The Role Of Fathers In August Wilson's Fences

In August Wilson’s Fences, the both Troy and Cory struggle with the sins of their fathers. Both characters try to live their life in a way that isn’t like their own father’s, but parallels do end up occurring. Cory acts as a foil within the play, highlighting Troy’s flaws being passed on. This develops the idea that every son, no matter how hard they fight against it, carries their father’s sins.

Throughout Fences, Cory becomes more and more like his own father. Ironically, this is all in an attempt to turn away from his father’s conduct. Parallels occur throughout the story that compare Troy and Cory’s rise to manhood. In the beginning of the play, Troy informs Cory that although he is raising him, he doesn’t need to like him. Troy feels

that he has an obligation to care for and provide for his son. In Troy’s mind, he has already given more to his own son than his own father gave him. In Troy’s mind, this is a positive attribute. However, in Cory’s eyes, Troy’s harsh treatment is negative and all he’s ever known. Their father-son relationship is strained, and Cory desires more and wants to be different than his father. And yet, he still wants to be just like him as is said by Rose following the conversation. Later on, Troy explains just how unloving his father could be and how detached he was from his kids.

Troy’s father was selfish, an attribute that is unfortunately passed on to Troy. Like his father, Troy aims to command

others in ways that will benefit himself, such as having an affair or not letting Cory play football. Troy states that he became a man at fourteen when he fought against his father. This parallels the times in which Cory fights his father in protection of his mother and his independence, highlighting the irony of the fact that Cory wants to be nothing like his father, yet he is taking the same actions. This fact reveals the shadow that the sins of the father have cast.
Every action taken by Cory and Troy work to prove Wilson’s argument that the ways of fathers are passed on to sons, many times unknowingly.

The play begins with an epigraph by Wilson, explaining that the sins of the father can be forgiven. Fences manages to prove that although the sins may be forgiven, they are still passed on. Sons strive to be the best father they can, and have a choice to base their lifestyle after their own father. Ideally, they take the good and leave the bad. However, Wilson believes that even the bad are taken up. Wilson portrays this belief by revealing the poor qualities in each father within their respective son. Troy explains that his father was very selfish when raising his children. This revelation provides context and reasoning behind Troy’s selfish values about his money and desires, such as not wanting Cory to play football. Cory’s fight with his father towards the end of the novel acts as a direct result of Troy telling about his fight with his father. Even Troy’s stubbornness is present in his daughter Raynell. She complains at one point that her shoes are hurting her feet. She claims that it is not her fault her, but her feet getting bigger. Troy made many arguments like these blaming his faults on things that were out of his control. Wilson is stating that, unfortunately, the sins of our father become the sins of our children. Although many may think they can escape this fate, Fences acts as a warning of the

certain.
Every son fears they will become their father at their worst. However, there is some hope that comes from August Wilson’s play. Troy’s faults weren’t the only thing inherited by Cory, but his good traits as well. For instance, Troy passed down the respect and protection required for a mother. The foil that is Cory doesn’t necessary act as an amplification of Cory’s characteristics. Rather, he acts as a duplication.