Troy Maxon Sparknotes

559 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Struggles faced by august wilson

The life of Troy During the early 1950s and the late 1960s, many African Americans experienced a time that was fueled with racial conflicts causing challenges and fulfillments that are absent in an individual's life. The play ¨Fences¨ written by August Wilson, focused particularly on an African American family who struggle to overcome difficulties during the Civil Rights Movements. Troy Maxson is a hard working, fifty three year old, and former baseball player. Maxson is the father of two boys and one younger girl, he also has a very supportive wife, and a disabled brother. In this play, Troy is very discontent with his situation, dealing with racial discrimination and the destruction of his initial dream. Maxson begins to fail his family …show more content…

Troy was very angered at his boss because he had the white men driving and the colored men lifting, ¨They gonna fire me cause I asked a question? That's all I did. I went to Mr. Rand and asked him ¨why? Why you got the white men's driving and the colored lifting?¨ (Wilson 930) Troy believes it is unequal, anyone can do the job not just men of color. Maxson did not stay quiet, he went and took it to the Union hoping they would do something about the situation. Later on, we see Troy was given the job of a driver, which is extremely rare to see at this time considering the fact that many African Americans were not considered equal.¨He called me in and told me they was making me a driver.¨ (Wilson 948). Bobo being one of Troy's best friends does not do the same process as Maxon and ends up with the same position. If no effort is put in, and you do not fight for what you want, you'll never end up with results. However, after all this hard work, being an African American with a higher position than the rest of your co-workers, Troy was still not satisfied with the route that was put in front of

Show More
Related

  • The Cyclical Nature of Progress within Angels in America

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tony Kushner, in his play Angels in America, explores a multitude of issues pertaining to modern American society including, but not limited to, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Through his diverse character selection, he is able to compare and contrast the many varied experiences that Americans might face today. Through it all, the characters’ lives are all linked together through a common thread: progress, both personal and public. Kushner offers insight on this topic by allowing his characters to discuss what it means to make progress and allowing them to change in their own ways. Careful observation of certain patterns reveals that, in the scope of the play, progress is cyclical in that it follows a sequential process of rootlessness, desire, and sacrifice, which repeats itself.

    Read More

  • Lorraine Hansberry's Drama Explained: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    While Nixon articulated the “widely shared belief” that suburbia “offered a piece of the American dream for everyone,” in New York, Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, offered a very different perspective (20). Set in post World War II Southside Chicago, Hansberry’s drama explores the conflict that arises within an African American family when Mama, the family's matriarch, receives a $10,000 life insurance settlement and spends a portion of it to buy a home in the restricted white neighborhood of Clybourne Park. However, Hansberry’s play not only highlighted the issue of housing segregation, but also fores...

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Topdog And Underdog

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    Authors Walter Mosley and Suzan-Lori Parks are two contemporary African-American writers who have enriched the literary world with multiple works that deal with everything from personal demons to issues faced by entire generations and cultures. Walter Mosley created the engrossing tale of “Equal Opportunity,” a story of an older black man who decides after decades of inactivity to rejoin productive society. Author Suzan-Lori Parks entertained readers and theater goers with her story of two competing brothers in the play Topdog/Underdog. Despite both literary works being provocative tales of able-bodied black men these two stories do not represent African-American literature as defined by Gibson and Warren but rather depict a contemporary dilemma

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Fences And Two Trains Running

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Fences and 2 Trains Running written by August Wilson both have somewhat similar yet their differences despite being written by the same author. The play Fences, the main attention is on an African American family where the head of the house struggles to provide his family with needs. As for 2 Trains Running, this play displays many different cycles of the social and psychological presentation towards discrimination and race from perspectives of urban African American. Throughout both plays, a couple characters have displayed similar characteristics. From the play Fences, the protagonist Troy Maxson and West from 2 Trains Running. Besides those two characters, Cory Maxson, from Fences, and Holloway from 2 Trains Running, also demonstrates

    Read More

  • Overcoming Barriers Through Determination: Fences By August Wilson

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    To start with, the setting in the play happened during the slave trade era. Maxsons family, a African American family lives in Pittsburg where most African Americans had moved to in order to be free of the racial discrimination happening in the South and also to alleviate poverty. There wasn’t much difference because very few jobs were available for African American which puts a lot of pressure on Troy being the head of the family. His inability to adequately provide for his family drove him into stealing and then committing murder which landed him in jail. When he got out of prison, he was determined to better his life. He forged forward, got a job and got his family moving again. He worked

    Read More

  • Troy and Cory Maxson's Relationship in Fences by August Wilson

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 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 disillusioned throughout his life by everyone he has been close to. He was forced to leave home at an early age because his father beat him so dramatically. Troy never learned how to treat people close to him and he never gave any one a chance to prove themselves because he was selfish. This makes Troy the antagonist in the story because he is not only hitting up against everyone in the play, but he is also hitting up against himself and ultimately making his life more complicated. The discrimination that Troy faced while playing baseball and the torment he endures as a child shape him into one of the most dynamic characters in literary history. The central conflict is the relationship between Troy and Cory. The two of them have conflicting views about Cory’s future and, as the play goes on, this rocky relationship crumbles because Troy will not let Cory play collegiate football. The relationship becomes even more destructive when Troy admits to his relationship with Alberta and he admits Gabriel to a mental institution by accident. The complication begins in Troy’s youth, when his father beat him unconscious. At that moment, Troy leaves home and begins a troubled life on his own, and gaining a self-destructive outlook on life. “Fences” has many instances that can be considered the climax, but the one point in the story where the highest point of tension occurs, insight is gained and...

    Read More

  • Issues Addressed in A Raisin in The Sun

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some say that this play is racial in that the family is black, and what the family is going through could only happen to people of that race. One prominent racial is...

    Read More

  • Conflict in August Wilson's Fences and How it Affects the Work

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    life in the mid to late twentieth century and the strains of society on African Americans. Set in a small neighborhood of a big city, this play holds much conflict between a father, Troy Maxson, and his two sons, Lyons and Cory. By analyzing the sources of this conflict, one can better appreciate and understand the way the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work.

    Read More

  • Troy Maxon: Themes And Connections In Troy Maxon

    2061 Words  | 5 Pages

    Troy Maxon’s last name is a subtle combination of Mason and Dixon, referencing to the Mason-Dixon Line. The allusion to history helps to prepare a reader for the predominant themes in the play. The combination prepares one to understand about the divide between opposing sides, just as the line divided slave states from free states. Troy’s life is based off of having a sort of half and half life. He is conflicted between hope and disappointment in his life. The allusion prepares one to read about the difficulties and effects slavery has had and continues on for generations afterwards. The Line that divided north and south, demonstrates Troy’s divide with his sons and his apprehension towards them achieving their

    Read More

  • Culture And Identity In David Henry Hwang's 'Yellow Face'

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    I think this play is a lot about what does race mean, and to what extent do we perform race either onstage or in life:

    Read More

  • Baseball And Racism In August Wilson's 'Fences'

    1826 Words  | 4 Pages

    August Wilson’s play ‘Fences’ captures the evolving African-American experience and evaluates the relations between the races among other themes. Set in the 1950’s, ‘Fences’ is a story of how a tragic character assists in paving the way for other African- Americans to possess opportunities amid circumstances in which they are not at liberty to experience, but they nevertheless, make sacrifices and apply their talents (Shannon 3). Baseball and racism, being two of the major themes in the play, are used to bring out the predicament of the struggles of the black people. Although there are many struggles that African-Americans continue to endure, after reading

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Intimate Apparel Play

    1723 Words  | 4 Pages

    This play covers issues relating to racial prejudice, cultural stereotypes, and gender roles. We are introduced to these issues through the trials and tribulations of Esther Mills, a highly talented African-American seamstress looking for love at the age of thirty five. The set, while very simple and had only a few props (bed, table, staircase, piano, and fabric store) was very dynamic and was easily changed in between scenes, sometimes all they did was change the comforter on the bed. The theatre setup was a multipurpose arrangement or “black box” (Wilson 87). This was the first production I have seen since middle school, at first, I was not following

    Read More

  • Impact of Racism in Fences, by August Wilson

    1186 Words  | 3 Pages

    Racism is everywhere; it is all around us and at most times it resides within us. Racism basically refers to the characterization of people (ethnicity based) with certain distinct traits. It is a tool with which people use to distinguish themselves between each other, where some use it to purposely inflict verbal, physical or mental attacks on others while some use it to simply distinguish or differentiate from one another. It all depends on the context in which it is used. The play Fences by August Wilson, takes place during the late 1950’s through to 1965, a period of time when the fights against segregation are barely blossoming results. The main protagonist, Troy Maxson is an African American who works in the sanitation department; he is also a responsible man whose thwarted dreams make him prone to believing in self-created illusions. Wilson's most apparent intention in the play ‘Fences’, is to show how racial segregation creates social and economic gaps between African Americans and whites. Racism play a very influential role in Troy’s but more importantly it has been the force behind his actions that has seen him make biased and judgmental decisions for himself and his family. Lessons from the play intend to shed light on how racism can affect the mental and physical lives of Troy Maxson and his family.

    Read More

  • George Wolfe The Color Museum Sparknotes

    2261 Words  | 5 Pages

    The play The Colored Museum is a pleasant change in pace, in how a play projects itself to the audience. I found that the interaction with the audience to be an exceptional manner to add humor to the play, which was made evident in the exhibits pertaining to the play. However, the theme is constantly present in each unique exhibit, although it would appear that each exhibit could stand on its own. The play is a satire on the stereotypes or clichés seen in African-American culture, both past and present, but at the same time there is some praise or a form of acceptance towards the same diverse heritage. Despite this inherent contradiction, the play does well to spark thought in the viewer on what was said and done and how it can be relatable

    Read More

  • Alan Paton Sparknotes

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are not very many authors with international fame from South Africa. However, there is one very famous author named Alan Paton. A lot happened during his life period. For example, you have the Cold War, World War I, World War II, The American Dust Bowl, The Great Depression, and many other historical events. When taking a deeper examination at author Alan Paton, one must take account of his personal background, influences, and take major works into consideration, along with many other accomplishments. In this paper, we will explore some important events in South African novelist Alan Paton’s life.

    Read More

More about Troy Maxon Sparknotes

Open Document