Fences Research Paper

In his play the Fences, August Wilson depicts Troy Maxson as someone who has numerous relationships with his family members. Troy is represented as an aggressive and strong-minded man but has complicated relationships with other members of the family. Eventually, Troy life is that of loneliness and fear as his relationship with his family gets worse. Despite the fact that he constantly tries to escape his life, he also tries to engage it besides challenging death due to his convictions (Amir 14). These convictions are illusionary but his stance cannot be changed by anyone. The influence of a differed dream alongside past experiences shapes Troy’s behavior towards his family, perhaps indicating an internal resentment, and prevents him from moving forward in his life.
When Troy demands that his son Cory respects him, the son complies. Troy feels better and bigger by teasing his sons. Life during the three Fridays interspersed in the play become lonely for Troy. He leads a loveless and friendless life eventually losing respect from members of the family. Essentially, the family members are forced to change their life in a bid to become independent. In talking with his mother, Cory asserts that when he was in his father’s house, he felt that his father’s shadow “…followed [him] everywhere. It weighed on [someone] and sunk it [their] flesh” (Act II/Scene V, p. 1086). This is because Troy eventually forgets his role of being a loving and devoted parent, husband and an inspiring friend. Troy goes ahead to risk joggling between two relationships with his wife and Alberta. In the end, he is depicted as a bench warmer.
In many ways, Troy does not have control over his life and disappointments. His self-doubts are founded in his hardships he has gone through and a disappointing life. His demise is as a result of his actions, bad luck and a racist society. As the play proceeds, one learns that Troy was born in large and poor family. A child, Troy is abused by his father and engaged in petty crimes in order to survive. This crime eventually lands him in jail where he learned how to play baseball but could not play in major leagues because he was black (Gale 23). He seeks employment with the sanitation department in order to support his family. After many years, Troy could still not secure a promotion due to discrimination in the hiring practices.
Troy’s relationship with Alberta, his objection against the union and denial of his son’s promising future represents choices that he makes without interference and all contributes towards his troubled life. In addition to this, he signed the papers that allowed Gabriel to be sent to a mental hospital which is a fateful and dynamic problem. This is because that Troy cannot read hence did not know what the papers contained. His inability to justify his actions and behavior finally get the better of him and his poor choices eventually hurt his relationship with family members and friends (Gale 28). Troy is seen as a protagonist who is disillusioned his entire line by all those he has had a close relationship with. He does not how to treat those around him and his selfishness does not allow others a chance to prove themselves. Besides hitting up against...