Father And Son In August Wilson's Fences

The following is a short poem written by August Wilson in the beginning of his play, Fences. “When the sins of our fathers visit us/ We do not have to play host/ We can banish them with forgiveness/ As God, in His Largeness and Laws” (Wilson 1.1.1186). Throughout the text of the play, the relationship between father and son is a recurring topic and important theme. Wilson uses the father-son dynamic to reveal much about his characters in Fences. While, Troy’s inability to forgive his father for making his childhood so difficult shapes him into the father he became, Cory is able to forgive his father and accept the way things are. Lyons is destined to follow in Troy’s footsteps until he learns to forgive.

In the case of Troy Maxson, there is plenty of subject matter in regard to “the sins of his father.” Leaving home when he was eight, Troy’s mother said of his father that she “couldn’t stand the evilness” (Wilson 1.3.1214). Troy makes it clear that he felt his

At thirty-four, Lyons is still unmarried and without a stable job. Much like his father, Lyons’ lack of a stable job lands him in jail for stealing money. The responsibility that Troy feels to provide for his family is sorely lacking in Lyons. Though one may commend Lyons for following his passion, his ignoring of his father's advice eventually lands him in the same place that Troy was in as a young man. In trying to distance himself from Troy, Lyons ends up in a familiar place: playing host to the “sins of his father.” The characters of Troy, Cory, and Lyons in August Wilson’s Fences are shaped into who they are by their experiences with their fathers and response to those experiences. While Troy’s life played host to his father's sins, Lyons still has the opportunity to forgive upon his release from jail. In Cory’s forgiving of his father, he is free from his father's disappointment and can truly follow the dreams that Troy