The Motif Of A Fence In August Wilson's Fences

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Fences are designed to protect a property by keeping people or things out. The obverse of this is to keep things or people in. In August Wilson’s Fences, the motif of a fence saturates the work, hence the title. The motif refers to both senses of the use of a fence. Some of the characters in the play build proverbial fences to keep other characters out of their life. However, as in the case of Rose, she builds her fences to keep her family in, so she never has to let go. The motif of the fences develops the character of Rose throughout the play. In the opening lines of Act I, scene two, Rose is singing a song: “Jesus, be a fence around me everyday. Jesus, I want you to protect me as I travel on my way.” (21). In this song, Rose is asking Jesus to be her fence, to protect her from evil. In the first scene, it is stated that Rose had four options for her life, and from those, she chooses the Church, and to marry Troy. Rose fears being alone. Even after Troy cheats on her with Alberta and as a product of this, they have a child. Rose does not divorce Tory. She is so afraid of being alone that she does not leave Troy after he has committed the unforgivable. …show more content…

Bono says to Troy, “Some people build fences to keep people out... and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold onto you all.” (61). Bono is describing to Troy what he has been missing about his wife. She loves him [Troy] and Cory, and she wants to keep those two with her forever. As previously discussed, Rose fears the pain of being alone. She wants to keep her son and her husband with her as long as she can. And after Cory leaves for college and Troy dies, she is left with Raynell. But she is not

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