Similarities Between Fences And The Tempest

Child rearing practices have long been analyzed to understand the of affects child development; the plays, Fences and The Tempest, depict opposing parenting styles – thus causing the children to develop in their own unique way. Although both fathers, Troy and Prospero, control their children and challenge societal views, they display differing levels of control and attitudes toward society. While Troy attempts to control every aspect of Cory’s life and refuses to see how times have changed, Prospero allows more freedom for his daughter, Miranda and goes against society for his forward-thinking ideals. The development of Cory and Miranda is comprised of two components: interactions with their father and interactions with society. Through examining

the parent child relationships in Fences and The Tempest, one can see how Cory and Miranda developed differently as a result of how they are parented and as a result of their parents’ societal opinions.

In the play, Fences by August Wilson, the father-son relationship between Troy and Cory is complicated and multifaceted. It is clear that the relationship established between the two is not a love driven relationship. Troy does not want to let his son live the same life he had: one in which he was arrested and discriminated against. Instead, Troy wants his son to work hard at the A&P supermarket and eventually learn a trade so that he would have “something nobody can't take away from [Cory]” (Fences, I, 3, 37). Although Troy wants to ensure that Cory does not make the same mistakes he did as a young child, it is not with the best intentions because he does not take into account Cory’s aspirations. Cory does not want to work at the supermarket, he wants to be recruited to play football. As a result of their contrasting opinions, Cory and Troy have a strained relationship. Therefore, when Cory follows Troy's path in sports, Troy denies his son the opportunity to achieve what he couldn't and won’t allow the recruiter to come

even though “[h]e's coming all the way from North Carolina.” It is apparent that Troy is both jealous and protective of Cory - he is afraid Cory will achieve what was denied of him. Troy's intention of protecting Cory from the likelihood of having his dreams crushed is genuine; however, his means of doing so are extreme. Troy is constantly trying to shape Cory into the person he wants him to be, rather than allow him to explore possibilities and make his own decisions in life. Even though the father and son are both into sports, it acts as a barrier between them from ever becoming close. This confrontation results in Troy counting numbers until Cory "strikes out" - further adding tension to their relationship. Again, baseball, seen through the reference to "striking out" serves as a tension builder in their relationship: "I can't drag Papa with me everywhere I go. I've got to say no to him. One time in my life I've got to say no" (II, V, pg. 96). As Cory and Troy's relationship degenerates throughout the course of the play, Cory himself also changes. He begins as someone full of hope and opportunity, but eventually becomes as disillusioned just as Troy was. Cory attempts to escape his father and break off from the constraints that Troy builds. Cory runs away, determined to escape from what his father wants. Ironically, Troy ends up taking the exact same life path his father chose. It is evident that Troy has an empowering effect on Cory since he ends up in the Marine Corps instead of achieving his football dreams – just as Troy ended up also not pursuing his baseball dreams. When Cory refuses to attend his father's funeral, he seems to become more like his father who was also unwilling to face the truth. In the end, these attempts to escape prove futile as the father seems to have an everlasting effect on the development of the son, Cory.
The Tempest depicts a child rearing practice that is a sacrificial and emotional process, but results in a mature development of the daughter, Miranda, as well as a loving bond between the parent and child.

Through the characters Miranda and Prospero, Shakespeare shows that for parents to make their children happy, they should sacrifice things they can live without. When Prospero tells Miranda the reason why they are on the island, Prospero must admit all of his wrongdoings in the past by doing so – leaving him vulnerable. Not only is this the first time that the audience is introduced to Prospero, but it is also the first exemplification of the kind of father Prospero is. He seems loving towards Miranda and, as a result, the audience’s first reaction to Prospero is that he may not be the best father figure, but he is trying his best. Although he held back the reason for them being on the island from his daughter, but he eventually tells her the truth. The significance of this dialogue taking place in the first scene is that Shakespeare wants Prospero to be framed in a way that shows Prospero’s ability to communicate with his daughter. Prospero may be trying his best to be a good father, but he is not perfect. Sometimes, he acts like Miranda is just an object that can be just given away, which accentuates Prospero and Miranda’s lack of relationship because he does not treat her like a father should treat his daughter. Nevertheless, when Prospero says “[i]f thou dost break

her virgin-knot… [n]o sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall to make this contract grow,” Prospero reveals his protective side towards his daughter. Further along in the play, Prospero, Miranda, and Ferdinand are talking amongst each other. It is in this scene that we see character development in Prospero. He is mindful and courteous towards Miranda and Ferdinand’s friendship, which highlight Prospero’s parenting style. By taking into account what Miranda wants and allowing her to befriend Ferdinand, Prospero is depicted as an understanding parent. This could be Prospero making a breakthrough with his relationship with Miranda because he seems to have forgiven his enemy. Ultimately, Shakespeare exposes Prospero as the epitome of a loving father when he sacrifices his magical powers, his secluded island, and his spirit Ariel so that Miranda can marry Ferdinand. This sacrifice allows his daughter to be happy and go live in Milan. As a father, Prospero sacrifices superficial things in order to ensure his daughter’s happiness.
In respect to societal views, Troy refuses to consider how times have progressed when raising his son; this preconception that society has not changed degrades his relationship with Cory. Troy, who learned to have a diligent and responsible work ethic from his abusive father, means well when he insists that Cory return to work at the A&P. He sees the job as fair, honest work that isn't at the mercy of powerful whites' sometimes arbitrary decisions, as in Major League Baseball. This tense relationship is primarily caused by Troy’s bitter and hostile attitude that stems from the past. Troy blames racism for keeping him from reaching his dreams, and he can't seem to let go of this resentment; however, Troy also wants Cory to be free from the racism that Troy faced. Troy is too stubborn to awaken to the reality of things, and thereby he is unable to accept that racial discrimination has been somewhat alleviated since he was Cory's age. Their opposing viewpoints on playing sports, most namely baseball and football, in a supposedly racist society causes their relationship to become even more estranged. Since Troy wrestles with his preconceptions that society is still vehemently racist, he prevents his son from having any control over his own life. As a result, Troy’s authoritarian parenting style prevents Cory from having the chance to achieve his dreams.