Overcoming Barriers Through Determination: Fences By August Wilson

Overcoming barriers through determination – “Fences” by August Wilson

August Wilson wrote the play “Fences” based on his view of what African American family had to endure during the civil right era. In the play “Fences,” August Wilson employs setting, characterization and conflict to reveal theme in the play that determination can overcome the most horrible situation.

To start with, the setting in the play happened during the slave trade era. Maxsons family, a African American family lives in Pittsburg where most African Americans had moved to in order to be free of the racial discrimination happening in the South and also to alleviate poverty. There wasn’t much difference because very few jobs were available for African American which puts a lot of pressure on Troy being the head of the family. His inability to adequately provide for his family drove him into stealing and then committing murder which landed him in jail. When he got out of prison, he was determined to better his life. He forged forward, got a job and got his family moving again. He worked

hard and even worked himself up from a garbage collector to a driver position.
Secondly, characterization plays an important role in showing perseverance.

Cory demonstrates determination. He defeated the obstacle of his race only to have his father also acting as a barrier to his progress in sports. Even though Cory keeps striving to continue to play football, Troy eventually succeeded in making it impossible for him to play football. Cory told his father he could work after school and also play football. He explains to his father that the team needs him and that his coach confirms it. Troy replies “I don’t care what nobody else say. I’m the boss…you understand? I’m the boss around here. I do the only saying what counts” (1.3.1301). Even after his father destroys his ambition of playing football and then kicks him out of his house, Cory continues to make great effort to become higher than his father. He came back for his father’s funeral a marine corporal. His perseverance did pay

off.
Lastly, Conflict is used by Wilson to heighten the overall meaning of the play. Rose is confronted with conflict with Troy and herself when she became aware of his affair. She is left to make a decision either to leave Troy or to stay and accept the baby and also to think of the consequences of her decision. None of these is easy especially for a woman who just found out about her husbands’ infidelity. She perseveres, she was determined in keeping her family together. She remained strong and stayed to take care of little Raynell even though things were not same with Troy and herself.
In conclusion, “Fences” is packed with characters who are striving to conquer their situations. They encountered obstacles and difficulties, some of which are apparently overwhelming. Regardless of how hopeless the situation looks, they all share the same goal to achieve something better than what they’ve been given. This persistence that Wilson shows throughout this play restates the notion that even the most horrible situation can be defeated with determination.