Fences by August Wilson Essay

Cory is very aware that his father is envious of his athletic accomplishments. Troy also has no respect for Lyons and he does not support his dream to be a musician.

Troy is entirely stubborn in his ways that he cannot see that times has changed. Since Troy was fenced out from playing professional baseball, he fences Cory out of playing college football. Troy and Cory’s relationship resembles the fence by its purpose and physical attribution. When it comes to sports, they are separated by the different generations, but they come together because of their love of sports. Like a fence that is meant to separate outsiders, but connected to bring together the fence. Troy and Cory’s relationship continues to get pushed apart throughout the play. In Act 2, Scene 4 Troy and Cory get into a fight which leads Troy to state to Cory that his things will “be on the other side of that fence.” When Troy kicks Cory out onto the streets, the fence becomes an actual division between both of them. The two spend a lot of time building the fence, only for it to create a literal and emotional barrier.

When Cory learns what Troy did, he becomes resentful. Cory’s bitterness towards his father mirrors the bitterness Troy has towards the “white man.” In Act 1, Scene 4, Cory says, “Just because you didn’t have a chance! You just scared I’m going to be better than you that are all” (p.56). I do not think Troy’s intentions are to hurt Cory. I think Troy is protecting Cory’s best interest. Yet, at the same time, I think Troy is protecting himself. If Cory became successful at playing football, Troy would look like a failure because Troy never made it to the major leagues as a baseball player. Therefore, Troy would have to face the fact that it is he who holds himself back rather than

Where Cory has aspirations of playing football, Troy says that he must continue with his more practical job at the A&P.

“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

Many people support the idea that Troy Maxson's decision to parent Cory the way he did was beneficial to Cory’s growth as an individual. While it may be true that Cory became a strong and well-respected young man as a result of Troy’s interference in his dream, my overall position does not change. The apple does not fall from the tree. Troy’s own father refused to develop a good relationship with his children, and never presented them an ounce of affection. Unfortunately, this “trait”, had been passed down to Troy, who now believes love is not as important as respect.

Troy also deals (and is responsible for) with his brother Gabriel, who received a serious head injury during the war and hasn’t been the same since. Troy’s son Cory tells his father that he has a chance to be scouted for a recruiter from the University of North Carolina for its football team. But since Troy feels that Cory should be concentrating on working at the local A&P supermarket and his studies and leave football alone. One can understand as to maybe why Troy feels that his son should work and focus on school instead of football. Since Troy was disappointed because of his lack of a professional baseball career (because of his color), he did not want to see his son receive the same kind of heartbreak he had suffered.

This supports his action in not wanting Cory to play football. Troy had the grudge of thinking he wasn't able to play baseball because of his color, so he takes it on Cory, who has the dreams of making it big and pursuing football, which causes Troy to ultimately destroy the father and son relationship along with Cory’s dreams. Along with Troy damaging his relationship with his son, he also had destroyed his partnership with his wife, Rose in the novel, Fences. Troy and Rose had been together for 18 years. But Troy had believed and was stuck on the thought that he had wasted 18 years of his life with Rose, by staying in his safety zone and not progressing nor taking any more “strikes” or risks. But now, Troy had came clean to her and explained to her how he has been seeing another woman, Alberta who is now going to have a baby with

This raises the question with the readers – is Cory going to become a figure like his father? Even so, during the fight scene, Troy was able to stop himself from physically hurting Cory. In his mind, he knew that was wrong. Troy saw himself in Cory and was able to withdraw from the fight. Rose also seemed to be a current influence on Troy and Cory’s relationship, being the “voice of reason” in Troy’s life.

Troy’s and Cory’s relationship is pretty tense and fiercely. Cory is a highly talented football player that wants to continue playing football at a higher level and prove to his dad Troy that he can do something that he

Troy is actually protecting Cory. He refuses to let Cory join the team because he doesn’t want his son to face what he faced before. He wants to prevent Cory from the disappointing reality which he thinks that cannot be changed – the black people are not being treated fairly in sport events. However, in the perspective of Cory, he just cannot understand why Troy doesn’t encourage or support him to chase his dream. Then, he is angry with Troy. Misunderstanding is then caused, because both of them cannot understand each other well.

Troy doesn't see that by pulling Cory away from achieving his dream at being a football player, he is creating tension and he is not allowing Cory to have a better life than him. If Cory had gotten the opportunity and played football in college, he would have been able to get a college education while playing the sport he loves. Troy doesn't see that however because Troy is still affected from the denial he got when he was playing baseball in the negro leagues. Although he cares about Cory and he thinks by preventing him from playing football is only for his own good, that decision wasn't wise because he is basically doing what society did to him which is preventing him from achieving his dreams.

Cory and his father were on different terms when it came to sports. Troy thought the idea of his son trying out for football was a mistake. He was angry about it, since Cory quit his job and never helped him with the fence at home. “He been saying that last four or five Saturdays, and then he don’t never do nothing, but go down to Taylors”(Wilson 29). Cory comes back home in the last scene after a couple of years. After singing one of Troy’s favorite songs with Raynell, he decides to attend his father’s funeral to make amends. “You go on in the house and change them shoes like Mama told you so we can go to Papa’s funeral”(Wilson 100).

In the play Fences written by August Wilson, Troy Maxson’s unwilling to support Cory’s passions and being absent in Lyon’s childhood makes him a poor father towards his sons. Troy’s son Cory has developed a passion for football by being a player of the game. Cory isn’t good at many things, but when it comes to football, Cory is one of the best among his team. Cory has previously come to Troy about his interest in football, but Troy immediately shut Cory’s thoughts down. Cory’s mother Rose communicates with Cory and he came to her with news that he has been recruited by a football team. Rose soon tells Troy, and Troy’s response is, “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.

Cory struggles with his dad, Troy’s strong presence conflicting with his dreams. Cory talks to his dad about playing football, but his dad rejects the scholarship offer to college and expects Cory to go work down at the local A and P. Troy while talking to Cory about his scholarship says, “You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in that A and P or learn how to fix cars or build houses or something, get you a trade” (Wilson 35). Troy relates to his past how he never got a chance to play baseball and puts the sins that were on himself on Cory, and says he would never be able to play professional football. Later Cory talks to his mom Rose and says, “I ain't quitting the team. I don't care what poppa say” (Wilson 59).