In August Wilson's play Fences, the author skillfully utilizes the literary technique of metaphor to develop the characterization of Troy Maxson. The metaphor of baseball serves as a recurring motif that illuminates Troy's personality, struggles, and ambitions. Throughout the play, Troy compares various aspects of life to the game of baseball, drawing parallels between his experiences and the sport he loves. For instance, when reflecting on his past and the racism he faced, Troy states, "I was standing on first base waiting for the next man to hit me home" (Wilson 16). This metaphorical comparison portrays Troy as a man constantly striving for advancement and seeking opportunities to overcome the barriers he encounters.
In 1985, August Wilson produced the film Fences and incorporated the life of an African American family. The protagonist being Troy Maxson, the provider of the household and former baseball star who was shown to have a complicated relationship with his son, Cory Maxson. Troy throws his negativity, resentful disappointment, and anger towards all his loved ones but specifically at Cory. They compare and differ in many factors; however, Troy seems to control Cory's life throughout high school, and even after his death.
Ava Sharpshair Latia Farria CCP Lit 5/4/23 The Complexity of Troy Maxson Troy Maxson is the main character, and also classified as the most complex in the play Fences by August Wilson. Troy is the father of Lyons and Cory Maxson and husband of Rose Maxson. He is portrayed in this play as a hardworking, closed-off father who only wants the best for his family, but only the way he wants it.
Hesler Garcia 3/7/18 Mr. Amoroso English 10H 3. Troy Maxon is a paternal figure in Fences. Troy is a responsible black man. However his responsibility leads him to be a selfish person. The book states “Troy: It’s my job.
In the play “Fences”, written in 1957 by August Wilson annotates how Troy’s childhood experiences affected his life and put a strain on his relationship with family and friends. Troy’s enormous amount of pride, flaw of judgment, and malicious actions lead to his shortcomings and resulted into him becoming a tragic hero. In the story, Troy had a lot of flaws in his character throughout the play. As Troy was growing up he never had the proper guidance, so he had to take care of himself the best way he could.
Fences introduces many social conflicts throughout the play while reminding the reader that this can be a close representation of reality. The play tries to appeal to the sympathy of the reader while Troy Maxson is speaking. However, one cannot find sympathy towards a man that says one thing and its actions are completely different. It doesn’t make any sense to give a character, such as Troy, the chance to be likable. From the beginning, he treats his wife as if she was just an article, a property or a fun sex toy.
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.
In the play Fences by August Wilson, Troy Maxson presents as the protagonist. He is an unsympathetic character who seems to hurt all those around him with his aggressive persona. Troy is a selfish man, with a one sided perception on life which made him unable to accept the choices others made. Due to his upbringing, Troy is unable to show love in a normal fashion. Instead, he blocks his family out by using a harsh exterior, emotionally excluding himself from his underlying love.
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.
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.
The play, Fences by August Wilson, is about Troy Maxson and his struggling family relationships. A recurring idea throughout the story is the construction of a fence around Troy's home. Troy's fence could symbolize two things, Troy is trying to protect his family from the outside world, or Troy is isolating himself from his own family. As the construction of the fence progresses, the more severely damaged Troy's relationships become. In this play, the underlying message is that, despite the fact that fences can both protect and isolate, Troy’s fence isolates him from his family rather than to protect his family.
In the play “Fences” , August Wilson introduces a family whose life is based around a fence. The play is about an African American family who struggled, but still believed there have been a breaking point. Troy is accustomed to being beneath the ‘white man’. As a result, Troy gave up on his dreams, and goals which led to a downfall in his livelihood.
August Wilson faces a lot of difficulties in his life. He begins writing Fences in the twentieth century, and he portrays the African American experience between the 1900s to 2000 (Wilson 11). In Fence August Wilson tells the story of a father, Troy Maxson’s lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Troy was a very talented baseball perspective with hopes to play in the major leagues. Maxson’s had the bad luck of having to grow up when racism was the biggest part of America.
He persistently criticizes and neglects his two sons, which thus draws them away from him. Troy pushes Lyons away by refusing to hear him play his "Chinese music". He also scars hisrelationship with his other son, Cory, by preventing him from playing football and rejecting his onlychance to get recruited by a college football team. Also, Troy states that Cory's things will "be on theother side of that fence" when he kicks Cory to the street. Through this scene Troyacknowledges the fence as an actual, physical divide between him and his son.
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
