"The only thing of any value that I can think of to leave behind is a record, a record of the life we live, the way we dare to dream, and the way we love."
This quote by August Wilson emphasizes the importance of documenting personal experiences, dreams, and emotions as a valuable legacy for future generations. It suggests that our lives, aspirations, and affections hold significant worth beyond the present moment, and can continue to inspire and educate others if captured in a record or narrative form. In essence, Wilson is urging us to preserve the stories of our lives - not just for the sake of posterity, but as a means of sharing the richness of our human experiences with those who come after us.
"Life is not a 'spectator sport.' If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you're wasting your time."
This quote by August Wilson encourages active participation in life rather than being an observer. It suggests that passively observing life without taking any action or making meaningful contributions is a waste of one's time. Instead, the emphasis should be on engagement, growth, and creation, contributing to a richer, more fulfilling personal experience and collective human development.
"History ain't nothing but a pack of lies we tell about the past."
August Wilson suggests that historical narratives are often subjective interpretations or simplifications of events, rather than objective, verifiable truths. This quote underscores the idea that history can be influenced by biases, cultural perspectives, and political agendas, which may lead to distortions in our understanding of the past. In other words, the stories we tell about history are not always accurate reflections of what actually occurred but rather a reflection of our own beliefs, values, and ideologies.
"To be a playwright is to be an archaeologist of the human heart."
This quote by August Wilson highlights the role of a playwright as someone who delves deeply into understanding the human condition, much like an archaeologist excavates layers of history. In this context, the "human heart" symbolizes emotions, motivations, and the complexities of human beings. By writing plays, a playwright uncovers these layers, unearthing the raw truths, hidden feelings, and universal themes that shape human experiences. Through their work, they provide insights into the human psyche, offering a profound understanding of ourselves and each other.
"I think that the roots that sustain us are our relationships with one another, and those relationships have their origin in family."
This quote underscores the profound importance of interpersonal connections and family bonds in shaping an individual's identity and stability. The 'roots' symbolize essential support systems that nurture and sustain us throughout life, providing a foundation for growth and resilience. August Wilson suggests that these roots are deeply embedded within our relationships with others, particularly within the context of family, as they form the foundational elements of our social fabric. In essence, he emphasizes that strong familial ties are fundamental to personal development and societal cohesion.
I think all in all, one thing a lot of plays seem to be saying is that we need to, as black Americans, to make a connection with our past in order to determine the kind of future we're going to have. In other words, we simply need to know who we are in relation to our historical presence in America.
- August Wilson
I dropped out of school, but I didn't drop out of life. I would leave the house each morning and go to the main branch of the Carnegie Library in Oakland where they had all the books in the world... I felt suddenly liberated from the constraints of a pre-arranged curriculum that labored through one book in eight months.
- August Wilson
I don't look at our society today too much. My focus is still in the past, and part of the reason is because what I do - the wellspring of art, or what I do - l get from the blues. So I listen to the music of a particular period that I'm working on, and I think inside the music is clues to what is happening with the people.
- August Wilson
Scripts were rather scarce in 1968. We did a lot of Amiri Baraka's plays, the agitprop stuff he was writing. It was at a time when black student organizations were active on the campuses, so we were invited to the colleges around Pittsburgh and Ohio, and even as far away as Jackson, Mississippi.
- August Wilson
The blues are important primarily because they contain the cultural expression and the cultural response to blacks in America and to the situation that they find themselves in. And contained in the blues is a philosophical system at work. And as part of the oral tradition, this is a way of passing along information.
- August Wilson
It was early on in 1965 when I wrote some of my first poems. I sent a poem to 'Harper's' magazine because they paid a dollar a line. I had an eighteen-line poem, and just as I was putting it into the envelope, I stopped and decided to make it a thirty-six-line poem. It seemed like the poem came back the next day: no letter, nothing.
- August Wilson
I do - very specifically, I remember Bessie Smith; I used to collect 78 records that I would buy from the St Vincent de Paul store at five cents apiece, and I did this indiscriminately. I would just take whatever was there. And I listened to Patti Page and Walter Huston, 'September Song.'
- August Wilson
I've seen some terrible plays, but I generally enjoy myself. One play I walked out of, I have a tremendous respect for the author. That was Robert Wilson, something called 'Network,' which consisted of Wilson sitting on a bunk, the dialogue of the movie 'Network' looped in while a chair on a rope went up and down.
- August Wilson
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