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Analysis Of The Book ' Troy '

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Andrew Andraos
Literature LENG-201-003
Essay 2

Troy in Fences
Troy Maxson is the protagonist of Fences, a fifty-three-year-old, African American man who works for the sanitation department, lifting garbage into trucks. Troy is also a former baseball star in the Negro Leagues. Troy 's athletic ability diminished before the Major Leagues accepted blacks. Hard-working, strong and prone to telling compelling, fanciful stories and twisting the truth, Troy is the family breadwinner and plays the dominant role in his over thirty-year friendship with fellow sanitation worker, Jim Bono. Troy 's character is the centerpiece that all of the other relationships in Fences gather around. Troy is husband to Rose, father to Lyons, Cory, and Raynell, and
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Troy wants Cory to have a better life than he has had working as a garbage collector. He refuses to yield to Cory for this reason regarding football and college recruitment. We see here another weakness in Troy. Though he aims to be a good father to his son and to be a better father than his own father was, Troy 's inability to see that the world has changed keeps him from letting his son go to college. He is bitter and resentful at the opportunities lost because of the color of his skin and is desperate to protect Cory from the same sort of disappointment. We can see that Troy clearly attempts to fulfill the expectations he sees for himself as a father and husband.

Troy Maxson transforms into a lonely, unloved, fearful man from his original position as the center of attention in his family and social world. Though he constantly tries to escape his life, Troy Maxson tries to engage life and challenge Death because he believes in himself and his convictions, however illusionary they may be. Troy begins by confronting his employees about their discriminatory practices, he boasts to his best friend Bono and family member that he is not afraid of death and he keeps a secret that he thinks he can get away with about his affair with Alberta. When Troy demands respect from his son, Cory, he gets it and when he teases his other son Lyons, Troy feels bigger and better.
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