Essay on Fences, by August Wilson

The play “Fence” by August Wilson’s has a connection with real world fence. “The yard is a small dirt yard, partially fenced, except for the last scene, with a wooden sawhorse, a pile of lumber, and other fence-building equipment set off to the side. The Opposite is a tree from which hangs a ball made of rags. A baseball bat leans against the tree. Two oil drums serve as garbage receptacles and sit near the house at right to complete the setting” (Wilson 2). He mentions that the fence has three parts open, unopened and cornerstone. The word yard and fence are symbolically represented structure and dream of country, society and Troy’s family.

Fences written by August Wilson is an award winning drama that depicts an African-America family who lives in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania during the 1950’s. During this time, the Mason’s reveal the struggles working as a garbage man, providing for his family and excepting life as is. The end of segregation began, more opportunities for African American people were accessible. Troy, who’s the father the Cory and husband of Rose has shoes fill as a working African America man. He is the family breadwinner and plays the dominant role in the play. Troy’s childhood was pretty rough growing up on a farm of 11 children. Overtime, he realizes the change of society. He builds a friendship fellow sanitation worker, Jim Bono while in the penitentiary. Troy planned to build a fence around his house to control the number of people on his property. The fence also plays a symbolic role throughout the drama. These motives and characteristics control is what makes Troy the friend, father, worker, and husband he is today.

However, that is not the last time that Troy’s race has been a hurdle in his life. He works for the sanitation department lifting the trash into the back of the truck, and he wants to drive the truck. The only problem is that they were not allowing any African American men in that position. He approached his boss and said, "I went to Mr. Rand and asked him, 'Why? Why you got white mens driving and the colored lifting?'" (Wilson 1.1.13). From this we can already tell that Troy is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right or what he feels is his duty to do as a black man in America.

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.

life in the mid to late twentieth century and the strains of society on African Americans. Set in a small neighborhood of a big city, this play holds much conflict between a father, Troy Maxson, and his two sons, Lyons and Cory. By analyzing the sources of this conflict, one can better appreciate and understand the way the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work.

Wilson portrayed a series of ten plays during the Pittsburgh Cycle to to showcase the lifestyle of African Americans. Many African during this time period of the 1950’s were dealing with racism and discrimination. African American had no or very little rights. It was a harsh and difficult time that African Americans had to live through there were many inequalities they face on white color jobs. In addition, this was the prime time of the Civil rights Era, which contribute to the injustice they faced. However during the mid 1950’s time did began to progress and things changed for African Americans for the better. Wilson expressed this through his play, he mentioned that the Maxson here frequently facing discrimination in their town by the white people. The protagonist Troy Maxson dealt with discrimination the most. In the first scene Troy states that he was working in a company owned by whites. He was very disappointed at the fact that he worked a low quality job compared to the non-color men; the white men who worked at the company drove trucks (white collar) while Troy had to pick up trash (blue collar). Unfortunately, Troy was not given the same privilege as the white men due to African American descendants. Troy could not stand for this inequality, so he talked to his boss demanding that he wanted to drive the truck rather that

     We all lead lives filled with anxiety over certain issues, and with dread of the inevitable day of our death. In this play, Fences which was written by the well known playwright, August Wilson, we have the story of Troy Maxson and his family. Fences is about Troy Maxson, an aggressive man who has on going, imaginary battle with death. His life is based on supporting his family well and making sure they have the comforts that he did not have in his own childhood. Also, influenced by his own abusive childhood, he becomes an abusive father who rules his younger son, Cory?s life based on his own past experiences. When the issue comes up of Cory having a bright future ahead of him if he joins the football team,

In the play, Fences, Troy seems to have a complicated relationship with every other character in the play. This applies especially to his relationship with his son, Cory. Troy and Cory have many similarities and differences that complicate their relationship. There are many outside factors that also make matters worse.

Troy?s relationship with his father was one, which produced much tension, and had a strong influence on Troy?s relationships with his loved ones as an

Fences can be viewed as a family play, it can also be viewed as a work specifically of the black man's place, or plight, in a predominantly white world. Either way, it has a very valuable message. It is a true art to be able to touch on so many aspects of life in a work, aspects that may be viewed differently by different people.. Wilson's work, and the character of Troy Maxson, makes me question many things, among them myself, as well as his intended message. This is why I am so in awe of Fences, and of Wilson's talent. This is why I am writing my paper on Fences.

August Wilson’s Fences was centered on the life of Troy Maxson, an African American man full of bitterness towards the world because of the cards he was dealt in life amidst the 1950’s. In the play Troy was raised by an unloving and abusive father, when he wanted to become a Major League Baseball player he was rejected because of his race. Troy even served time in prison because he was impoverished and needed money so he robbed a bank and ended up killing a man. Troy’s life was anything but easy. In the play Troy and his son Cory were told to build a fence around their home by Rose. It is common knowledge that fences are used in one of two ways: to keep things outside or to keep things inside. In the same way that fences are used to keep

the play are ―rich symbol[s]‖ that convey the barriers of a ―racist society‖ (Kenny par. 18). The

In the play “Fences” by August Wilson the play’s attitude toward women is biased, and if the play was written by a female I think it would have a stronger feminine influence. Issues such as racism and discrimination against blacks may be raised in the play that the author did not bring up, and the women in the story somewhat do generally typify women in the 1950s. To support my interpretation, the women in the play were homebodies, just worrying about the household because they felt like that 's what they were supposed to do and that 's all that was expected of them and etc.

Fences by August Wilson is a example of a tragedy, where Troy Maxson is a great example of a tragic hero. Tragedies started in Ancient Greece with the festival that honor Dionysus, the god of harvest and wine. People would act out plays where a character would go through a problem that molded into the modern tragedies. In tragedies, a person is who it the main focus of the tragedy is called a tragic hero, the traits of the tragic hero are noble, tragic flaw, reversal of fortune, suffering, recognition, and catharsis. Nobility is the status, talent, or importance of a person. Tragic Flaw is a mistake that causes the downfall of the tragic hero. Reversal of Fortune is a event in the hero that causes them to change in their everyday life. Troy Maxson displays the traits of a tragic hero because, he is noble, has a tragic flaw, and has a reversal of fortune

Race, notwithstanding the way that it doesn 't exist on the planet in any ontologically target way, in any case it is bona fide in the general population field (rather than nature). Race is a social development that has genuine outcomes and impacts. These impacts, results and the thought that race is ontologically subjective is epistemologically objective. We realize that race is something that is genuine in the public arena, and that it shapes the way we see ourselves as well as other people. Many appropriately guarantee that race is theoretically precarious.