Compare And Contrast Fences And Death Of A Salesman

Troy believes that because of his race, he was cheated out of a professional baseball career that he rightfully earned. Weighing on him for years, this incredible injustice fostered Troy’s bitterness. Troy hides his immense pain, his resentment, and his disappointment behind the protection of his son, Cory. Troy does not want Cory to be susceptible to that same disappointment that he experienced with baseball. Troy’s inability to play baseball due to racism served as his motivation to interfere with Cory’s potential college football career.

When it comes to comparing and contrasting two different cultures and morals the differences can be night and day. In Death Of A Salesman and Fences, these stories follow two middle-class families around the same time period (late 1940-1950’s), who are both facing problems within their own household’s. From marital issues to failing father/son relationships, both of these stories paint a picture to the audience of what life in an urban family living in that time setting was like through the author’s eyes. And even yet with all the things between these two plays that make them alike, there are also many things that make them very different.

The Fences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman was written by Arthur Miller are two plays that can be considered different in terms of their plot. Both plays have two very different cultural backgrounds. The background affects each protagonist therefore differently. However, there are also similarities beyond the plot. Despite the different backgrounds of each protagonist or main characters, they are both trying to achieve their dreams. They both fail ironically in similar ways .Willy Loman in the death of a salesman and Troy Maxson are both hardworking men trying very hard to help their families . They strive very hard to be successful, yet they die in the end feeling they did not earn the respect they deserved.

The white man isn’t going to let him get nowhere with that football” (p. 14). Troy does not like that idea of Cory playing football because he thinks the “white man” will hold him back from his true potential as a football player. Troy thinks Cory should put his efforts into something that he can use in the world. “You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in that A&P or learn how to fix cars or build houses or something, get you a trade. That way you have something can’t nobody take away from you” (p. 37). Therefore, when Troy learns that a recruiter is due to come by the house, he goes down to the school and tells the football coach that Cory can no longer play football and not to have the recruiter come to the house.

Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, and Fences, written by August Wilson, are two plays are very different in terms of their plot; both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds each affecting the respective protagonist differently. Looking beyond the plot into the themes and symbolisms used, the audience learns that the plays are more similar than they are different as they share a common universal truth regarding the American Dream. They are both tragic heroes who fail in trying to achieve the American dream. Despite their differing cultural backgrounds, both characters’ drastic downfalls occur by similar means as demonstrated by their occupational failures as well as their familial relationships. The American dream is an important factor in many American’s lives as it is to Willy Loman, the white protagonist of Death of a Salesman and to Troy Maxson, the black protagonist of Fences. Willy and Troy both fail to achieve the American Dream due to the distorted ways with which they define success and go about attaining it.

Fences written by August Wilson and Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller are two plays that could be considered very different in terms of their plot. The plots of both plays contain two very different cultural backgrounds which affects each protagonist differently. If the reader or audience looks past the plot into the theme and symbolisms used they can see that the plays are more similar than they are different. In spite of the different cultural backgrounds of each protagonist they both are tragic heroes that are trying to achieve the American dream as it relates to each character; both of which fail in drastic yet similar ways. The American dream has always been an important factor in many American’s lives as it is to Troy

Troy disapproves of Cory’s wishes to be a football player: “I told that boy about that football stuff. The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football” (Wilson 1971). Eventually Troy, Bono, and Rose begin to discuss Cory and the decisions he makes throughout the play. From this scene, the play begins a series of misfortunate events that leave the reader feeling anger but also remorse towards the main character Troy. August Wilson serves this play to show the fatherly duties most men, in this century, feel obligated to do even if they had a different life planned for

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson have similar themes of conflicts between fathers and sons, conflicts between husbands and wives, and the need to focus on a small unit of space in order to achieve success. In the process of developing these themes throughout the two plays, three similar symbolic elements are used including the insecure father figure, the "other woman," and the garden.

This results in Troy only believing that he knows best for everyone and that everyone should listen to him. In the conflict between Troy and Rose, Troy is unable to see how deeply Rose is hurt by what he has done and instead only sees why his actions have benefited him. Troy and Cory’s conflict is also a victim of Troy holding a one-sided view. He believes that Cory will be discriminated against on the football team if he goes to play football in college, as that is how Troy was treated when he played professional baseball. Troy is unable to realize that society has changed and diminishes the fact that the college football coach is offering Cory a scholarship to play

Troy blames racism for taking his dream away from him and he having a hard time letting that go. Therefore, when Cory follows Troy's path in sports, Troy destroys his son's dreams, refusing to sign the permission paper and preventing the college recruiter from coming. In Act 1 scene 4 August Wilson mentions “Troy: I thought we had an understanding about this football stuff? You suppose to keep up with your chores and hold that job down at the A&P. Ain’t been around here all day on a Saturday.

Troy Maxson, a African American father of the family, could play baseball for the national league; however, because of his age and gender, he could not become a baseball player and now he works in the sanitation department. One day, his youngest son, Cory Maxson, tries to convince his father to sign papers that would allow Cory to get in football team in college with scholarship. However, Troy rejects to sign and says“The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football noways.” (Wilson). Also, he keeps insisting Cory to get a real job and get money.

Cory has a full scholarship to play football at the University of North Carolina but will never get to play because of Troy’s view on a career in sports for African Americans. Troy’s view is based on his past experiences in sports when he played baseball. Unaware of the changes that were taking place in the world of sports, Troy did not let Cory take the sport career path to help Cory avoid making the same mistakes he made. Cory knew how big of an opportunity to get a free education his scholarship to North Carolina was so it made him very upset when Troy no longer would allow him to play football. Eventually, Cory would rebel against his father which led to a fight and Cory being kicked out of the house.

In the play “Fences” by August Wilson you see a father and son relationship that reflects the struggles that are faced with all odds against them. This play brings out many family conflicts from betrayal, disappointment, embitterment, compassion, loyalty, and forgiveness. A father who's demeanor to not let bygones be bygones leads him down a difficult path of failure and a son who's resentment towards his father tears them apart. In this play August Wilson presents a multigenerational vision in which our sense of waste is more than balanced by an infusion of hope. (___) Troy Maxon born and raised during a time of great turmoil.

Nevertheless, he is promoted to become a driver but is given early retirement by his white employers, which he treats as a sign of disrespect. He believes that none of his sons can be exceptional to the change because he was not. He reflects on his past experiences and concludes that his son's attempt to become successful might fail. He strictly decided that Cory will never join sports. As a black man, Troy recalls how black men were viewed as nothing, and only through getting a trade would one be considered successful.

    In Act I and some of Act II the audience sees many disagreements  between Cory and Troy about Cory playing sports. In Troy's past after he was released from jail he went to play baseball, but as Troy claims, he was not allowed to play due to skin color. Troy is then placing this stipulation onto Cory when he wants to play football. Troy made the statement, “I told that boy about that football stuff. The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football. I told him when he first come to me with it. Now you come telling me he done went and got more tied up in it. He ought to go and get recruited in how to fix cars or something where he can make a living.” (Act I  scene I ). Troy makes this statement to his wife, Rose, after she tells him of Cory getting recruited college football. In this Troy is thinking of his past when he went to play baseball and he was not accepted to play. In