The play Fences, was written by August Wilson. Fences is about a family that goes through struggles and the fences around the household are symbolic in the story. The play begins with the introduction of Troy, the main character, and Bono, his friend, as they are socializing at a bar after a day of work. Throughout the play, the fence will be critical in the story and the struggles each character goes through. The fence was being built because Rose, Troy’s wife wanted the fence to protect the household from danger. This fence-building project has changed the characters’ lives and the fences serve as a literal and figurative device in Fences.
The fence is first mentioned in Act One Scene Two when Rose is singing a church song that was about Jesus protecting her like a fence and throughout the story Rose reminds Troy to finish building the fence. Troy procrastinates on building the fence because of his selfishness in doing what he pleases. The fence is also mentioned in Act One Scene Three when Troy tells Cory to come outside and help him with the fence. Ironically, while they are working on the fence, they have a good interaction and made a deal. Cory wanted to purchase a new television because he wanted to watch the World Series on television.
Troy makes a deal with Cory agreeing that if Cory made one-hundred dollars, he would match him and buy the television. The agreed and had a conversation about black players in the Major Leagues. The fence was a symbol in this interaction by Troy and Cory because there is tension in their relationship as we discover in the rest of the play. A contradictory situation to this event follows as Cory finds out that Troy told his football coach that he cannot play anymore. Enraged, Cory offends Troy by saying that Troy is afraid Cory will be a better athlete than him and the tension of their relationship continues.
The Essay on Fences Troy Life Play
Response to "Fences " Eric C. Mell inThe theme of August Wilson's play "Fences" is the coming of age in the life of a broken black man. Wilson wrote about the black experience in different decades and the struggle that many blacks faced, and that is seen in "Fences" because there are two different generations portrayed in Troy and Cory. Troy plays the part of the protagonist who has been ...
In Act Two Scene One, Cory, Bono, and Troy are outside of the house building the fence again. Cory and Troy did not understand why Rosa wanted the fence to be built. Bono told them that Rose wants the fence to be built to protect her family. Bono’s symbolic explanation was that people build fences to keep people out and others to keep people in. In this statement, Bono was making a comparison between his explanation of a fence and Troy’s affair with Alberta, a lady he met at a local bar named Taylor’s, in which Troy finally admits while they were building the fence.
Bono implies to Troy that he needs to value his relationship with Rose and Cory instead of pushing them away from him. The confession of the affair to Bono led Troy to confess to Rose. Later on in Act Two Scene Four, Troy finishes building the fence but by that time, much damage is already done. He is the father of a motherless child and Rose takes care of Raynell, the baby. Troy and Bono do not hang out as much and Rose has become much more self-sufficient. Troy dies from a heart attack in the last scene and everyone gathers for his funeral.
The fence can also be seen as a way to make Cory and Troy bond to cure the tension in their relationship, or a way for Rose to keep her eye on Troy. The relationship between Cory and Troy was hostile because Troy missed out on Cory’s childhood. The encounters they have usually have a negative result. However, while building the fence, Troy and Cory had a decent conversation and agreed upon something. The fence building can also be seen as keeping Troy from Taylor’s and Rose’s way of knowing where he was. If Troy was not at work, he would be with Bono or getting some drinks from Taylor’s. When Rose would ask him to work on the fence, he would have a selfish reply and use Taylor’s as an excuse for not building it.
The Essay on August Wilson Poet Troy Fences Cory
August Wilson August Wilson, born in Pittsburgh, PA. August Wilson began his writing career in grade school. A famous writer who never finish high school. His writing was strongly influenced by the lyric and music of the blues. August Wilson won two Pulitzer Prizes for his plays, which depict the black experience in America. Fences in 1987 and The Piano Lesson in 1990. ‘ He was the founder ...
Troy’s lack of commitment to finish building the fence can be related to his lack of commitment in his marriage with Rose. When the fence is finished at the end of the play, Troy dies and the family is united once again. The completion of the fence symbolizes the strength of Troy and the family. Troy tore the family apart through his acts of selfishness and adultery but brings the family back together in death.
The fence can also be identified as a dividing line between Troy and Cory. When Troy kicks Cory out of the house and tells him that his belongings are on the other side of the fence, Troy reiterates that he is in charge and the fence becomes a physical and emotional barrier between Troy and Cory. The fence also becomes symbolic of the barrier that Troy tries to put between himself and Death. After Troy learns that Alberta has died in childbirth, he cries out:
“All right . . . Mr. Death. See now . . . I’m gonna tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take and build me a fence around this yard. See? I’m gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. And then I want you to stay on the other side.” (Act 2. Scene 2. Line 55)
