ipl-logo

Fences Research Paper

783 Words4 Pages

Throughout history many people have felt that their race affects the way they live and how they are going to live. In the play Fences by August Wilson, the main character Troy goes through his own race issues throughout the play. Furthermore, Troy’s beliefs never change and he runs into many different problems because of these beliefs. Troy believes his race plays a huge role in his life and that it affects his past and present. For instance, Troy feels his race affects many parts of his life like his past playing baseball, his son’s football career, and his own opinion of white people. Throughout the play Troy is repeatedly talks about how he could have played baseball in the Major Leagues, but didn’t have a chance because he was black. In …show more content…

This is because Troy believes that Cory has no chance at playing professional football because he is black. In fact, Troy begins to have a conversation with Rose about Cory’s football career and mentions “I decided . . . that boy wasn’t getting involved in no sports. Not after what they did to me in sports”(Wilson 1854). So, this shows how Troy created this belief that black people cannot play professional sports simply because they are black. Also, Troy believes that even if you are black and you do well in professionals that you will still no get very many chances to play in the game. For example, Cory argues with Troy that “They got some white guys on the team that don’t play every day”(Wilson 1852) but, Troy argues back saying “That’s why I don’t want you to get all tied up in them sports. Man on the team and what it get him? They got colored on the team and don’t use them. Same as not having them. All them teams the same”(Wilson !852). This scene tells us that Troy believes all the sports teams are racist and give players no chance at playing. Also, Troy just tries to make his son share his beliefs so that he can “avoid the pain of rejection that he himself experienced decades earlier”(Saunders 1). Troy’s belief that black people have no chance of playing sports is exactly why he refuses to sign Cory’s permission slip to play

Show More
Related
910 Words | 4 Pages

Troy tries to use baseball metaphors to explain why he cheated on her. He said “I just might be able to steal second. Eighteen years I’ve been wanting to steal second” (70). In order to try to explain himself, Troy uses baseball analogies. This doesn’t do much for Troy’s defense, but it shows us what Troy does when he’s put in a corner.

Read More
671 Words | 3 Pages

In "Fences" by August Wilson, the protagonist Troy Maxson's struggles with his own pride and sense of responsibility, as well as his relationships with his family, reveal the complex emotions and consequences of systemic racism and the struggle for the American Dream. While the play ultimately shows the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit, it also highlights the tragic effects of the oppressive systems that prevent African Americans from achieving their goals. During the early nineteenth century, after years of speculation and arguments, the decision was made by the United States Congress to ban slavery in 1808 (Baharvand, sec. Introduction), although no one in the southern United States adhered to this law.

Read More
811 Words | 4 Pages

The Faults of Troy Maxson August Wilson brings out the struggle of Troy Maxson in his play, Fences. All that matter to him end up feeling this struggle, for it remains constantly inside of him. Ultimately it proves to overcome Troy and make many lose the respect and love that was once felt. Troy’s actions and failure to fix them makes his true character known. By giving way to his own desires, becoming a continuation of his father and failing those he loves Troy Maxson proves to be a man flawed at his core.

Read More
798 Words | 4 Pages

When we read books, we expect our main characters to be these gleaming representations of everything good about humanity. Certainly they may be flawed, but in the end they always win the final battle, or find true love, or save the world. Troy Maxson, main character of Fences, is one of the most tragically human main characters ever. He juggles dozens of sentiments and responsibilities. From his experience in the Negro League and discrimination, to running away from home and his prison time, to his life with Rose and his son Cory, Troy has learned some hard lessons, lessons that, as time goes on and become less true, he still feels responsible to his children to teach them.

Read More
549 Words | 3 Pages

In Fences, by August Wilson, Troy’s selfishness makes him a tragic hero because it causes him to make decisions that hurt not only himself but ultimately the people who he loves most. Troy’s inner selfishness is the sole reason for his affair with Alberta, and it is what eventually triggers the split in his family. When trying to stop the metaphorical bleeding caused by his affair, Troy characterizes himself with Rose as “we”, to which Rose responds with, “All of a sudden it’s ‘we.’ Where was ‘we’ at when you was down there rolling around with some godforsaken woman?

Read More
905 Words | 4 Pages

Hardships in Families During Racism Betrayal and hardships can break a family’s bond. August Wilson in the play, “The Fences”, shows that racial segregation and injustice can create hardships for families, a personal lack of self esteem, and can lead to uncontrollable circumstances. August Wilson's play Fences tells the story of Troy Maxson, an African American garbage collector and ex-convict who once had a promising future in baseball. His circumstances as a youth led him to prison, after which he settled down with Rose and made a family. Like all of the "Pittsburgh" plays, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes.

Read More
1269 Words | 6 Pages

In the play Fences by August Wilson, dissatisfaction plays an important role. The main character, Troy, is a tragic hero as he makes decisions that lead to his own destruction. These decisions are fueled by his discontent with life. To a large extent, dissatisfaction fuel Troy’s relationships, negative decisions, and lead to his downfall as a tragic hero. The first time that the audience sees Troy’s dissatisfaction is when he is talking about his job.

Read More
1222 Words | 5 Pages

Troy chose to escape his reality by having an affair that gives him some laughs and good time every now and then. However, despite the flaws in Troy’s character, he was a providing family man who wants to insure a better life of his sons than the one he had. Based on the play’s time period, which took place at the 50’s, apparently the main problem of Troy Maxson’s character was racism against African Americans at the time that had prevented him from achieving his dreams. Throughout the play, Troy expresses his dissatisfaction in several scenes with the other characters.

Read More
1713 Words | 7 Pages

This action by the school board resulted in the demotion of the schools seasoned, Hall of Fame nominee; Bill Yoast (Caucasian). Coach Boone suggests to Yoast that he stay on as assistant head coach. Boone tells Yoast “I think it would go a long way to smooth things over” Yoast initially refuses but is humbled when his team communicates their plan to boycott the school if he can’t be their coach. What follows is a series of racially driven conflicts and it’s up to Boone to get them to see beyond race and work towards a common goal as a united team as they leave for football camp.

Read More
884 Words | 4 Pages

This meant that all professional baseball teams were still not for black people from playing. In fences, the troy character is very negative just because, he suffered in his past. In Fences, August Wilson shows that troy is a villain because he is unfair to his wife, wants to control everyone, and mean with his son. In the fences, August describe how Troy is a villain because of the unfair to his wife.

Read More
702 Words | 3 Pages

The play Fences is a drama written by August Wilson who was one of six children and also dealt with opeesrrions and racism when he dropped out of school due the struggles of racism. The play Fences presents the character Troy Maxson a person who has faced racism and discrimanation throughout his life. The Pulitzer Prize winning play is set in 1957-1965, a time when African-Amercians where hopeful for a better life. In Fences, racism haunts Troy Maxon’s life past and present. The play brings the view of racism in the world through Tory Maxson, family and friends.

Read More
898 Words | 4 Pages

In the film Remember the Titans, racial prejudice and stereotypes are evident throughout. At the start of the movie we are taken back to 1971 where we are introduced to the town of Alexandria in Virginia and the new high school that resides in it, as two schools recently combined to form one desegregated student body called T.C. Williams High School. Football is an immense part of this town and for the people residing there. Shortly into the film, head football Coach Bill Yoast, nominee for the Virginia High School Hall of Fame, is demoted to assistant football coach and the school board hires an African American man by the name of Herman Boone to take his place. This starts an uproar in the Alexandria community as desegregation hadn't been

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

Fences is a play written by the playwright August Wilson, who dedicated himself to writing plays capturing what it was like to be an African American in the United States during every decade of the 20th century. Fences was a play that was specifically written to provide an outlook into the lives of African Americans in America during the 1950s, during the process of demarginalization. Each character of the novel provides a unique perspective to capture different aspects of the “African American Experience” during this time period. In Fences, it was very important to August Wilson to truly capture “The African American Experience” and he was able to do so through the portrayal of the Maxson family, with his representation of African Americans during the 1950s in Fences, and with the multiple perspectives of African Americans captured

Read More
1457 Words | 6 Pages

"When the sins of our fathers visit us, we do not have to play host. We can banish them with forgiveness; As God, in His Largeness and Laws"(Wilson X).This epigraph by August Wilson provides an insight into the importance of the topic in the play Fences. In Fences, the play depicts the relationships of the Maxson family and their friends. Troy Maxson, a middle-aged African American man, is happily married to his wife Rose and takes care of his son Cory whilst occasionally interacting with his other son from a previous relationship. However, the complexities of Troy 's past create issues for him and his family and their relationships begin to deteriorate.

Read More
1501 Words | 7 Pages

In August Wilson’s playwright Fences, the narrator portrays racism in a social system, in the workplace, and in sports, which ultimately affects Troy’s aspirations. Troy Maxson is constantly facing the racism that is engraved into the rules of racial hierarchy –– fair and unfair, spoken and unspoken. Troy suffers many years of racism when he plays in the Negro major Baseball League; therefore he decides to protect Cory from ever experiencing those blockades in his drive for success. In the end, although Troy is always driving to obtain agency, Troy always succumbs to the rules of racism because those racist ideologies are too hard to overcome. Throughout the play, Troy is perpetually confronting the racist social system that displays unspoken

Read More

More about Fences Research Paper

Related Topics

Open Document