Introduction
Literature is a unique phenomenon that emerged at the dawn of society and has been evolving. It has always responded to the most topical societal events and reflected the values critical at a certain period. That is why literature always remains topical and attracts the attention of numerous readers. At the same time, there are some universal themes, such as love, race, gender, and identity, that have never lost their significance.
Numerous authors explored them from the prism of their visions and mentalities to create the most topical and actual works. Thus, the stories “Fences” by August Wilson, poem “Daystar” by Rita Dove, and “Good People” by David Foster Wallace introduce various characters and their problems; however, they are united by the theme of conscience and the role it plays in people’s lives, their desires and relations with others.
Background
The idea of conscience is not new to the literature, as numerous authors have explored it. It can be described as individuals’ ability to determine what is right and wrong and execute their actions based on this perception (Schalkwijk). From the definition, one can also see that the concept is closely linked to morals, and once developed, it cannot be removed or easily replaced by another construct (Schalkwijk). It becomes a critical part of people’s mentality that impacts their judgments, beliefs, and relations with others (Schalkwijk). For this reason, in literature, the conscience often serves as the basis for opposition between various characters or inner cogitations about a person’s life. In the selected books, conscience and the views on problematic issues associated with it serve as the basis for the plot.
“Fences”
The play by August Wilson delves into the problem of Black communities, which emerged in the discriminatory US society in the 1950s. The play’s central conflict is that the head of the family, Troy Maxson, cannot accept the experience of his sons and their perspectives on the future. His vision differs from the next generation’s mentality, which cultivates the clash of representations. Troy experienced numerous racial barriers that impacted his life and the formation of his conscience.
For this reason, he cannot alter it and come to terms with the fact that the world is changing. Unconsciously, Troy resists the progress, appealing to the past traumas. He says, “The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway,” as an attempt to protect his son (Wilson 1165). From this perspective, fences state for the old constructs existing in the conscience of a man who lived in a complex and segregated society.
“Daystar”
The poem by Rita Dove is devoted to the problems of motherhood, lack of time, and change in self-perception. The speaker shows how the woman feels during the day and throughout her life. Becoming a mother means radical changes in females’ consciences as most of their thoughts and activities are now devoted to their children. Although it is a natural process and children give much love and care, women also suffer from the complex process of reconsidering themselves and their place in society. As a result, the inner conflict between conscience and the desire to become free emerges. The poem’s first lines prove it: “She wanted a little room for thinking; / but she saw diapers steaming on the line” (Dove). The woman is a mother now, and there is almost no place for her desires, which puts much pressure on her.
“Good People”
Wallace’s story “Good People” can also be analyzed using the theme of conscience. The plot of the story revolves around two young people, a boy and a girl, who have to decide whether to have an abortion or not. The solution to the procedure has numerous symbolic meanings, including the division of the partners of their union. Moreover, it might affect their future lives and chances for success.
At the same time, the author shows that the desire to be good remains one of the central motifs: “He was desperate to be good people, to be still able to feel he was good” (Wallace). This desire also reflects the idea of a good person that exists in a person’s conscience and attributes linked to it, such as strong morals, selflessness, and righteousness. In this regard, the interaction between young people, their choices, and decisions are directly linked to their consciences, which influence their decision-making.
Similarity in Presenting the Theme
Thus, the three works mentioned above have a common theme of conscience that the authors employ to show the source of the tension or explain people’s thoughts and ideas. The main idea is that people’s feelings, emotions, choices, and relations with others are manifested using existing mental constructs. Their formation might be explained by factors such as a problematic past in the segregated society, as in “Fences,” or becoming a mother, such as in “Daystar.” However, these patterns are unique to every character and influence their responses to difficult situations, thinking, and relations with others. Making a conscious choice might be difficult, and the selected stories show it.
In “Fences” by Wilson, Troy represents a person with solid beliefs coming from his conscience and constructs existing within it. The author shows that when the person puts up the fence, he becomes utterly isolated from society (Hasan 2). It becomes an antisocial behavior that might be difficult for Troy and his family (Hasan 2). However, his conscience impacts his perception of right and wrong, and he cannot alter it immediately. Lacking flexibility, Troy enters into conflicts with the members of his family. He considers his experience the only relevant one and wants to protect others; however, the situation worsens due to the clash of perceptions arising from an individual’s conscience.
In “Daystar,” the theme of conscience is used similarly to represent the inner struggle the main character experiences. Her domestic space is now defined not only by her essential traits, such as race, marital status, and gender, but also by motherly duties (Wright 16). She can now see only her “own vivid blood,” which is critical to a mother (Dove). On one hand, it frees her from the boundaries of race and job; however, on another, the hour of peace is rare, and she wants to enjoy it, which might contradict her conscience and the representations of a good mother. As a result, the problem might emerge as the woman only has one hour.
Finally, in “Good People,” the concept of conscience is the basis for cogitations about making a serious step. The couple is deeply concerned with being good people, which requires them to follow societal values, morals, and demands. It affects their thoughts, feelings, and fears. Similar to how Troy in “Fences” builds his relations with others, the characters in the story build their thoughts and visions on the unborn child and the abortion. The constructs existing within their mentalities and impacting how they perceive the world also cultivate their uncertainness and the inability to make a final decision, which might have a fatal impact on their future.
Differences in Presenting the Theme
Nevertheless, there are differences in how the authors of the discussed works use the idea of conscience. Although it is vital for all plots, the results are different. The external and internal conflicts and clashes with society arise from the divergence in worldviews and how reality is perceived. However, the authors want to show that conscience might also be a good tool for making decisions and following the values necessary for a person. From this perspective, the stories’ plots are essential for understanding the central message and how the main characters accept challenges emerging because of the obstacles or changes in the lives they face.
August Wilson describes a man who lacks flexibility and cannot reject his experience. The author introduces the idea that regardless of the fences a person builds, they should interact with society as the barriers do not work and will not last forever (Hasan 2). The fences he builds also represent frames existing within his conscience and can be viewed as an attempt to protect his culture and unique racial identity (Hasan 3).
However, Troy’s children already have another vision of the world, which means that their values and beliefs evolve, and the inability to accept a new reality and make it part of their conscience might be threatening to a person and worsen the quality of their life. Troy’s unwillingness to understand his family’s position is one of the central lines in the story, which means that Wilson wants to show the clash between old and new generations and their perception of the world.
In “Daystar,” the author appeals to the theme of conscience for another purpose. The woman in the poem does not have time for herself as she wants to be a good and caring mother and ensure her children have all they need. It is a part of her new conscience that emerged after changing her roles and entering motherhood. It might be stressful and require much effort; however, it leads to pleasant feelings and results. The heroine is no longer defined by her work, gender, or race (Wright 17). She is a happy woman with her place where she can be “nothing / pure nothing, in the middle of the day” (Dove). As a result, Dove shows that conscience and its constructs might alter and contribute to positive changes in a person’s self-perception.
David Foster Wallace employs the theme of conscience to show the difficulties of decision-making. The concept of good people is central to the story and influences the main characters. The author mentions the idea of being good several times throughout the story. For instance, the line “She believed he was good, serious in his values” emphasizes the importance of how others see a person (Wallace). Following accepted values and beliefs is central, and having an abortion contradicts the dominating view. As a result, the couple faces a critical dilemma that requires them to remain within their moral frameworks. The conscience influences their cogitations and requires making a correct choice, which is difficult in the outlined situation.
Impact on Readers
In such a way, Wallace, Wilson, and Dove employ the theme of conscience in their literary works. It helps to understand the source of actions, feelings, and emotions experienced by the main characters. Using stylistic devices, such as metaphors and epithets, the authors influence the readers and make them understand the hidden messages. Symbolism is another potent tool to add hidden meanings to the plot and make people think about them (Kelly 51). For instance, fences stand for barriers that Troy builds in his conscience to protect his values and persuade himself that it is the only way to survive and save his culture. As a result, by combining specific themes, stylistic devices, and meanings, the authors engage the audience more in the events described in the texts.
Conclusion
Altogether, the three discussed texts revolve around different individuals and events. Still, they have a similar theme of conscience that is important for understanding the plot and the nature of feelings people experience. As a set of values forming the ability to perceive right and wrong, conscience influences the decision-making and attitudes to different events, solutions, or actions. The failure to adapt to new conditions or difficulties in accepting a new role or making a complex solution is linked to the inner constructs and ideas shaping the ideas of morals and right feelings or decisions. In such a way, although the analyzed works are different, they have a similar feature, which makes them closer to each other and helps to understand the nature of human beings.
Works Cited
Hasan, Hadi Ali. “The Culture Heritage Protection: Suggestive Themes and Views of August Wilson’s Fences.” Litinfinite, vol. 4, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-12. Web.
Dove, Rita. “Daystar.” Poetry International. Web.
Kelly, Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 14th ed. W.W. Norton & Company, 2021.
Schalkwijk, Frans. “A New Conceptualization of Conscience.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 9, 2018. Web.
Wallace, David Foster. “Good People.” The New Yorker, 2007. Web.
Wilson, August. “Fences.” Moodle. Web.
Wright, LaVonna. Breaking Black Boundaries: The Poetry of Rita Dove. 2020. Georgia Southern University, Honors College thesis. Web.