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The theme of racial discrimination in fences
Themes of racism in fences
The theme of racial discrimination in fences
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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. The trials of Troy’s life are filled with racial discrimination which mentally scars him. His attitude and behavior towards others are governed by experiences and in most cases he uses the symbol of death in his fictional stories to represent the oppression of the white man. The play Fences, which is largely about Troy, begins with Troy entertaining Bono and Rose with an epic tale of his struggle with death or in other word... ... middle of paper ... ...fence it was already too late. His actions and decisions had already destroyed his family to the point where the meaning of the fence was rendered inert. The effects of racism clearly affected Troy’s entire role. The play also goes on to suggest that social and political forces are pivotal roles that impacted the lives of African Americans during the 1950’s and that years of oppression were factors that affected the way in which black people lived. In the end Troy died living behind a trail of animosity between him and his family. In my opinion his story is that of a tragic hero. He began being loved and praised by his family but eventually and gradually, he began to succumb to the weight of racism. It can be said that the effects of racism finally took the better of Troy, and consequentially it ruled his life. Like his fictional stories, death finally took him.
August Wilson’s Fences was centered on the life of Troy Maxson, an African American man full of bitterness towards the world because of the cards he was dealt in life amidst the 1950’s. In the play Troy was raised by an unloving and abusive father, when he wanted to become a Major League Baseball player he was rejected because of his race. Troy even served time in prison because he was impoverished and needed money so he robbed a bank and ended up killing a man. Troy’s life was anything but easy. In the play Troy and his son Cory were told to build a fence around their home by Rose. It is common knowledge that fences are used in one of two ways: to keep things outside or to keep things inside. In the same way that fences are used to keep things inside or outside Troy used the fence he was building to keep out death, his family, and his disappointments in life while Rose used the fence to keep those she cared about inside and help them bond.
As with most works of literature, the title Fences is more than just a title. It could be initially noted that there is only one physical fence being built by the characters onstage, but what are more important are the ideas that are being kept inside and outside of the fences that are being built by Troy and some of the other characters in Fences. The fence building becomes quite figurative, as Troy tries to fence in his own desires and infidelities. Through this act of trying to contain his desires and hypocrisies one might say, Troy finds himself fenced in, caught between his pragmatic and illusory ideals. On the one side of the fence, Troy creates illusions and embellishments on the truth, talking about how he wrestled with death, his encounters with the devil, later confronting the d...
Fences is a play that deals with boundaries that hold people back and the trials and tribulations of those who try or wish to cross them. The characters are African-Americans in a time before the civil rights movement, living in an industrial city. The main character, Troy Manxson, is a talented baseball player who never had the chance to let his talent shine, with restrictions on race and his time in jail as the main obstacles that held him back. He is now hard working and loves his family. However, he tends to exaggerate and has his faults, most prevalent a wandering eye when it comes to women. His wife, Rose, is younger than him and loyal, but she may not have known about all of his faults when she married him. At the beginning of the play, Troy has a son from a previous marriage, Lyons, and a son with Rose, Cory. Also appearing are Bono, Troy’s drinking buddy, and Gabriel, his brother.
Without recognizing the early hardships of Troy’s life, it is easy to dismiss him and his cynical outlook. What can be learned from his story is evident. Never judge someone for his or her seemingly unwarranted attitude because there is a good chance it is completely defensible. Works Cited: Rich, Frank. Theater: Wilson's Fences.
August Wilson’s Fences is a powerful play that centers on Troy Maxson and the Maxson family. While Wilson’s plays are entertaining, his goal is to provide the black community a source of entertainment in which they can be proud of their history. Wilson’s Fences does that through showing the complexities of Troy Maxson. Troy is the protagonist of the play. He is at constant battle with himself over racial issues that have plagued him throughout his life. In spite of being promoted as the first black truck driver at his job, he is unable to forget how race kept him from achieving baseball fame. However, Troy is able to build a suitable life for his family. Troy is a strong character, but his personal faults end up destroying what he should value most, his family. Throughout the play, there is focus on building a fence around the Maxson home; this fence becomes a metaphor for Troy and other members of his family. While the play is set around building a literal fence, the true focus is on the metaphorical fence for each character (O’Reilly).
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 anyone a chance to prove themselves because he was selfish.
Starting with Troy Maxson and Cory in the Fences play, they are two different generation, live together in the family. Troy Maxson, the antagonist is the perfect evolutionary character of August Wilson, is the son of an African-American sharecropper. He had the bitter suffering with the past experience in whole his African-American life. The author drew of the constant conflict of the feudal society in 1957 through life of a Black American, Troy Maxson. He is represented for the lowest society's mainstream of historical racist time of American. That is such a big advertisement about racism. They are poor, shabby, and the major Black could not have a job, and never have a good job. The play was set up with dark, poor, and dirty colors. Rose,
In the drama play “Fences”, by American Playwright August Wilson, introduces his readers to a hardworking African American man, that fights to keep his family afloat during the late 1950s. In this play, that is built around the main character, Troy Maxson, you can observe the many life obstacles and lessons that he has undergone in result of being raised by a hard-hearted father.
Later Troy and Cory get into a big argument in the front yard and Troy kicks Cory out of the house and looses his son’s respect. In the last scene Troy dies and is sent to heaven with Gabriel’s trumpet, he is forgiven and is redeemed as a flawed hero. In August Wilson’s “Fences” Troy is viewed as a tragic hero, to be a tragic hero one must have dignity, something to fight for, and a downfall, Troy is the perfect example of a tragic hero because he possess all three of these qualities.
The play Fences introduces us to characters Troy Maxson, his wife Rose, their children Cory and Raynell, his son Lyons from a previous marriage, his brother Gabriel and his friend, Bono. All of these characters play an important part in Troy’s life. Throughout the play we see many facets of Troy’s life, daily struggles, interactions with others and histories that have shaped Troy into the man we meet. From beginning to end, we see the meaning behind the title, the many Fences, both real and emotional, that Troy has erected in his life. Fences contain deep, intercultural content that the reader/viewer see’s throughout the scenes as this play touches the different
Robert Frost once said, “Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.” In life there are really only two reasons why a fence is put up; to keep out the outside influences, or protect what is on the inside. These two reasons are why the title of August Wilson's dramatic play, “Fences”, is so appropriate. In the dramatic comedy, “fences” by Augusta Wilson the main characters, Rose, Cory, and Troy, all perceive the idea of a “fence” in a different but symbolic way, which accounts for most of the conflict In the play. Rose is using the fences to keep her loved ones at home. Troy is using the fence to have two lives, while Cory is being almost held hostage by the fence and his father's influence.
Conflicts and tensions between family members and friends are key elements in August Wilson's play, Fences. The main character, Troy Maxon, has struggled his whole life to be a responsible person and fulfill his duties in any role that he is meant to play. In turn, however, he has created conflict through his forbidding manner. The author illustrates how the effects of Troy's stern upbringing cause him to pass along a legacy of bitterness and anger which creates tension and conflict in his relationships with his family.
Decades ago, African Americans were treated worse than domesticated animals, even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1873. Blacks struggled to retain even the simplest of rights, such as job equality. This is exhibited in the play Fences, by August Wilson. This play takes place in the 1950’s, just before the civil rights movement. The main character, Troy, discusses how the sanitation service he is employed through does not have a single black truck driver with his best friend Bono. Troy and Bono have been friends for countless years. Through those years, Bono has watched Troy get married to his wife, Rose, and have a child with her named Corey. The play talks about opportunity when Corey is given a chance to become a professional football
The play Fences, written by August Wilson, first opened in Connecticut in 1985. It was the second major play of his career and encompassed the struggles of a black family trying to set up their life in the 1950s. Death is a recurring topic throughout the play, as it affects all the characters in the end. At the beginning of the play, the main character, Troy Maxon, reveals his perspective on death through a long story about his experiences. In Act 1 Scene 1, Wilson develops Troy Maxon’s character and his perspective on death through the use of metaphor, personification, and imagery.
The play Fences by August Wilson revolves around Troy Maxson, an African American who works in the sanitation department during the late 1950s through to 1965, a period best known for the Struggle for Civil Rights and fight to end racism for the African-Americans. Troy in order to escape his abusive father made his way north where the black lived in poverty and had hard time finding jobs. Troy is sent to prison for stealing and killing, where he learns how to play baseball. His baseball dream is shattered when he is not accepted to the Negro Leagues. His anger over racism for denying him rights over the years creates a home environment filled with resentment and negativity, which begins to deteriorate his relationship with his wife, Rose,