Fences Option 3

In August Wilson’s Fences, we are introduced to a low class Negro family in the 1950s. The story shows the relationships between Troy and his sons Cory and Lyons, also about Troy’s relationship with his own father. I feel Bono’s story just kind of sets Troy off to talk about his father, which it seems he doesn’t like doing at all. It is almost as if he has built a wall to block those memories.

 Troy tells the story about his father, he mentions that his father stayed with them to raise him instead of running off, but even though he stayed to support them he wasn’t very nice. “He stayed right there with his family. But he was just as evil as he could be” (1.4.109).  He remembers his dad beating him with leather straps and that’s when he made the decision the fight back, “I picked up the same reins that he used on me. I picked up them reins and commenced to whupping on him” (1.4.109). This made Troy the hard man he is in the play. At 14 years of age he was on his own, to fend for himself causing him to grow up quickly and cold.

He has different attitudes to his two sons. Lyons get better attitude from him. Even though Troy knows Lyons only comes to borrow money he treats him a little better than Cory. “I’ll be damned! I’ll die and go to hell and play blackjack with the devil before I give you ten dollars” (1.1.113). This is Troy’s response to Lyons’ request for ten dollars, even though Troy says this he eventually lets Lyons the take the money. They have more easygoing conversations throughout the play.

Now with Cory it seems like Troy is always criticizing or bossing him around. Telling him to do this or do that instead of being a father figure to him. Even though it seems like Troy just want Cory to be different from how he turned out he is actually holding him back, making Cory more like himself.

In act 2.4 Cory and Troy had been not Seeing Eye to eye ever since Troy messed up Cory’s chance at being recruited by a College. The altercation starts with Cory trying to pass over Troy. They finally start yelling at each other. “I ain’t got to say excuse me to you. You don’t count around here no more” (2.4.66). This makes Troy furious and he goes off on Cory. Cory just tells Troy he is nothing more than an old man, meaning that he didn’t do anything in life; he is just like any old man in the world. This leads to an exchange of more words and eventually the two of them getting into a physical altercation, and Cory leaving the house for good. Even though they do not get along, Troy never beats on Cory like his father did to him. Even when he had the chance and reason like right after the physical fight when he wins control of the bat. “Troy ultimately is the stronger and takes the bat from Cory and stands over him ready to swing. He stops himself” (2.4.95-96). Troy’s father would have beaten him but Troy doesn’t want to be his father and for that he is somewhat superior.

The play ends at the gathering for Troy’s funeral; Cory has joined the Marine Corps and hadn’t talked to Troy since the Incident. They never resolved they’re problems and Cory feels he needs to get away from the shadow of his father. Rose, Troy’s wife, tells Cory that Troy only wanted what was best for him, and didn’t want Cory to turn out like himself. “Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn’t…. and at the same time he tried to make you into everything he was” (2.5.78). She talks about that he meant to do good and help but was a hardened guy, he caused harm without meaning to. “Sometimes when he touched he bruised” (2.5.78). Even though he just wanted to touch them, or help them he was rough and blunt with them which came off as him being a prick .