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Effective Use Of Metaphors In Fences By August Wilson

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Many people use metaphors to make an example or for people to better understand a given statement. In the play Fences by August Wilson two main metaphors are redundant; most involving fences. Every character is shown having their own meaning and need for their metaphorical fences. Wilson wrote a play that would not only show deeper meaning than what is being said but one that showed a greater insight on the lives of a small family. The first character is Troy Maxon. The significance of Troy’s metaphorical fence is built upon throughout the play. In troys case his metaphorical fence is to keep death away from him, his things, and the ones he loves. “Alright...Mr. Death. See now…. I’m gonna tell you what i’m gonna do. I’m gonna take me a fence around this yard. See? I’m gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. And then you to stay on the other side. See? Stay over there until your ready for me…” (2.2). In this scene you see an insight on how Troy thinks of the fence as more than just any fence, he thinks of it as something that could even stop the forces of death from entering his home. “Troy’s efforts to wall-off his home resonate with his ongoing conflict with “Mr. Death” by fortifying the perimeter of his home, Troy …show more content…

“You ain’t never gave me nothing! You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gunna be better than you…” (2.4). Years of fearing his father had led him to turn against troy after he saw his mother hurting, and after arguing cory left home. Later in the play he comes back to be with his mother so that he could mend his fence with her back together; although she accepts him back with loving arms it still shows Cory’s resentment to troy when he refuses to go to his funeral. This shows that Cory has kept the people he loves in his fence and the ones who hurt him were left on the other

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