an interesting trick—he has found the universal in the particular without compromising the latter.

In his play Fences, August Wilson does an excellent job of blending the universal and the particular by drawing out deep meanings that apply to every human being while still creating memorable characters with highly developed personalities of their own.

The universal is something that all human beings experience. Yet we often see the universal only in the particular. In the play, for instance, we see the struggles of a poor family and the conflicts between the generations. We see love and loyalty as well as unfaithfulness. We see selfishness and self-sacrifice. These are universal, yet Wilson finds and reveals them in one particular family, the Maxsons.

Wilson does this in such a way that his characters do not get lost and become merely allegories or flat representatives of ideas. Rather, Troy, Rose, Cory, Lyons, Gabriel, and the rest are particular people in a particular time who experience the universal and show it in their lives.

As an example, let’s look at the universals of selfishness and self-sacrifice. We see these in this play in a very particular way. When Troy has an affair, he allows his selfishness to take control over him. He describes it in terms of baseball, which is fitting to Troy’s character, and he tries to justify himself. Rose, on the other hand, exhibits self-sacrifice in her decision to raise Troy’s baby daughter as her own. These characters are particular people in particular situations, yet they reveal the universal for all to see.