mkwiki1

Theatrical performances encompass both religious and secular themes in varying ways. In August Wilson’s __Joe Turner’s Come and Gone__, themes of migration, the life journey, fulfillment, and past are all linked together through both religious and secular actions. Through references to the sufferings of the slave trade, Wilson is able to beautifully portray a community of strong and driven men and women, made only stronger by their sorrowful history. The themes present in this play are highly representative of both religious and secular aspects of the African American community.

African tradition give rich representations of historical meanings and values. Religious dance such as the “juba,” intended to summon the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, also carries secular values of the community, such as togetherness and freedom. The theme of freedom is loaded with the weighty past of slavery and mistreatment. Slavey in itself is not a religious experience; however, it brings with it many religious actions such as the juba, singing, and worship with which many blacks found comfort and peace. Bynum and Loomis both experience visions revealing insight into black values; however, Bynum’s is thick with religious meaning. He tells of following a Shiny Man who tells of his life purpose and “song.” By doing so and serving others through this purpose, he believes he will be able to live a life of meaning and be redeemed from the cares of the world. In a very different vision, Loomis experiences a supernatural raising of deceased slaves’ bones and is instantly given a weighty dose of reverence for the past and the close knit community present at that time.

The theme of migration is carried throughout the play as characters seek secular fulfillment in family, partners, and successes. Movement from one stage of life to another holds many meanings both secularly and religiously. Cycles of searching for self-fulfillment and identity can appear almost ritualistic, though these goals do not inherently have a religious connotation. The “Life Journey” is observed through Loomis’s arrival from the Road. He is seeking his wife and answers to his own life purpose. Bynum attempts to provide guidance for the questions Loomis and Selig pose about the meaning of life, but ultimately conclude, saying that one must find it for himself. Their “song” will bring them true joy and meaning as they go through this world.

While seeking identity and answers does not necessarily mean religion, the theme of redemption is also heavily intertwined in this mission. Redemption and fulfillment are sought through all sorts of means. At the end of the play, Loomis’s wife Martha attempts to explain that true freedom and fulfillment is only found in the love of God. She quotes Psalm 23, angering Loomis and unintentionally driving him to cut himself. Redemption provides a myriad of answers and hope for her, though Loomis acts as if the vastness of a sovereign God is too intimidating and threatening to provide any sort of comfort or answer. In a more secular view, other characters such as Mattie and Jeremy seek fulfillment through companionship and love, telling short synopses of their cyclic experiences with love found and lost. Bertha seems to be content with her place in life, living with love, family, and abounding laughter. All of these provide evidence for both secular and religious thought’s presence in a variety of themes and how these themes are closely knit to one another.

Overarching values of family, love, and personal satisfaction are emphasized through historical allusion. The historical methods of overcoming the trials of immoral manual labor give a lot in the ways of self-identification and strength, as well as the reliance on loved ones. Both religion and secularism adequately represent these themes and communal views. Each of Wilson’s characters is illustrated to have individualistic struggles and views, yet all are relate to one another in their searches for someone, something, or themselves. The community of characters uses different means for different ends, yet all fall into the category of secularism or religion. All are bonded by unspoken understandings of what is valued in the African American population.