Gender Roles In The Play Fences

Gender Roles in the Play “Fences” Gender roles are different behaviors that are considered acceptable among both sexes. These roles determine the way in which a man and woman should behave at home and in public. Gender roles may vary depending on the culture and society one lives in, and based on the beliefs and experiences that a person may possess. If a person were to describe these roles his or her response would vary depending on the time period that this person would live in due to the changes that occur over time (Gender Roles). This can be seen through the significant way that gender roles are portrayed in the play “Fences” by August Wilson. The play was written in 1983 but it takes place during the 1950s, which was a crucial time for

This is exactly what Troy did, he fully provided for his family. As a man, this was something to be proud of and something that had to be done. However, there were boundaries between men and women and it can be portrayed through the way Troy treats Rose. For example, in the beginning of the play Troy tells Rose “go back in the house and let me and Bono finish what we are talking about, this is men talk” (Wilson 6). Troy is emphasizing that being involved in a talk between men was not something that a woman should be involved in. It shows that Troy wants Rose to keep the traditional role of a wife, which is to take care of the children and the house. Later on, Troy proceeded by telling Rose that he will give her a talk later and to finish the chicken that she was currently preparing. This shows that the way he approached his wife was different than the way he approached his male friends and that having a talk with a woman was not the same as having a talk with a man even if that woman may be his wife. Another example of masculinity in the story can be seen in Act 1 when Lyons asked Troy for ten dollars. However, when Troy refused Rose was willing to lend him the money he needed. Troy responds by saying: “You gonna say, ‘thanks Rose’ and ain’t going to look to see where she got those ten dollars from?” (Wilson 19). This demonstrates that Troy feels a sense of disrespect because his son was thanking Rose for the money instead of him. Even though Rose gave the money to Lyons, she did not have a job and she solely depends on Troy. He is well aware of this and feels like he should be thanked for the money and not her. Troy expects his family to thank him for everything that he provides for them and does not like the idea of a woman being thanked instead of him. As a man, Troy owns everything in the house including the money that Rose possesses. This connects to the theme of traditional