Troy's Experiences In Fences, By August Wilson

In August Wilson’s play Fences, the story revolves around Troy Maxson, a former Black League baseball player who became a garbage collector in 1950s Pittsburgh, and his family. The play begins with Troy, the protagonist, and Bono, his best friend, drinking and conversing on a Friday, their payday. Troy struggles with his son Cory’s football aspirations and his unfulfilled dreams of playing professional baseball. As the story unfolds, Troy’s strained relationship with Cory and his own harsh childhood experiences come to light, shedding light on his generational trauma. Despite Troy’s efforts to toughen Cory to the harsh realities of the world, tensions rise as Cory challenges his father’s authority. The climax occurs when Troy physically attacks

I made a lot of mine. Ain’t nobody gonna hold his hand when he gets out there in the real world” (1.3.39). Troy wants Cory to navigate life's challenges independently, which mirrors Troy's own experiences of navigating his life alone. This belief reveals Troy's underlying fear of Cory facing the same disappointments and hardships he endured. Troy's tough demeanor and emphasis on self-reliance stem from his bitter experience with parental neglect and abuse. Troy’s tough parenting style towards Cory is a result of his unresolved pain from being abandoned in the past, demonstrating how Troy’s generational trauma affects his parenting with Cory. Troy recounts his father’s lack of affection and he justifies his lack of affection for Cory when Cory questions his fatherly love. Flashback, Troy and Bono’s earlier conversation about their experiences. Troy shares his life story where he grew up with ten siblings, an absent mother, and an abusive father. While taking care of the responsibility of his eleven kids, Troy’s father provided for them, but also repeatedly mistreated them. Troy reflects on his feelings growing up with his father, "He ain’t told me nothing that made