August Wilson's Fences Symbolism

In August Wilson’s Fences, four significant symbols have a major contribution to the play which include: baseball, the fence, Raynell’s garden, and Gabriel’s trumpet. These symbols throughout the play are important because they represent more than just a sport or an object when it comes down to the characters. It is far more complicated than that. Each symbol has a distinct impact on the characters in the play from beginning to end. In fact, two of the most important symbols make an appearance on the front cover of the book with Troy holding a baseball bat and the title itself.
The first symbol is baseball being a topic of conversation numerous times. Towards the beginning of the play, Troy relates baseball by comparing it to playing a game

He makes his point at the beginning of the play when Rose brings up Cory’s football recruitment and replies “I told that boy about that football stuff. The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football” (Wilson, 8). Troy feels that there is no point in Cory playing football because he does not want his son to be treated unfairly for his skin color. I also feel that Troy thinks about his past quite often with baseball since he is always bitter when the subject is brought up. For example, Cory tries to start a simple conversation about the Pirates game and Troy says “I ain’t thinking about the Pirates. Got an all-white team. Got that boy…that Puerto Rican boy…Clemente. Don’t even half-play him. That boy could be something if they give him a chance” (Wilson,

As tensions between them build up Cory says “You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you” (Wilson, 86). Troy reacts to this statement which makes Cory pick up the bat and swing it. As they go back and forth with the bat, Troy finally grabs it and ends their quarrel. This leads Cory to walk out of the yard and away from the house. The bat, which is an important object in baseball, represents the symbolism between Troy and Cory’s confrontation. The symbolism is because baseball is what made Troy the way he is and basically ruin his son’s sports