On February 16, 2017, fifty-five students from Mrs. Russell’s and Mrs. Broome’s Introduction to English classes attended a private screening of the film Fences at Marcus Theaters in Country Club Hills.

The field trip served as a culminating experience following the class study of the play, Fences by August Wilson. During the study of the play, and later upon watching the film, students were asked to focus on several key questions: How did watching the film version of Fences enhance your understanding of the play? Which character’s personal journey is easier to understand after watching the film version? Did the film effectively capture the essence of August Wilson’s play?

For many students, this was the first time they had read a piece of literature before seeing it in film which gave them the chance to study dramatic literature through both a performance and narrative lens.

Freshman Summer White said of the opportunity, “Seeing the film definitely enhanced the play. At first, just by reading the play, I thought Rose was a little bit of a pushover by Troy. And now by seeing the movie, it somehow made me see that Rose was confident and not a pushover. I still think that Rose should have left Troy with Cory, but I now understand better why she stayed with him.  Therefore, I understand the play better.”