The American Dream In The Play Fences

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen", these were wise words coming from the inspiration Michael Jordan. This would be a quote that would have helped Troy or anyone in the play.This would have prevented various problems due to mistakes made and in stopping their dreams. In the play fences written by August Wilson, we have seen that the main theme is to believe in your dream. However, it showed that there is always in the way to succeed it such as: Troy wanting to play professional baseball and going to jail, Cory wanted to keep on playing football and his dad did not let him, and Rose wants to live for herself and how her devotion to Troy stopped her.
Let's begin with how Troy wanted to play professional

he could not due to his age. Troy had been one of many dreams to play professional baseball, unfortunately he could not because by the time he had come out of jail he was too old to join any league. " Troy: What it ever gets me? Ain't got a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of "(1159 Wilson). Within this quote we see how Troy despises the fact that he did not have a chance to make it. August Wilson really did not go much into detail into Troy's dream. Nevertheless, he did provide this, "That's where I met Bono. That's where I learned how to play baseball... We'll both outlive this baseball"(1170). This is where we figure out that Troy had gone to jail. In this part he was explaining the struggles he had to go through when he was a teen and how his dad had mistreated him. Wanting to follow a dream and completing it is what everyone wants to do. In this case Troy failed in succeeding his dream by the mistakes he had made in his earlier years.
Cory doesn't fall far behind from Troy. Cory was into sports just as his father, only thing was Cory was into football instead of baseball. However, in this case Troy doesn't want Cory to play football. He wants Cory to keep on with his education and working as well. "Troy: Your a bigger fool than I thought...To let somebody take away your job so you can play some football"(1166 Wilson). As you can see Troy was not as supportive as regular parents would. Usually parents would support a child in the sports or hobby that the child would like to succeed. In this case Troy wants him to work much more. " I thought we had an understanding about this football stuff? You suppose to keep up with your chores and hold that job down at the A&P" (1165 Wilson). At this point we could see that Troy he insisted Cory to continue working and wants him to forget about football.
People had viewed Rose as a strong woman, sadly she could not live the dream she wanted to live.

Rose had been with Troy for 18 years, she had stuck with him through thick and thin. August Wilson never makes her look selfish, we see her as someone who is opened to anyone and would gladly offer help to them. Until she could not handle it anymore, once Troy had told Rose that he got Alberta pregnant. She had enough of it and had explained to Troy that she had dreams as wells and asks him, "Don't you think I ever wanted other things? Don't you think I had dreams and hopes?"(1174 Wilson). Here, Rose is expressing to Troy that she wanted other things in her life as well, that he was not the only one that wanted other things in life. Rose had a chance to leave him long ago, however, her devotion and her love to Troy made her not leave him. She had told him that, "I held on to you, Troy. I held you tighter. You was my husband. I owed you everything I had. Every part of me I could find to give you"(1147 Wilson). As we can see Rose truly loves Troy in how she explained that she had gave him every part of herself. At the end, she ended up taking care of Troy's daughter, still showing her devotion to him, even after Troy

died.