Troy Maxson Relationship In Fences

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The play “Fences” by August Wilson (1985) is set in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in the late 1950’s through 1965. Troy Maxson is the protagonist who prides himself in his ability to provide for his family as a garbage collector. He is insensitive and uncaring towards his wife Rose, his brother Gabriel, and his sons Cory and Lyons. Troy’s uncaring ways towards his family started when he was a former league baseball player, but missed out on the opportunity due to the Major League’s segregation. Despite his hard work and desire for his family to have a better life, Troy’s relationship with his sons is challenging and his wife feels betrayed. Although, his job allows him to provide for his family, the racism he faced made him bitter about life. …show more content…

Wilson illustrates Troy’s experience with the following paragraph: Sometimes I wish I hadn’t known my daddy. He ain’t cared nothing about no kids. A kid to him wasn’t nothing. All he wanted was for you to learn how to walk so he could start you to working. When it come time for eating. . . he ate first. If there was anything left over, that’s what you got. Man would sit down and eat two chickens and give you the wing “(50). Troy is unwilling to let Cory follow his path in sports because he wants to protect Cory from disappointment and racism that he endured. Troy is trying to shape Cory, into the person he wants him to be, by not allowing him to make his own decisions. He sees the potential in Cory to play football, but is afraid that his son will achieve what was denied to him, because he blames himself for not continuing to follow his dreams of playing major league baseball. In “Fences” Cory tells his father “Just cause you didn’t have a chance! You just scared I’m gonna be better than you, that’s all” (58). In Act two Scene four, Troy refuses to move and the two

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