Fences Blog Post
Fences by August Wilson is a play that deals with relevant issues in American society like racism, misogyny, class divide, and age divide. Wilson uses the characters in this play to demonstrate how these issues have affected everyday people. These characters have goals and aspirations, but those goals seem to be out of reach to them because of the problems they face in their lives. This theme of unrealized goals due to societal issues starts to show what Wilson thinks about the human condition. Life is spent trying to fulfil your dreams and overcome obstacles, but things don't always work out, and many people are left trapped financially and emotionally. August Wilson’s Fences uses symbolism and characters to establish the central concern of not being able to pursue one’s dreams which shows how issues in American society cause people to live lives they don't want to live.
The main character in this play, Troy, lives a conflicted life as he was once a talented baseball player, but because he was black, he wasn't allowed to join the major leagues and is now too old to play. His inability to pursue his dream because of racism in society has made him bitter and resentful of society for not allowing him to achieve his goals. Troy takes this resentment out on his family by being extremely controlling in their lives and not allowing them to pursue their dreams either. Troy shows this resentment when he lashes out at Cory after Cory begged him to quit his job to be on the football team. TROY. Like you? I go out of here every morning… bust my butt…putting up with them crackers everyday…cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw. (pause) It’s my JOB. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take care of his family. (1.3, 38) Here, Troy talks to Cory like he is just some job that needs to get done, and he shows his lack of emotional attachment to his children which stems from the abuse he received from his father as a child. The use of the word Crackers also shows how the racial divide in America has angered Troy to the point that he resents white people because of how he was treated in the past by racism. This rant from troy shows how angry he is with society, and how he doesn't believe his son’s dream can come true because of how Troy’s sports dream was crushed in the past by racism. Now Troy only believes in working a job that he has no passion for to get by in life and he is trying to convince Cory to do the same. Troy’s conflict demonstrates what Wilson suggests about the human condition, we try to pursue our dreams, but if we fail to do so we are left hopeless and bitter.
Another important character in this play is Death. Troy personifies death throughout the play as he has conversations with it where he argues and pleads with Death. This personified character, Death, is a symbol of all of the negative forces like racism and abuse that Troy has experienced in his life trying to take him down. Death also helps further the theme of the Fences in the text because Troy wants to build a fence around him to keep death out. This can be seen when he says. TROY. All right… Mr. Death. See now… I’m gonna tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take and build a fence around this yard. See? I’m gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. And then I want you to stay on the other side. See? You stay over there until you’re ready for me. Then you come on (2.2, 77) Troy is trying to negotiate with Death, telling it that he isn't ready to die yet showing that he still has some purpose in life. His purpose is his goal to become a garbage truck driver which was previously only a white man’s job. This goal that Troy has shows that he still has some energy to fight against the racist system that denied him from achieving his dreams in the past. This personified Death helps show what Wilson suggests about life. He suggests that life is a constant struggle where death looms over us. That looming threat over us can make us focus on solely trying to escape death by working and not focusing on achieving our goals and dreams. Wilson wants to show the struggles that people face in life because of racism, but also empower people with the ability to overcome those struggles.
Troy and his struggles in life are a representation of the struggles of common people in America who deal with issues like racism and financial struggle. Wilson wants to show in depth how those struggles can tear people and families apart by causing them to not be able to focus on their future, only survival in the present. Troy stated that he wasn’t scared of death, but his constant struggle to overcome it left him unable to achieve his goals or have loving relationships with his family. Fear is life’s greatest opponent.
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