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August Wilson’s play Fences, the sixth of his ten-part “Pittsburgh cycle,” examines the aftermaths of slavery and discrimination of Black people in America, the cycle of damaged Black manhood, and the choice between pragmatism and illusion.
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Jul 9, 2022 · One of the reasons why the Fences script works so well is because its characters are layered with complexity. Troy Maxson is a great character because he’s a walking contradiction. On one hand, he wants the best for his children. On the other, he prevents his children from success.
- Origins of Troy Maxson
- The Setting Reveals The Man
- Building Fences
- Troy's Porch and Homelife
- Baseball and "Fences"
- Troy The Garbage Man
According to Joseph Kelly, editor of " The Seagull Reader: Plays," Troy Maxson is loosely based upon August Wilson's step-father, David Bedford. The following can be said about both men: 1. Talented, young athletes. 2. Unable to attend college. 3. Turned to crime for income. 4. Killed a man. 5. Spent decades in prison. 6. Married and settled down t...
The set description provides several clues to the heart of Troy Maxson's character. "Fences" takes place in the front yard of Troy's "ancient two-story brick house." The house is a source of both pride and shame for Troy. He is proud to provide a home for his family. He is also ashamed because he realizes that the only way he could afford the house...
Also mentioned in the setting description, an incomplete fence borders part of the yard. Tools and lumber are off to the side. These set pieces will provide the literal and metaphoric activity of the play: building a fence around Troy's property. Questions to consider in an essay about "Fences": 1. What does the act of building a fence symbolize? 2...
According to the playwright's description, "the wooden porch is badly in need of paint." Why does it need paint? Well, in practical terms, the porch is a recent addition to the house. Therefore, it could simply be seen as a task not quite finished. However, the porch is not the only thing in dire need of attention. Troy's wife of eighteen years, Ro...
At the beginning of the script, August Wilson makes certain to mention an important prop placement. A baseball bat leans against the tree and a ball of rags is tied to a branch. Both Troy and his teenage son Cory (a football star in the making - if it wasn't for his embittered father) practice swinging at the ball. Later on in the play, when the fa...
The final details mentioned in the setting description reflect Troy's later years as a hard-working garbage man. August Wilson writes, "Two oil drums serve as garbage receptacles and sit near the house." For nearly two decades, Troy worked from the back of the garbage truck alongside his friend Bono. Together, they hauled junk throughout the neighb...
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The best study guide to Fences on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Fences Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.
Fences is structured as a two-act play. The first act combines exposition and complication, revealing Troy’s affair and the father-son conflict, as well as the significance of sports in...
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Cory enters and Troy sets him to sawing wood. Cory enquires as to why his mother wants a fence built around the yard. Poignantly Bono explains, ‘Some people build fences to keep people out… and other people build fences to keep people in.’ This quote could almost be taken as the tagline for the play; it could be explored as to how this quote
