Themes in August Wilson's "Fences"

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Introduction
           Fences, a play by August Wilson, narrates African American experiences in the 1950s. The Pittsburgh Cycle narrates how discrimination, racism, and slavery affected black people, thus conflicting with their manhood and sense of responsibility. “It is 1957; TROY and BONO enter the yard, engaged in conversation. TROY is a fifty -three year-old large man with thick, heavy hands. It is this largeness that he strives to fill out and make an accommodation with. Together with his blackness, his largeness informs his sensibilities and the choices he has made in his life.” (Wilson 1.1.) This paper describes two main themes of resistance to historical changes and betrayal. It also discusses the lessons learned from the play. The protagonist, Troy Maxson, has a black family he wants to protect from racial injustices he experienced growing up and betrays them. Troy could not join a major baseball league, as was his dream, and ended up working as a garbage collector. As a family head, he fails in his responsibility by making decisions based on his historical experiences compromising his son’s future, marriage, and friendship.  
Themes
Resistance to Historical Changes
Troy, a black American, experienced an abusive childhood from his father while growing up and now lives in an American society struggling to integrate with the blacks. Troy left home and moved to the South following the end of the slave trade and the fight for freedom, and the emergence of new opportunities for black people. He developed baseball skills but was denied the opportunity to join a major league due to his race and age. Troy asks Rose; “What do you mean too old? Don't come telling me I was too old. I just wasn't the right color. Hell, I'm fifty-three years old and can do better than Selkirk's .269 right now!” (Wilson, 1.2. 41) Thus, he no longer trusts the system and denies his son Cory from joining a major football league. Cory missed the opportunity due to his father&rsq...