Symbolism In Fences By August Wilson

The title of August Wilson’s award-winning play Fences is plural because it has different meanings for different characters. For example, to Troy, the protagonist of this drama, the fence symbolizes the barrier he attempts to construct between the Grim Reaper and himself. This is demonstrated in the second scene of Act 2 on page 77 in which he, subsequent to being informed his mistress Alberta died in childbirth, states, “Alright...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.” Despite knowing he’ll ultimately lose his battle with Death since dying is inevitable, Troy

In the fourth scene of Act 2, Cory, after his father tells him to leave for fighting with him, says on page 89, “Tell Mama I’ll be back for my things.” To which Troy replies, “They’ll be on the other side of that fence.” Cory had the upper hand in the physical altercation he was engaged in with Troy until his father overpowered him, thus reaffirming his role as the dominant one in their household, a position his son sought after as he wanted to be the alpha male instead. When Troy tells Cory his things will be on the other side of the fence when he returns, he establishes it as the border between the outside world and his property on which his son isn’t welcome anymore. Although the fence has become a physical barrier between Troy and Cory, it can also be perceived as a representation of an emotional one that the former sets up against the

This is shown in the first scene of Act 2 on page 61 in which Troy’s coworker and friend Bono, subsequent to Troy and Cory asking him why she wants the fence built, states, “Some people build fences to keep people out...and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold on to you all. She loves you.” Rose notices Troy’s becoming increasingly distant and thus introduces the idea of building the fence which eventually gets turned into a reality so she can reconnect with her husband. Although the fence does get completed, it took a rather long time for it to be finished because Troy always deferred working on the fence since he didn’t want to be kept in by Rose. He wanted to be free to pursue another woman as demonstrated in the second scene of Act 1 on page 28 in which Troy, after Rose asks him where he’s going, states, “I’m gonna walk down to Taylors’. Listen to the ball game. I’ll be back in a bit. I’ll work on it [the fence] when I get home” even though he’s really going to visit