Fences
Fences is a literary work written by the renowned playwright August Wilson in 1983. The story follows Troy Maxson, an African American man living in 1950s Pittsburgh who struggles to provide for his family and deal with life’s disappointments while being confined within the “fence” of society’s racism. Throughout the play, Wilson uses various symbols such as fences, baseball, and death to explore themes such as racial injustice, identity crisis, and shattered dreams.
The main symbol used throughout the fences is that of a fence. On one level, it serves as a physical barrier between Troy and his loved ones as he puts up literal barriers between himself and them so they cannot get close enough to hurt him again after having been let down in previous relationships or other life experiences. At another level, however, these metaphorical fences represent Troy’s attempt at protecting himself from further emotional pain. This is especially evident when Rose tells Cory that if he ever wants to be successful, then he needs to learn how to build walls around his heart like her husband has done; else others will take advantage of him emotionally, just like they did with Troy (Act II Scene III). In addition to providing protection against emotional harm caused by disappointment or betrayal due to its ability to keep people outside, physically or metaphorically speaking, it also serves as a means of maintaining control over oneself, since whoever builds their boundaries can choose what comes into their space, which allows them freedom from outside influences but also limits opportunities for growth too.