Symbolic Fences In Fence, By August Wilson

There are different types of fences put up every day. There are even some fences that you wouldn’t even think that they were a type of fence. There are two different types of fences; metaphorical and the literal. A metaphorical fence is a barrier that can’t be seen; it can be between two people or your emotions. A literal fence is referring to a barrier that can be seen. It is used to keep things out or keep certain things in. Throughout Fences by August Wilson, many of the characters put up both metaphorical and literal fences.
As you may know, literal fences are used to keep certain things in or out. Throughout the play, there is only one literal fence. Troy Maxson, who is the main character in Fences, started to build a wooden fence to surround his house because his wife Rose told him to. Troy puts off the fence and takes forever to finish building it. In the play, Rose says, “ Where are you going off to? You been running out of here every Saturday for weeks. I thought you was going to work on this fence” (1164,line 219). He keeps putting off the fence because he doesn’t want to deal with it.
There are many metaphorical fences used throughout the play. One of the biggest metaphorical fences is between Troy and his two sons Lyons and Cory. Troy gets irritated because Lyons always

Rose and Troy had a good relationship before he met someone at the bar. Rose wants to keep everyone she loves close to her, so she doesn’t lose them. When Troy tells her about the women, he met at the bar she put up a barrier to block Troy and what he had done. Rose says, “ Why, Troy? Why? After all these years to come dragging this into me now. It don’t make no sense at your age. I could have expected this ten or fifteen years ago, but not now” (1173, line 213). Rose gave him three strikes until he stuck out with her for good and he broke two of them because of the women and the child he would be having with