It seems that when anyone passes away all of the horrible things they may have done during their lives melts away. Suddenly everyone’s perspective shifts to nothing but love and admiration regardless of the things they may have done that hurt others. In the award-winning play Fences, written by August Wilson, this is type of occurrence is exemplified when the protagonist, Troy Maxon, dies and everyone close to him is left to remember him for the man he once was. Before Troy’s death he’s a man who let’s numerous people down including his wife, Rose, and his two sons Cory and Lyons, but after his death they all chose to forgive him regardless of the hardships Troy put them through when he was alive. Rose and Troy met at a very young age and Rose became rather dependant on Troy very quickly. She believed that he was the best thing life had to offer her and therefore “[she] took all of her feelings, …wants and needs, [her] dreams...and [she] buried them inside of [him]. … [She] planted [herself] inside of [him] and waited to bloom.” (1.2.122). Little did she know she wouldn’t bloom. Troy never gave her the things she wanted because he simply didn’t leave any room for her. He focused solely on his wants and his dreams instead of accommodating to better the both of them. This is something Rose realized before their marriage began to utterly crumble when he cheated on her. “It didn’t take [her] … eighteen years to find out the soil was hard and rocky and [the flower she planted] wasn’t … going to bloom. But [she] held onto [him]” (1.2.122). She held onto Troy even after he cheated on her because she had nothing else to go to. Troy gave her a house, family, food; all of her fundamental necessities which she couldn’t turn her back on beca... ... middle of paper ... ...g “too lazy to work” (1.1.17). Although Lyons doesn’t care what Troy says about him because he’s resentful. He believes that “if [Troy] wanted to change [him], [he] should have been there when [he] was growing up. (1.1.18). Surprisingly, after Troy’s death Lyons immediately forgives him without hesitation. He goes on in admiration for Troy, referring to him as “something else,” (2.2.94), and describing a time where his willingness to persevere was remarkable. All of this proves that after someone passes away those close to them forgive them for their actions and sins and simply move on with their lives. Death makes people realize that maybe they should’ve forgiven someone in the first place because once they’re gone they can’t express their feelings towards them anymore. And no one finds peace in caring too much about something they no longer have any control over.
He said he had an affair with another woman to escape reality and his responsibilities. Troy and Rose had somewhat of a perfect relationship in the beginning of the play. They seemed happy and it didn’t seem like anything could make them apart. However, when Troy told Rose about the affair they immediately tore apart. Troy didn’t apologize to Rose nor showed any regret for what he had done.
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.
He lacked those skills because he did not have an example of how to be a good husband and father. He didn’t want to support Lyons music at all Troy, “I don’t like that Chinese music. All that noise.” (Wilson Pg. 1212). It's almost the same exact way he was treated by his father, he never gave a compliment to his son and wish him the best. Hard love can cause emotional damage to a person, especially if it's close blood. Lyons, wife also left him because he was thinking about himself just like his father, but his addiction was music. Cory only wants to be acknowledged by his father, he was making good grades in school and he wanted to play football. Troy did not want him to play sports because of what happened to him with baseball his experiences destroy his son Cory experiences. Rose gave all she had for Troy just to please his ways of life, he never asked his wife for advice on anything personal that bother her. He also never knew what she wanted out of the marriage, Troy did things that could cause his wife to leave him just like his mother left his father. Marriage was rather difficult for African-American in the past, “Dr. Hunter actually identifies the 1960s as the era when marriage within the African-American community significantly declined.”
In the play Fences by August Wilson, Troy is shown as a man who has hurt the people who are closest to him without even realizing it. He has acted in an insensitive and uncaring manner towards his wife, Rose, his brother, Gabriel and his son, Cory. At the beginning of the story, Troy feels he has done right by them. He feels this throughout the story. He doesn’t realize how much he has hurt them.
“Fences” is a play written by August Wilson about a family living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1957. Troy and Rose have been married for 18 years and have two grown children; Lyons and Corey. Troy is an uptight, prideful man who always claims that he does not fear death, the rest of his family is more laxed and more content with their lives than Troy is. As the play progresses the audience learns more about Troy’s checkered past with sharecropping, his lack of education and the time he spent in prison. The audience also learns more about Troy’s love for baseball and the dreams he lost due to racism and segregation. In the middle of the play the author outwardly confirms what the audience has been suspecting; Troy isn’t exactly satisfied with his life. He feels that he does not get to enjoy his life and that his family is nothing more than a responsibility. Getting caught up in this feelings, Troy cheats on Rose with a woman named Alberta and fathers a child with the mistress. By the end of the play Troy loses both of the women and in 1965, finally gets the meeting with death that he had been calling for throughout the play. Over the
In Fences, August Wilson introduces an African American family whose life is based around a fence. In the dirt yard of the Maxson’s house, many relationships come to blossom and wither here. The main character, Troy Maxson, prevents anyone from intruding into his life by surrounding himself around a literal and metaphorical fence that affects his relationships with his wife, son, and mortality.
Fences was published in 1983 but the setting was the 1950s in August Wilsons home town. Wilson’s main purpose of this play is to show how the separation of humans into racial groups can create social and finance instability and can have a huge effect on African Americans and whites. The 1950s was the middle of the civil rights era. The Maxsons Family is African American, In the 1950s there was not many jobs for African Americans; most people believed that this is what pushed Troy to steal things in order to provide for his family. Troy went to prison for murder and when he got out he was determined to do good deeds and to turn his life around; shortly after he got out of prison he got a job as a Garbage man. Troy is a tragic figure and a villain; he is a tragic figure because he made great effort to do good deeds for his family, but he allowed his imperfections to get in his way which led to a horrible death. Troy is a villain because of what he did to his wife Rose. (Shmoop; Editorial Team)
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.
... does tell the truth. He talks truthfully about his father and how he is a lot like him. He also admits that the only difference with him and his father is that he does not beat his children. Troy provided for his family. Additionally, even though he was very tough on Cory, he admitted that he was responsible for taking care of him and the rest of the family. In Act One, scene three, Troy explains to Cory why he treats him the way he does. Cory asks, “How come you ain’t never liked me?” (1346). Troy can’t admit to like his own son, so points out that he doesn’t have to like him in order to provide for him. “[…] ‘Cause it’s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you! […] I ain’t got to like you” (1347). Deep down, somewhere in the dark abyss that is Troy’s heart, he sincerely cares about his family. He just has a very different way of articulating it.
time I see him.? The source of this conflict lies in Troy?s experiences and attitude
In the play Fences, by August Wilson, the main character, Troy Maxson is involved in numerous relationships with family members throughout the entire eight years that the story takes place. Troy is a father, husband, and brother to other characters in the play. Unfortunately for Troy, a strong-minded and aggressive man, he constantly complicates the relationships with his family members. Troy's hurtful actions and words make it nearly impossible for him to sustain healthy relationships with not only his two sons, but also his wife and brother.
August Wilsons play, Fences, tells us the story of a man named Troy Maxson and his family. Troy Maxson did not live an easy life. He was raised in a time where African Americans were not welcome. The city where he was raised was flourishing and people were profiting. Wanting to take part of the city’s wealth, the African Americans were hopeful and packed their bags to move to the city. Wilson, says that “they came from places called the Carolinas and the Virginias, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.” They came to take part of the growing economy. They were described coming to the city well prepared for their new journey. Wilson says, “they came strong, eager searching.” However because of their color they were
Troy tries to control everything because he is the man and puts food on the table for his family. Troy feels as if he provides for them he can also tell them to do whatever he wants to, but his family think otherwise. For example In act one scene one page five troy
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.
The play “Fences”, written by August Wilson, shows a detailed interpretation about the life of a typical African-American family living in the twentieth century. Troy Maxson, the main character and the man of the house, a strict man with the family, hardworking, and at the same time a pleasure seeker. Jim Bono is Troy’s best friend from thirty odd years, a very friendly fellow who works with Troy and is really close to him. They both enjoy the company of each other every Friday on a bottle of an alcoholic beverage. Both characters are characterized based on being typical African American men living in the twentieth century. Even though Troy and Bono are very close friends, their actions and personalities sometimes conflict each other; this essay will focus on similarities and differences between the two characters to prove that even though they are close friends and acquire similarities, they still have different believes and behaviors.