Tuesday, October 28, 2014
August Wilson's Fences - realism or not?
In drama, realism is the attempt to reproduce or imitate the sights and sounds of real life, insofar as these can be represented on a stage. In life, realism is looking at the world with good judgment and clear vision. How realistic is Fences? Is Troy a tragic figure, a hero, a villain or a combination of these types? Is he a sympathetic character? Explain your responses.
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"Fences" begins with a description of Troy's run-down house and, most importantly, his unfinished fence. The entire play takes place at Troy's house so it is important that the reader has a detailed description of it, especially since the state of the house is important to the play. Throughout the play the author is also careful to incorporate more description about the expressions or actions of the characters as well as some of the things that are going on around them. One of the most vivd scenes for me is when Troy essentially kicks Cory out. The tree with the ball of fabric hanging from it is described early on in the play and the author elaborates on Troy's actions after Cory has left. He continues to hold the old bat and, in the words of the author, "taunts Death." This description shows something about Troy's character; he is angry and tired of being angry. The author also does this through his other descriptions and, because he took the time to elaborate on the appearance of the house in the beginning of the play, the reader always has a clear idea of what the unchanging set looks like.
ReplyDeleteThe play challenges the idea of realism in the real world - what is good? The characters of Troy, Bono, Lyons, and Cory are all very different men and they have their own idea of what makes someone a man. Troy believes in hard-work and a man making his own way. At the same time he cheats on his wife and has a child with another woman. Bono is nothing more than Troy's follower. His opinion is subdued and he serves as a side-kick to Troy. He works hard because that is what Troy expects of him. Troy's eldest son, Lyons, "considers himself a musician," but in reality he has no job. He comes to visit his father on payday to borrow money for him and when his father tells him to go make his own living he weakly defends himself by saying that his wife, Bonnie, now has a job. But Lyons, unlike Troy, seems to be more dedicated to his family although he is still very interested in his own wants and needs. Cory is what I see as a man. His is protective of his mother. He is obedient unless his morals or dreams are compromised. At the end of the play he comes back to his mother and he does not want to attend his father's funeral because Troy shattered his dreams of playing football and kicked him out. But Cory has made his own life, he joined the marines which shows that he is both physically and mentally strong. So, although Troy did not always agree with Cory, Cory met his standards as a man and exceeded them in my opinion. But who is right? Each man has his flaws and this challenges realism because, with all of the different opinions in the world, it is impossible to determine what is right and what is good.
Troy is the protagonist of the play but he is neither good nor bad. To put it simply, Troy is a man. This play focuses on realism so the author created real characters. Like all of the other characters, Troy has his benefits and downfalls. He provides for his family and pursues equality in his work place. He also cheats on his wife, drinks, and fights with his son. But these things make him nothing more than mortal, something that is accentuated by the theme of Death throughout the play. Troy's emotions towards Death evolve up until his death. In the beginning, he sees it as the perfect pitch in a baseball game. In the scene before he is dead he is challenging Death as a worthy opponent. Troy is human and real, that was the entire point of the play. Through his characters, the author created a realistic scenario and used the fence as a metaphor for the parts of Troy's life that he chose to write about. The fence is only completed once Troy reaches the end. He received his promotion, his mistress is dead, his third child is born, and his second son is gone. The finishing of the fence symbolizes the end of his story and goes on to, at the time of his funeral, show how his life tied the lives of Rose, Bono, Lyons, Cory, and Raynell together.
Ann, let me start off by saying thank you for posting early! Now about your blog… I liked how you focused more on the setting rather than just stating your opinion and making it all flowery before getting down to the point. My favorite part of your blog, however, was how you periodically asked questions. They weren’t specifically meant to be answered, instead they were meant to arouse curiosity which I think really added value to your blog because as Mrs. Messineo always told us last year, “think think think”. That’s exactly what your blog does. Even though I read and thought I really understood what was going on in Fences you proved me wrong and chose points that I hadn’t even considered like how his faults make him human. I mean after all no one is perfect, especially Troy. He does argue with not just Cory, but Lyons and even Bono and Rose at points. He truly does care for his family, but I almost think that care was taken to an extreme level and made Troy care to the point of not caring any more. Did that make sense? Anyway, I enjoyed your blog and am looking forward to reading your Crime and Punishment blogs in the near future!
DeleteI must tell you I am a bit upset because I had one more sentence to type in my response and then Poof! It was gone. So let's try again! Ann, this was an excellent blog that really made me think much more intensely about "Fences" and in ways that I hadn't considered in my own blog. Your analysis of the actual setting of the play brings a new aspect to your blog that allows your reader to see that the entire play wasn't held only in the different interactions between characters but also in the actual setting itself which symbolized many things as you mentioned. Also, your observations of the characters were insightful and added to my own so that I had a fuller understanding than I would have had on my own. This was excellent, because this play was a bit of a struggle for me. I truly enjoyed your blog, and like Jess says, it will be interesting to have your input if we start blogging on Crime and Punishment. Good job!
DeleteI was really surprised when I sat down to read Fences I wasn’t really into it. However, the further and further I read, I began to like it more and more. Troy is the protagonist in the play. He only wants to protect his family and give the children the life that he never had. All throughout the play, Troy is “fighting” with death. He argues saying he’s fought him before and won while referring to death as just a fastball on the corner of the plate in baseball. Although Troy often comes across as mean and unjust, he only does this to stress what he thinks is best for his son, Cory. However, Troy is selfish when he cheats on Rose and gets another woman pregnant. Troy truly cares for his family, but cares more about his self and what works better in the long run for him.
ReplyDeleteTroy demands Cory to quit football and ask for his job back. When Cory does not do this, Troy steps in and does it for him; he tells Cory’s football coach that he is not playing anymore and to tell the scout coming to watch Cory not to bother because he’s not going to sign the paperwork for him anyway. The play never tells of all the intentions behind this act. Troy tells Cory his story of growing up on his own after leaving home at age fourteen. He had to get a job and that is his excuse he couldn’t make it into the pros in baseball. However, Rose says that he was simply too old and that’s the reason. Cory, on the outside of the two, thinks that his father is just jealous because he has the opportunity to be better than he was. Cory believes that Troy is jealous. This is very believable to the reader of the play because of Troy’s actions and constant reference to baseball as if the world succeeded in taking him out of the game but couldn’t get the game out of him. Troy is terrified that his son could be better than he was and actually make it into the pros and not wanting to be shown up by his own son, he forbids him from playing football. This makes Troy the tragic villain of the play.
Besides just stopping his son from playing the game he loved, Troy also cheated on his wife. Rose was the best thing that ever happened to Troy and he got “bored” and wanted something new so he fooled around with another woman rather than trying to fix things with the one he already had. This trait was another contribution to Troy being the tragic villain. Troy fought for what he believed in. Because of this, he wasn’t all bad. He believed that black men should be able to drive the trucks just as the white men did. He went to the head of the company and told them his case. After several tries and meetings, the company agreed and Troy became the first black driver. This is important because he paved the path for many blacks to come. This task on its own makes Tory a tragic hero. Troy knows that he made a mistake with cheating on Rose. However, he does not abandon either woman. He knows he is responsible for his children from Rose as well as his daughter from the other woman. This shows his responsibility and contributes to him being a tragic hero.
The play is centered at the house of Troy and Rose. This helps add to the play because it is described very in depth to the reader allowing them to create a picture in their heads and therefore be able to better comprehend what is going on along with the intensity of certain situations. Troy’s not a sympathetic character. He doesn’t particularly care for the wants of other people. He tells everyone to take what life hands them and roll with it because he had to and it’s only fair for them to do the same. The fence is a good example of this. He took so long to build it, showing the length of time it took figure out what the meaning of his life was. The fence also symbolizes a barrier between Troy and death. It separates good and evil and keeps things, like death, out while keeping other things, like memories, in. Troy is not all good or all bad, but then again, who is? He has his flaws and his strengths. He’s the hero and the villain. Although more people may see him as the “bad guy” or the villain, some of the things he did in his life time will continue to benefit others for many years to come.
DeleteJessica,
DeleteI really liked your blog because 1) you supported you beliefs well and 2) I did not feel entirely the same on some of your thoughts. To start off, I do think Troy is a villain and a hero, but I do not feel he is prominently one over the other. I feel he is a pretty balanced between the two. You mentioned how Troy got "bored" with his wife. I would not say he got "bored" with Rose; I genuinely believe he gave up on himself. I think he believed that he did not deserve the life he was given. I wish he was faithful to Rose because what woman would not want their husband to be loyal. Troy was just beaten down from so many different things that he just could not breathe anymore. Maybe being with Rose reminded him of something that he could not stand. We do not know why he cheated on her, but we can not assume everything she did was perfect. (Trust me, I have a strong hate for cheaters. I would not defend him if I did not believed there was something going on in their relationship that was causing him so much pain.) Good job! I had fun with this one!
August Wilson, the American play writer, wrote the short play “Fences” in 1983. This play even won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play “Fences” focuses around Troy Maxon, an african american who was denied many opportunities due to his color. One of the specific events he missed out on was the chance to professionally play baseball. Multiple times in the play, it is mentioned how he was better than the majority of professional player and he could have been extremely successful if he lived in a different time period, to which he replies he should have been able to be a good player then, despite the times.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this play is very realistic. The plot fits perfectly into the time period it was staged in, and the morals and meanings can still fit into society today. Troy Maxon is just your average man who serves his part in the story as a father, a son, a brother, a friend, a worker, and the protagonist. Needless to say, Troy believes that the work of a man is never done. After all, the man is the provider. Cory has a nice little family set in the scene of his house, closed in by a fence- almost completed. His wife’s name is Ruby Maxon, and she stays by his side through thick and thin, just as a “good wife” should. Cory Maxon is their son. He is growing up to be like his father but refuses to accept it. While Troy was gifted in baseball, Cory is skilled in football. Unlike Troy, Cory is given the chance to play for a real team, but he has to quit his job to make time from practice, causing Troy to disapprove. Cory also has another son from a previous relationship with a woman before he met Ruby, and he has a daughter with another woman while he is still married to Ruby. Unfortunately, The baby girl’s mother dies during childbirth. As mentioned above, Ruby never left Troy no matter what. She did metaphorically leave him after she discovered of his cheating, but she did not leave the house, or the child. She took in the new baby girl as her own and took great care of the baby.
A lot of the problems that Troy Maxon came across, a lot of other men come across too. Competition is a major obstacle that presents itself daily. Baseball was one of Troy Maxon’s competitions in life. Although he was better than his competition, discrimination got in the way. The main type of discrimination that Troy Maxon faced was racial discrimination, which held him back from competing with baseball. Racial discrimination was all too popular in this time period, while other forms of discrimination are widely spread today. Today, the main types of discrimination take form in appearance, more centered on “pretty” vs. “ugly” and “skinny” vs “fat.”
In Troy Maxon’s case, he just wanted the best for his family and his children. The problem in my opinion was that he left his past to greatly affect their present. While his son, Cory, was successful in sports such as football, much like Troy was in baseball, Troy refused to let him play. During this time period of Cory’s life, things were changing in regards to racial discrimination. Whilel Cor y could have went professional, Troy just didn't believe it and was too afraid of his son veing affected by the same racial discrimination that he endured. This led to their fighting and the decline and their personal relationship.
These lost opportunities may have also led to Troy think he was somewhat less of a man, causing him to cheat. However, this also proved to be bad as it ended up leaving him alone, with no mistress and no wife. Troy Maxon truly let his problems get the best of him and we should all learn from his life.
Felicia,
DeleteThis was a very interesting blog. I like how you created ties between each of the characters and their actions. This showed how Troy's actions affected everyone in a detailed way. It is interesting how Troy had the opportunity to play pro ball, but when his son has the same opportunity, he decides to ruin his son's chances of having an excellent opportunity like this. The audience would think that Troy would want his son to prove himself like Troy never had the chance to, but instead Troy wants him to avoid the problem all together. It's just an odd situation. I like how you wove in the similarities between the times that affected how people were affected by the play too. Great job Felicia! You always have interesting insights that make me think harder about the subject matter.
Felicia,
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading your opinion! It was a great idea to mention what each character did throughout the play, including how Ruby stood by Troy's side through thick and thin. I felt like this action of Ruby really added to the reality, because when someone is in love they stay at the other person's side no matter what. What really made your blog, though, was how you described the struggles that Troy went through, and said how the men of today go through similar situations. Also, it was a great point to make that Troy allowed his past to affect the present and future. This is something that really caused him to fall apart, driving a wedge between he and sons and wife. Overall, this was yet another great blog, Felicia!
"Fences" is an extremely intriguing play that I think was a really good play to show the reality of being a black man during that time. Troy is a character that people love to hate. He makes many mistakes that cause him to tear his family apart, but he does it because he believes that what he is doing is going to protect others from the fate that he had. He is a sympathetic character because everyone can see themselves in some part of him. He is a universal character that the author created specifically for that purpose. While many people do not like him, they can see that he is man, not some figment of an author's imagination. His story could be applied to anyone and still be believable.
ReplyDeleteReality is a bit difficult to accomplish in a play. The author often slips by letting some perfect ideas take place that makes someone say, "No, this couldn't actually happen." However, "Fences" isn't like that. All of the situations in this play seem realistic. The house seems like the kind of house that a man like Troy would live in. It is run down and sad, but he is proud of it because it is his. He is building a fence for his wife, despite not being faithful to her anymore. He drinks, he fights, and he fails. Yet each time, he gets up and keeps on going. The relationships in this play leave little to be desired from a technical point, yet the entire audience is wishing for a little more compassion and loyalty on Troy's part, while feeling sympathy for Rose, Cory, and Lyons. Their family is typical with its ups and downs that cause tempers to rise and fall causing regrettable actions.
Troy can be seen as a tragic villain, but he is a villain that people pity. They see the terrible way he treats his family between ruining Cory's chance at a pro ball occupation, cheating on Rose, and fighting with Lyons. People don't agree with him, and they feel that he is a bad person. But then, throughout the play, Troy slowly tells of his past. The audience learns that his father raped the first girl he loved while he watched. He killed a man and then went to jail, but when he was released he tried to be better. He got his first job at fourteen, and continued to work even when he was disrespected and lied to. He fought his way into a driving position at the business he worked at. And when his illegitimate child needed a mother, he bucked up the courage to go to Rose and ask for help. Troy is not perfect, he makes mistakes. But as the old adage goes, "I'm only human, I make mistakes." If Troy had been a stand up father with no faults, or a father who hurt his children because he didn't want them to achieve in life, then there would be no connection between the audience and the character. He is a realistic and relatable character because of his faults and his drive.
"Fences" ties together the idea that a man can be bad, yet have good intentions. Most everyone can say that at some point, they screwed up because while their intentions were still good, their actions went against what they were truly trying to achieve. The play strives for reality and achieves it. Troy is a tragic, sympathetic character whom people are drawn to because he wants to protect his family, but he doesn't know how. His family grows to overcome their struggles and each turns better for it.
Hannah,
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog, and the points you composed. My favorite part was your second paragraph, where you explained your view of the scenario. If you ever go to the projects of Pittsburgh, such as the north side of Pittsburgh, or south Oakland. This home described in the play reminds me of these two sides of Pittsburgh. One that is slowly deteriorating after years of use, is finally on its last length. But in these parts you will find people just like Troy, just trying to get by an support their families. Not all of them are perfect some might get in trouble with the law, others like Troy who had just made some stupid mistakes in their lives. However, that is simply a constant in life of humanity, none of us no matter how much we think it none of us are perfect.
I have to disagree with you on with your third paragraph. Troy doesn't really have the persona of a villain. Yes, he hasn't done all the right things, when we look back on his past. But can we judge every/anyone solely on their past. But that's just my opinion on the subject.
Hannah,
DeleteYour first paragraph alone left me torn! First of all, I did not love to hate Troy at all. I pity the character and respect that the character thought he was doing what was best but he made mistakes that were not the fault of anyone but him. On the other hand, I could not have described his character any better - he is universal. I just wrote in my response to Natalie that the play has a theme that everyone can relate to and Troy, as the main character, is just as relatable in a myriad of ways. Then I went on and read the rest of your blog and you really highlighted all of the things that made Troy's character "tragic." He is so tragic that, through all his mistakes, nobody but Cory ever really challenges him. Cory does exactly what the reader wants to do, he confronts Troy, while the rest of the characters pity him, just like the reader also does. You're right, it can be hard to make plays and characters realistic, but it sounds as if the writer is speaking from experience. The themes expressed through the play are, as you called Troy, universal and the author simple took some of the most relatable themes and built a play around them. It is so real that it almost hurts to read but you have to finish because, like life, the show must go on until it is complete. Good job!
Hannah,
DeleteYou pose a very interesting opinion in your blog, and I absolutely love it! I definitely did not like Troy all that much in the play, but that dislike kept me reading, which I was confused about until I read your blog. I thought it was good to mention the kind of home Troy and his family live in, and the fence he is suppose to be building for Rose. The fence was meant to be a good thing, to keep the family together. But, the fence drove a wedge between Cory and Troy, which added to the love/hate relationship I had with Troy's character. I really liked how you said that Troy's faults and drive make him so relatable to readers because it is so true. You said that he is the villain of the play, but I also believe that he is both that and the hero. Yes, his actions aren't the best, but his motive for those actions are kind-hearted. He only wants what is best for family, even if that means tearing his family apart. Anyway, I really liked your blog, and great job!
Hannah,
DeleteI agree with you on many points you made about Troy. I believe if Troy would have fixed every mistake he made it would be unbelievable because we are not able to fix everything. However, he should have fixed his relationship with his family. That was the most important. I think he forgot what family was. He looked to another woman to find happiness. Is that not what family should provide? It should, but it does not for Troy. Who's fault is that? I do not believe three is an answer. There are many factors that play into mistakes. They do not just happen because a person feels like making a mistake. They happen due to reoccurring pains.
But are these "mistakes" really accidents anymore? Mistakes happen the first time; they become choices the second and third times. Troy's past was not encouraging for him. As you mentioned, he has always made mistakes. Something we all need to learn is to not let the past haunt us or become us. I feel Troy allowed the past mistakes to become him. Maybe that is what he believed he really was, a mistake. He was exhausted from, what he thought, lying to himself and the people he loved. Honestly, his pain made everyone else in pain as well. Great blog!
When I first started to read "Fences" it took me a couple scenes into the play, to understand what was going on. This is what I figured out from "Fences", it starts out with a description of Troy's house that is slowly falling apart and, his incomplete fence. Through all the scenes of the play the setting never changes. It is always set at Troy's house so it is important that the reader has a strong impression of the building. No to mention that its geographical location, in Pittsburgh, during the time period helps the reader form a clearer idea of the home. August Wilson, the playwright, also is very careful to use more description in the dialogue and actions of the characters, in order to bring some realism to the play. But with the realism makes us the readers question whether Troy, the protagonist, is a tragic figure, a hero, or a villain.
ReplyDeleteThe play challenges the idea of realism to the real world by asking- what is good qualities of a family man? The characters of Troy, Lyons, and Cory are all very different and each has have their own idea of what makes a family man. Troy believes that hard-work and supporting your family is important. At the same time however, he cheats on his wife and has a child with another woman.
Troy's eldest son, Lyons, thinks of himself as an aspiring "musician," but in reality he has no job and constantly borrows money just to get by. He comes to visit his father saying that he's only there to say "Hi" and check in on the family. When in retrospect he is only there because it's Troy's payday, to borrow money fro him. When his father tells him to go get a job and make his own living he weakly defends himself by using his wife, Bonnie, as a shield. But Lyons, unlike Troy, seems to be more dedicated to his family although he is still very "child-like" in his own wants and needs being focused on him.
Cory is protective of his mother, and is obedient unless his morals or dreams are set into question. Cory and Troy's relationship can be described in some cases as barb wire, some places it's smooth but at some points it's jagged. During the play we learn that Cory got accepted for a scholarship to play football in college, but Troy wants him to go into the workforce and to start making his own way in life. After an argument in act two scene four Troy kicks Cory out of the house. At the end of the play he comes back to his mother and he does not want to attend his father's funeral because Troy shattered his dreams of playing football as a profession and kicked him out. But Cory has made his own life, by joining the marines which shows that he obedient, trustworthy, and loyal to a cause that he supports. Although Troy did not always agree with Cory and his decisions, Cory met his standards as a man and went beyond them. But each character has their flaws and this challenges realism because, all of the different people in the world have their own opinion, it is impossible to determine who is right or wrong.
Troy is the protagonist of the play "Fences" he is neither good nor bad. Troy is nothing more than an "average joe". This play focuses on realism Wilson created in his characters, based on his own life experiences in Pittsburgh. Like any other individual, Troy has his ups and his downs. Troy provides for his family and pursues equality in his work place, as a sanitation engineer. On the negative side however he cheated on his wife, constantly drinks, and fights with his son. But these things make him nothing more than a unloving individual that is no more immortal than anyone else. Troy's perspectives and feelings towards Death evolve, from taunting death like a bull with a red flag, up until to his own death. In the beginning, he sees it as a shut out pitching series in a baseball game. In the scene before he dies he is challenging Death as a worthy opponent, when he steps up to the metaphorical plate to end Deaths pitching streak. Troy is only human and no matter what would meet death eventually, that was one of the main points of the play.
DeleteThrough his characters, the author created a scenario and used the fence as a metaphor for Troy's life. The fence is only completed once Troy reaches the end of the line, or close to death. Through the play the fence is a symbol of Troys life, that comes through as a burden of physical labor. The finishing of the fence symbolizes the end of his story and goes on to, at the time of Troys funeral, and the end of the play.
In "Fences" by August Wilson, the character Troy is a confusing man. It is hard to tell what his true intentions are. Is he selfish or going through a life crisis? I believe it is a combination of the two. Troy is confused on who he is. He has lost sight due to life happening. He began to make choices that were harmful to his family, but he seemed not to care about their pain as long as he was happy.
ReplyDeleteTroy is building two fences. Rose asked him to build one around their home, and he has an invisible fence building itself to block anyone from getting to know him. A fence signifies keeping something in, keeping it out, or both. The fence Troy is building around himself is keeping his family from helping over come the past pains. He has bottled up the fact that he was unsuccessful as an athlete for so long, that bits and pieces of his pain are shattering onto his families lives. Troy is cheating on his wife with another woman. This woman gets pregnant, and Troy has to tell Rose. Rose is hurt, shocked, and angry that her husband did not love her like he vowed to do. Troy is treating Cory like a child. Cory, like any son, wants to be just like his father. Troy does not want Cory to fail; he is looking out for his son. However, Troy takes his sense protection too far. He goes to the point where Cory hates his father for not allowing him to experience life, even if that meant he was going to fail multiple times. How would Cory grow if his father was there to shield him? Not only this, but Troy was not kind to Cory. He acted as though he was afraid his son was going to have a better career than him. I feel that most parents would want their children to be better than they ever were. That is how people succeed. But how can we, as readers, blame Cory for feeling so hated and challenged by his father? We can not blame him. Troy is unreasonable with Cory's wants. He does not allow him to go out and fight for his dream.
What kind of man is Troy? Is he a villain for being cruel to his family, a hero for protecting his son, or is he a tragic figure? Troy is all of these characteristics. Troy is a villain, a hero, and a tragic figure. How? Villains cause pain to anyone who gets in there way, but they like seeing the hurt they cause. Troy does not like seeing his family in pain. Heroes protect anyone who is in danger. Troy protects his son from the failure, but does it in a villainous behavior. Overall, Troy is a tragic figure due to his horrible choices. He seems to make them to help him find his way back to himself, but do are they worth it if they force his family to hate him? He seems to think so. He would not have Raynell if he did not make the decision to sleep with another woman. Troy is lost man. The readers and viewers are confused on how to take his emotional roller coaster.
"Fences" is a very realistic play. Many people lose sight of who they are, and make rash choices that cause their world to crash and burn. I feel more parents than what I want to believe do not allow their children to follow their dreams. This ends up with characters like Troy and Cory. Troy did follow his dreams, but failed; he stopped fighting. Cory lost a great opportunity to go to college on scholarships to be a football player. Due to Troy's failure, he did not allow Cory to fail either. This left Cory with a hate for his father that should not be there. This play allows people to see a place where dreamers are not allowed to dream. We all have dreams, but most of us are to scared to chase them. Troy was too scared for Cory to chase his dream.
Kaitlin,
DeleteI would've never thought of the perspective you showed in the second paragraph of your blog. I would've never saw him as an overprotective individual, but you supported your idea well. Him bottling up his emotions could've come from all the factors in his life not just his failed sport careers. Also I loved how you played the aspect of Troy as being overprotective. I would've never thought of Troy as simply trying to protect Cory. But now that you've brought it to my attention I now can see the angle that you're coming from. I also agree with the concept "that most parents would want their children to be better than they ever were". That is simply the idea of what past generations want for the future generations and their successes. Lastly your second to last paragraph on Troys characteristics was well executed. I feel that in your delivery you hit all the points of Troy's being, from good to bad and in between.
Kaitlin, let me start off by saying, you blog was my favorite. I was reading through them trying to decide which one I wanted to comment on and after reading your first paragraph, I was hooked. I never really looked at the story as Troy having built two different fences. I always just thought of it as the fence Rose wanted him to build as being a symbol for his battle with death. However, you suggested two separate fences; one that was physical, and then the second being emotional. I think that this, long with the image of a fence, helps to depict Troy perfectly. The fence could also be like a symbol of Troy having two sides, a good and a bad. I also think that Troy got caught up in what he was doing and let it distract him from his life and what really needed to be accomplished. I think you had a nice blog and look forward to discussing other things with you in the future!
DeleteKaitlin,
Deletethis blog may have been one of your best! Troy really is a confusing character isn't he? After you opened your blog with that statement, I knew we would have a lot of analyzing going on. You sure didn't disappoint! I love the fact that you mentioned Troy's "two" fences. I can't lie, as soon as I read that, I was so confused! I just kept rereading that sentence thinking, "wait, what?" But then as I read on I understood! Silly me. I also agree. There positively were two different fences being built, and I love how you mentioned both the physical fence and the metaphorical fence. Congratulations on another blog well done. Also, on a side note, I miss you! I can't wait until you come back, and I hope you are feeling better! Being sick is the worst!
"Fences," written by August Wilson, tells the story of Troy Maxson, the protagonist and antagonist, and his difficulties. This play portrays the reality of a black man in the late 1950s struggling to make ends meet to provide for his family. From an abusive household to being the first black truck driver at his job, many people can relate to what Troy has gone through to be where he is at before he dies at the end of the play. Troy is also the type of man to believe he can defy death, recalling it to be like a fastball on the corner of home plate. This realism is sometimes hard to incorporate into a play, but Wilson was able to do so in a way to make the reader think.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, Troy's father quite abusive. He pushed Troy, far enough for him to leave home at an early age. Unfortunately for Troy, he was homeless in Pittsburgh for a awhile. Even after marrying his second wife, Rose, and having his older sons Lyons and Cory, Troy is only able to give them a rundown house in need of major renovations. Troy works as a garbage collector with his friend Bono. Troy has trouble bringing home enough money to pay for dinner, but he makes it work because he believes that it is a man's responsibility to provide for his wife and children. This isn't just a motto for fifty-three year old Troy--he centers his life on it. Troy's beliefs cause several disagreements with his two sons. Cory, the younger of the two, has the opportunity to go to college and play football. Troy ruins his chance by ending his high school football career because he doesn't want him to get discriminated against and not be allowed to play, just like what happened to Troy when he had the opportunity to baseball. Throughout the play, the reader is able to see their relationship become more and more distant. With Lyons, their ideas of what makes a man drive a wedge between their father/son relationship.
In "Fences," Troy can be seen as both a villain and a hero. To the other characters in the play, Troy resembles a tragic villain. Everything he does, or doesn't do, causes some unwanted ripples in the Maxson family and in the friendship he shares with Bono. Even to the reader he appears to be a villain, but the reader also feels sorry for the man. Considering his background, the time period, and the fact that he is doing everything he believes is rightful for a man to do, he can also be seen as the hero of the story. He provides for his family, working hard to bring home meals and moving up the ladder at his job. He perseveres through the tough times because he knows he is the one who has to keep his family living. That can be a pretty hefty pressure, and eventually a person can crack, hence the reason for Troy being both the hero and the villain.
Reality is a strange concept. One thing may seem real to one person yet unreal to another. All of the events in "Fences" can be considered really different people. I think that is what makes this play and the story it tells so inspiring. At the end of the play, during Troy's funeral, Cory finds the strength to forgive his father for all of the hardships he put him through. To me, that was the most important part of the play. The reality of the situation is seen in society so many times. "Fences" captures the true reality of certain aspects of life back in the fifties and today.
Natalie,
DeleteWhen you called Troy both the antagonist and protagonist you hit the nail on the head. The blog basically asked what kind of character he was and, as you said and as I know, Troy is too real of a character to be just one type. It was interesting how you mentioned that both the readers and other characters in the play pity him while they see him as a tragic hero. I think this was most apparent in Rose. She was his wife - she suffered him every day and saw they way he treated their kids and lived his life. Regardless of whether she thought he was right or wrong she stuck with him, even after he cheated on her. Rose could be considered a "hero" because she refused to let Troy's mistakes drive them apart. Meanwhile, Cory probably felt conflicted about his father. There was an obvious animosity, even after Troy's death, but Cory must have understood that his father shattered his dreams because, at one time, Troy's own dreams had been shattered and he had been left with a mediocre life. As you can see, your blog really made me think about the relationships developed through the play and the writer did a spectacular job when you think about it. Everything is realistic. This is a story that everyone, in a small way, can relate to. We know disappointment or heart break or betrayal or the loss of dreams and these are all themes as well as the strength and weakness of family. You did a very nice job with this blog. Keep up the good work!
Natalie, I couldn't agree more with you or Ann on the statement that the roles of the antagonist and protagonist were both played by the same singular character, Troy Maxon. Troy really is quote the character! I never would have thought about naming him both the Protagonist and the antagonist, but it is perfect! I am so happy that you brought it too my attention, as that is a very important fact that we all should remember and possibly mark down in our reading records. I was curious in your last paragraph. I was always questioning if Cory really did forgive his father, or if he went for his mother as he decided he loved her more than he hated him. However, your statement sounds more realistic and gives the story the happier ending that it needs... I don't always think like an optimistic should! All in all, another wonderful blog!
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