fences character essay

Character and Setting Analysis of August Wilson's Play: "Fences"

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Arguably August Wilson's most renowned work, " Fences " explores the life and relationships of the Maxson family. This moving drama was written in 1983 and earned Wilson his first Pulitzer Prize.

" Fences " is part of  August Wilson's " Pittsburg Cycle ," a collection of ten plays. Each drama explores a different decade in the 20th century, and each examines the lives and struggles of African-Americans.

The protagonist, Troy Maxson is a restless trash-collector and former baseball athlete. Though deeply flawed, he represents the struggle for justice and fair treatment during the 1950s. Troy also represents human nature's reluctance to recognize and accept social change.

In the playwright 's setting description, symbols connected to his character can be found: the house, the incomplete fence, the porch, and the makeshift baseball tied to a tree branch.

Origins of Troy Maxson

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:

• Talented, young athletes.
• Unable to attend college.
• Turned to crime for income.
• Killed a man.
• Spent decades in prison.
• Married and settled down to a new life after a prison term.

The Setting Reveals the Man

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 is through his brother (a mentally unstable WWII veteran) and the disability checks he receives because of it.

Building Fences

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 ":

• What does the act of building a fence symbolize?
• What is Troy Maxson trying to keep out?
• What is he trying to keep in?

Troy's Porch and Homelife

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, Rose, has also been neglected. Troy has spent time and energy on both his wife and the porch. However, Troy ultimately does not commit to his marriage nor to the unpainted, unfinished porch, leaving each to the mercy of the elements.

Baseball and "Fences"

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 father and son argue, the bat will be turned on Troy - though Troy will ultimately win in that confrontation.

Troy Maxson was a great baseball player, at least according to his friend Bono. Although he played brilliantly for the "Negro Leagues," he was not allowed to on the "white" teams, unlike Jackie Robinson .

The success of Robinson and other Black players is a sore subject for Troy. Because he was "born at the wrong time," he never earned the recognition or the money which he felt he deserved and discussion of professional sports will often send him into a tirade.

Baseball serves as Troy's main way of explaining his actions. When he talks about facing death, he uses baseball terminology, comparing a face-off with the grim reaper to a duel between a pitcher and a batter. When he bullies his son Cory, he warns him:

TROY: You swung and you missed. That's strike one. Don't you strike out!

During Act Two of " Fences ," Troy confesses to Rose about his infidelity. He explains not only that he has a mistress, but that she is pregnant with his child. He uses a baseball metaphor to explain why he had an affair:

TROY: I fooled them, Rose. I bunted. When I found you and Cory and a halfway decent job . . . I was safe. Couldn't nothing touch me. I wasn't gonna strike out no more. I wasn't going back to the penitentiary. I wasn't gonna lay in the streets with a bottle of wine. I was safe. I had me a family. A job. I wasn't gonna get that last strike. I was on first looking for one of them boys to knock me in. To get me home.​

ROSE: You should have stayed in my bed, Troy.

TROY: Then when I saw that gal . . . she firmed up my backbone. And I got to thinking that if I tried . . . I just might be able to steal second. Do you understand after eighteen years I wanted to steal second.

Troy the Garbage Man

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 neighborhoods and alleyways of Pittsburg. But Troy wanted more. So, he finally sought a promotion - not an easy task due to the white, racist employers and union members.

Ultimately, Troy earns the promotion, allowing him to drive the garbage truck. However, this creates a solitary occupation, distancing himself from Bono and other friends (and perhaps symbolically separating himself from his African-American community).

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“Fences” by August Wilson Literature Analysis Essay

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Introduction

Dramatic structure of the play, troy – the modern hero, metaphors and symbols – direct messages to the audience, works cited.

Reputedly, Fences is one of the most famous dramas in American literature. In 1983 August Wilson wrote a story of a man who built fences around himself. The play is full of metaphors concerning fences which reveal the major theme and idea, building fences. Depicting the life of the average African American family Wilson articulates the universal truth that if “someone builds a fence, the builder is at once fencing in and fencing out” (Bloom 139).

It is important to point out that Wilson portrays negative outcomes of such building in a very lively manner. The dramatic structure of the play, use of numerous metaphors, and, of course, depiction of such a modern hero as Troy make Wilson’s ideas obtain physical form.

Admittedly, drama “is not flexible as other forms of literature” (McMahan et al. 736). The playwright is limited in time and space, so it is essential to be precise when writing a play. Wilson manages to reveal his ideas within the necessary limits. The story is told in two major parts. The first part is revealed in the very beginning of the play, more so, in the very setting of the play: “a small dirt yard, partially fenced” (Wilson 788).

In this first part of the play Wilson portrays the process of building fences. Troy’s memories, Troy’s dialogues with the members of his family make the viewer see how Troy is building his fences, and why he is doing that. The image of the incomplete fence enhances the idea of building fences.

The second part of the play is its very ending. This part reveals the outcomes of fences building. Troy is buried. Now he is completely fenced from the rest of the world. The fence around the yard is completed. This part of the play is concerned with the outcomes of fence building. Wilson draws a conclusion in this part: a man, who is trying to build a fence around himself, manages to do it, but he fences himself in, and makes this person absolutely lonely.

This specific structure makes the play really appealing since the playwright ends his story with a strong and evocative scene when insane brother of Troy, Gabriel, opens the heavenly gates to his brother and makes him free from the fences Troy was building during his life. Of course, the viewer understands that the fences are destroyed too late.

This makes the end very strong, since the viewer starts thinking about his/her own fences. It goes without saying that such a dramatic structure serves the major aim of the play: to reveal the negative outcomes of building fences.

Admittedly, to reveal his ideas Wilson uses one more tool. He creates a lively modern character. It is necessary to point out that Wilson’s Troy is one of the brightest examples of the modern hero since he is not only bad or good, only tragic or comic (McMahan et al. 786). Troy is a living man who is characterized by myriads of good and bad features.

Sometimes he is too distant from his wife and children. For instance, in his talk with his friend Troy confesses about his love affair, but at the same time it is possible to feel that he loves his wife and sometime can express his affection (Wilson 790-791). Troy can be characterized as a stern father, but he still loves his children. Even in his disapproval of his son’s longing to enter big sport it is possible to feel care.

Troy simply does not want his son, Cory, to experience the same disappointment: “I decided seventeen years ago that boy wasn’t getting involved in no sports. Not after what they did to me in the sports” (Wilson 806).

Of course, times has changed and Cory has a real chance to become a famous and successful player, but Troy does not see the changes because the fence he built in his mind is too high to see it (Wilson 805). Thus, Wilson creates a hero who is, so to speak, multifaceted. This characteristic feature of the modern hero Troy makes it possible to understand why he built the fence around him.

It goes without saying that the image of the main character and his fences is enhanced by the use of metaphors and symbols which play essential role in revealing the playwright’s ideas. Admittedly, the major symbol of the play is physical representation of the fence, which is incomplete in the first part of the play and is finished in the second, culmination part of the play.

The viewer is exposed to the major idea of the play all the time. Troy is building a fence around his yard in the real world and around himself in his mind. He wants to defend himself from the hostile world, but instead he isolates himself. Troy’s fences do not let him see numerous opportunities which appear in a rapidly changing world.

Interestingly, Troy also uses numerous metaphors dreaming about “swinging for the fences” (Bloom 139). Wilson’s main character does not admit he has built fences (does not see new opportunities and does not always let somebody in), but he still wants to escape from the metaphorical fences. Troy wants to go beyond his own fences. These metaphors also enhance the idea of being imprisoned in one’s own fences.

One of the most evocative symbols of the play is the final performance of Gabriel who is breaking the fences for his brother and sets him free. Notably, Wilson articulates an idea that in many cases only insane can ruin fences whereas “normal” people build new ones.

This idea is articulated by the scene when Lyons is trying to stop Gabriel when he is “opening” the gates for Troy (Wilson 834). Admittedly, these are only some of the brightest metaphors used in the play. And the whole scope of these metaphors reveals the major idea of the play.

In conclusion, it is possible to note that Wilson made his idea of the negative outcomes of building fences absolutely explicit in his famous play. More so, specific structure of the play, numerous metaphors and symbols create a complete picture of fences which can exist in human life.

Moreover, Wilson’s modern hero, Troy, is a kind of illustration of a fenced individual. Wilson reveals his sorrows and his happy moments, but apart from all this Wilson claims that any fences lead to loneliness. Notable, Wilson’s expressive and emotional play makes people think of their own fences and their own ways in the world.

Bloom, Harold. August Wilson. New York, NY: Infobase Publishing, 2009.

McMahan, Elizabeth, Susan Day, Robert Funk. Literature and the Writing Process. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.

Wilson, August. “Fences.” Ed. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan Day, Robert Funk. Literature and the Writing Process. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 788-834.

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Fences by August Wilsons: Critical Analysis

The central theme in Fences by August Wilsonsrevolves around the construction of boundaries, both physical and metaphorical, to delineate familial and personal spaces.

Titles and Themes in Fences by August Wilsons

Table of Contents

The central theme in Fences by August Wilsons revolves around the construction of boundaries, both physical and metaphorical, to delineate familial and personal spaces. As Robert Frost aptly noted, “Good fences make good neighbors,” a sentiment echoed by the character Bono when Troy, the protagonist, fails to grasp the rationale behind Rose’s request for a fence to be built. Bono’s pragmatic understanding of this adage stems from his outsider perspective, enabling him to perceive the significance of such boundaries more acutely than Troy and Cory, who are entrenched in their familial roles. Moreover, Bono’s astuteness extends to his awareness of Troy’s extramarital affair with Alberta, a revelation that underscores Rose’s subconscious apprehensions about her husband’s fidelity.

Characters in Fences by August Wilsons

Indeed, Troy faces considerable challenges in providing for his family, given the limited opportunities available to him in his position. As a result, he seeks solace and escape in various outlets, including love, alcohol, and music. His relationship with Alberta, which Bono is aware of, serves as one manifestation of this quest for refuge. When Rose insists on building a fence in front of their home, Troy and Cory are initially perplexed by her request. However, Bono astutely recognizes the symbolic significance behind Rose’s desire for a fence, articulating that “Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in.” This insight suggests that Rose’s intention may be twofold: to preserve her relationship with Troy and to create a barrier that prevents external influences from disrupting their familial bonds. The title of the play, “Fences,” thus assumes a profound thematic significance, encapsulating the themes of boundaries, containment, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships explored throughout the narrative.

Racism in Fences by August Wilsons

Racism, particularly discriminatory racialism, serves as a pervasive and poignant element that shapes the experiences of the Maxson family in “Fences.” As an African American family, the Maxsons navigate a society where racial prejudice and inequality are deeply ingrained. Troy’s occupation as a garbage collector reflects the limited opportunities available to black individuals in a society where they are systematically marginalized and discriminated against. His thwarted dreams of becoming a professional baseball player further highlight the systemic barriers faced by African Americans, as despite possessing the talent and potential, racial segregation prohibited him from achieving his aspirations.

The metaphorical significance of Troy’s past aspirations underscores the broader theme of racial injustice and the insidious ways in which it restricts the opportunities and aspirations of black individuals. Despite his capabilities and ambitions, Troy’s race serves as a formidable barrier to his advancement, relegating him to a subordinate position in society. His application to become a truck driver exemplifies his awareness of the racial prejudices that permeate the societal landscape, as he confronts the pervasive belief that only white individuals are deemed fit for certain professions. Troy’s refusal to allow Cory to pursue soccer further illustrates the internalization of racism within his psyche, as he perpetuates the cycle of racial discrimination by imposing limitations on his son’s aspirations. Through Troy’s experiences and actions, August Wilson adeptly portrays the enduring impact of racism on individuals and families, shedding light on the pervasive and systemic nature of racial injustice in American society.

Fence in Fences by August Wilsons

Indeed, in “Fences” by August Wilson, each character experiences both gains and losses throughout the narrative. Troy Maxson, for instance, loses his wife Rose when he engages in an extramarital affair with Alberta. However, he also gains a renewed appreciation for Rose’s importance in his life, as evidenced by his return with their daughter Raynell after Alberta’s death. Similarly, Cory experiences frustration and resentment towards his father for preventing him from pursuing his dream of joining the football team. Nevertheless, he ultimately achieves academic success by graduating from high school and later finds fulfillment in his decision to enlist in the Marines.

Rose emerges as a winner in her own right, despite Troy’s initial neglect of her, as she gains Raynell as a daughter through Troy’s affair. Gabriel, despite his mental disability, contributes to the family by helping to pay the mortgage, highlighting his resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Bono, Troy’s friend, serves as a catalyst for positive change in Troy’s life, as he helps to salvage their marriage by revealing Troy’s secret affair to Rose. In this manner, each major character in “Fences” experiences a blend of triumphs and setbacks, reflecting the complexity of human experiences and relationships portrayed in the play.

Works Cited: Fences by August Wilsons

• Wessling, Joseph H . “Wilson’s Fences.” The Explicator 57.2 (1999): 123-127.
• Baharvand, Peyman Amanolahi. “The Failure of the American Dream in August Wilson’s Fences.” International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies 5.4 (2017): 69-75.

Relevant Questions about Fences by August Wilsons

• How does the symbolism of the fence in “Fences” by August Wilson contribute to the thematic exploration of barriers, both physical and metaphorical, within the African American experience?
• In what ways does the protagonist, Troy Maxson, embody the struggles and aspirations of African American men in 1950s America, and how does his character arc reflect broader societal issues?
• How does August Wilson use the familial dynamics and relationships within the Maxson family to explore themes of responsibility, duty, and the impact of past traumas on present-day relationships in “Fences”?

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August Wilson

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Blackness and Race Relations

Set in Pittsburgh in the 1950s, Fences explores the experience of one black family living in the era of segregation and a burgeoning black rights movement, exposing, at the heart of its characters’ psychology, a dynamic between the inner world of a black community and the expanse of white power around it.

The fence which Troy gradually builds in front of his house serves as a symbol of segregation, as well as the general psychological…

Practicality, Idealism, and Race

Fences explores the different views some of its characters have about what’s feasible, achievable, and practical or life-sustaining with regard to career ambitions and future goals. Troy disapproves of the livelihoods to which his sons aspire, considering them to be idealistic dreams compared to what he views as more practical trades. Troy’s disapproval, especially in Cory ’s case, is largely informed by his own experience growing up black. Cory’s youth—his experience growing up in a…

Manhood and Fathers

The play largely revolves around the turbulent relationship between Troy and his children—particularly his relationship with Cory . Cory’s desire to assert his own manhood and determine his own future clashes with the authority Troy feels as a father. Further, Cory’s ambitions go against everything Troy thinks will be good and healthy for his son’s prosperity.

Cory evolves in the play from cowering in fear of his father to ultimately severing his ties with him…

Family, Duty, and Betrayal

Fences is a portrayal of family life—of how its characters view their roles as individual family members, and how they each define their commitment or duty to the family; it also explores how betrayal can break the familial bond.

Troy refuses to tell Cory he loves him; rather, Troy tells Cory he only acts out of duty towards him as a son, and that there’s no reason that love necessarily must be involved. Duty, for…

The topic of death appears throughout the play in various forms, both in the physical death of two characters ( Troy and Alberta ), as well as in the stories told by Troy and through his brother Gabriel ’s obsession with the Christian afterlife.

Troy mentions the grim reaper (“ Mr. Death ”) several times throughout the play, telling a story about how they once wrestled. Troy seems to believe that, while death is an…

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Summary and Study Guide

August Wilson’s play Fences premiered in 1985 at the Yale Repertory Theatre and was published the following year. It opened on Broadway in 1987 with James Earl Jones in the role of Troy. It was the third play to premiere of Wilson’s Century Cycle, although it is the sixth play chronologically. The Century Cycle, also known as the Pittsburgh Cycle, consists of 10 plays, one set in each decade of the 20th century. Each play has an all-Black (or nearly all-Black) cast and focuses on the historical evolution of the experience of African Americans. Of the 10 plays, nine take place in Pittsburgh, and one ( Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , 1984) is set in Chicago. Wilson won his first Pulitzer for Fences as well as a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. The 2010 Broadway revival featured Denzel Washington as Troy and Viola Davis as Rose , roles they reprised in the 2016 Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the play.

Fences is set in 1957, 10 years after Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball and in the midst of the civil rights movement in the United States. Schools had only been legally desegregated since 1955, and in 1957, the Little Rock Nine were not allowed to integrate into a White school until President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent federal troops to accompany them. Rosa Parks’ protest and the lynching of Emmett Till occurred in 1955. The Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1957, making it federally illegal to suppress voter rights, but for African Americans, opportunities for advancement remained scarce. Discrimination was still legal in employment and housing, and schools in Black areas were much less funded than White schools, making it very difficult for African Americans to receive a proper education and escape poverty.

Plot Summary

Troy Maxson was once a great player in the Negro baseball leagues, but he was not allowed to join the major leagues because he was Black. He left home when he was 14 after a confrontation with his abusive father. Troy fathered his first son, Lyons , and then spent 15 years in prison after a killing someone during a robbery. When the play opens in 1957, Troy is 53 years old and working as a garbage collector. He has just recently caused a stir at work by asking why Black men are not allowed to drive the trucks and filing a complaint with the union. Troy’s wife, Rose, informs Troy that their son, Cory , has caught the eye of a college football recruiter, but Troy is adamant that his son will not endure the same heartbreak that he did by attempting to play professional sports. Troy feels like a failure because at 53, he was only able to afford a house because his brother, Gabriel , received money after he was injured and brain-damaged fighting in World War II. Gabriel believes wholeheartedly that he is the angel Gabriel, carrying a trumpet that he expects to need one day.

Dissatisfied with his settled life, Troy begins an affair with a woman whom he eventually impregnates. Additionally, Troy commits Gabriel to a hospital, something he has been resisting for years. Troy’s mistress dies in childbirth and leaves Troy to raise their daughter with a wife who is devastated by Troy’s betrayal. Troy refuses to speak to the recruiter or allow Cory to play football, so Cory graduates from high school with bleak prospects and no chance to go to college. Cory finally challenges his father, and the violent confrontation ends with Cory leaving home. The final scene takes place in 1965 on the day of Troy’s funeral. Cory returns home, now a colonel in the Marines, and meets his half-sister for the first time since she was an infant. The family is free of Troy, but Cory learns that his father is a part of him that he can never escape. Gabriel blows his horn to open the gates of heaven so Troy can finally rest.

Fences addresses the struggles of a Black father who feels cheated by life because racism and segregation have kept him from reaching his full potential. The play remains Wilson’s best-known work and is partially autobiographical. It is about the inheritance of generational trauma and the way one damaged Black man tries not to follow in his abusive father’s footsteps, only to inflict the same abuse and damage on his son. It is also about the choice to break the cycle in an evolving world, and the potential of one generation to rise above the last. The play shows that growth and change take time but are possible. 

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American Literature

by August Wilson

Fences themes, the creation of order.

The overarching theme of the play, alluded to in the title, is the idea of the creation of order - a fence is not a barrier in this reading, but a way to compartmentalize the world into understandable, manageable chunks. Troy Maxson is chiefly responsible for this desire for order, though for a different reason his wife Rose also craves it. Troy is caught in a world in which he feels he does not belong. He carries with him the scars, oppression, and disorder of his Southern childhood, the abuse of his father, and an unwelcome Pittsburgh. On the other hand, he is also a part of the growing African American middle class. He is promoted for a job he feels he does not deserve and he is unable to accept the idea that his children might have the freedom to create their own lives. For Troy, a fence is a way to section off part of the world as his own - his desire for a fence is a desire to find his place in the time and culture of twentieth century America.

The American Dream

Troy Maxson is the embodiment of an African-American generation, growing up in the post-World War II era, that finds itself finally able to realize the American ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Troy has become more successful than his father, who remained a poor sharecropper and never owned his own land or property but, instead, paid all his wages and his life to an unjust land owner. Troy has bought his own house (though he feels guilty about the methods of payment). And in his sexual relationships he has embodied the freedom of a man to follow his own desires in a pursuit of happiness. Troy Maxson embraces his desire to be an individual.

This pursuit of the American Dream, however, is not without conflict. Troy cannot envision a generation doing more than his own accomplished. He cannot imagine his son achieving an even greater dream, and he cannot imagine a life unburdened by responsibility to family. In this way, Troy remains chained to his expectations of what a man can accomplish in the world.

African American Difference

In Fences , as well in his other plays, August Wilson seeks to point out the idea of difference between races and culture more than the monocultural ideal of sameness. The Civil Rights era of the 1960's and '70's can be broadly construed as African American's struggle for the same rights as whites. By the 1980's, Wilson saw this struggle for equality morphing into a culture that was attempting to erase the differences between races and peoples. African Americans, according to Wilson, were different than whites or any other races. They have their own distinct culture, history, and society. No people should have to become part of the majority culture just to enjoy the majority's rights and privileges.

Maintaining this difference is painful, and often destructive, as Fences shows. In his son Corey, Troy sees a generation that not only aspires for their own success in the world but also seeks to fold themselves into the white culture of the day. Sports is a metaphor for this; while Troy is bitter at losing his chance to play in an integrated Major Leagues, he still idealizes the Negro Leagues as symbol of African American pride. When Corey seeks a college scholarship to play football, Troy fears that his son will lose the difference of his race in his drive for success. This conflict of difference ultimately, and perhaps necessarily, destroys their relationship.

The Ideal of Responsibility

Troy Maxson is a man who takes seriously his responsibility for his family. His seriousness also becomes his greatest liability. Troy is a man caught between his own desire for freedom, embodied in his affair with Alberta and his fathering of an illegitimate child, and his fierce sense of loyalty to his wife, children, and brother.

Troy's sense of responsibility comes from his own father's bitter care for him and his siblings. His father's loyalty to his family can be seen as poisonous; his father's betrayal poisons his own relationship with Corey. Ultimately, Troy becomes his father. He abandons Rose for another woman and stubbornly refuses to repent for his sins. He also abandons his own brother and son, severing his relationships in his own quest for freedom. Troy demonstrates the idea that responsibility becomes as much a liability as a virtue.

Personal Apocalypse

Troy's brother Gabriel is a symbol of the personal apocalypse of Troy Maxson. Apocalypse, in its original meaning, connotes a revelation, or an understanding of the world that brings about some kind of ending. In Fences , Troy's struggles with his family and with his sense of purpose reveal to him the nature of death and the impermanence of his own life. Gabriel, thinking that he is the literal angel Gabriel, foretells this revelation in Troy's life. He insists that Troy's life is written in St. Peter's book, though his mortality is not a concept of which Troy can conceive. The tragedies of Troy's life serve as a series of death events; the abandonment by his father, his own abandonment of his son, the death of his lover, and ultimately the end of his own life all remind Troy that he is not in control of his own life, even as he attempts to control everyone around him.

Changing African American Culture

August Wilson's "Pittsburgh Cycle" portrays African American life in Pittsburgh during each decade of the twentieth century. Fences resonated with audiences partly because it so accurately captured the unique situation of African Americans during the 1950's and '60's. This was a time of great change for African American culture. The Civil Rights movement was in its nascent stages. African Americans were slowly moving into a respectable middle class and out of the destitute poverty of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The post-World War II generation was first embracing the ideal of personal freedom.

There are several instances of this changing culture in Fences . One is Troy's own advancement in his job. Troy is a trash collector, a seemingly undesirable job, yet his promotion to truck driver bestows on him a level of authority and purpose that he feels he has otherwise not achieved in his life. His discomfort with his own advancement is seen in his desire to retire shortly after getting his raise. This changing culture also creates bitterness in Troy. This is seen in his love/hate relationship with the game of baseball. On the one hand, Troy loves the game for the identity that it once gave him; on the other hand, he despises the game for its segregation and for robbing him of his chance at greatness. Troy is caught in the changing culture and represents a generation lost in their understanding of the world around them.

Freedom vs. Protection

The fence in August Wilson's play serves as a symbol of conflicting desires. In one sense, Troy and Rose seek to build a fence to keep the world out of their lives. Rose's desire for a fence symbolizes the way in which she seeks to protect her family. She knows that Troy's checkered past is always there and that he is, perhaps, only moments away from making decisions that forever affect her and her child. Rose's fence seeks to keep the family in and the dangerous world out. It is a symbol of protection.

Though Troy seeks to protect his family and his way of life, the fence also becomes a symbol of discontent in his own life. In his confrontation with Rose, Troy exclaims that he has spent his whole life providing for the family. He has been the protector and defender of a quiet, normal life. The fence, therefore, does not protect Troy but instead keeps him from achieving his ultimate desire for individuality and self actualization.

Fences Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Fences is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Troy seems to limit Rose to the domestic. Rose is the only character that is a woman that plays a role. Troy seems to marginalize her and seems to view women as ultimately disposable in some way.

Why does Troy refuse to accept Lyon's repayment of the loan?

Troy naturally assumes that Lyons will soon be back for another "loan", it's a bit of a habit for Lyons to come to his father for money. Thus, to prove his point, Troy tells Lyons to put the money in the bank, so he can just go and take it out...

Discuss your thoughts on Cory intial decision not to attend Troys funeral. Why did he feel this way ? Do you agree?

I was actually surprised that Cory traveled home for the funeral, and yet, he decided not to attend. On one hand, we can consider the fact that Cory's last fight with his father and the fact they never came to terms weighed heavily on Cory... it's...

Study Guide for Fences

Fences study guide contains a biography of August Wilson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Fences
• Fences Summary
• Character List

Essays for Fences

Fences essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Fences by August Wilson.

• The Importance of Dreams
• The Significance of Songs in August Wilson's Fences
• Death and Baseball: August Wilson's Fences
• Rebuilding Relationships in Fences
• The Apple and the Tree: Family Ties in The Namesake and Fences

Lesson Plan for Fences

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Fences
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Fences Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Fences

• Introduction

• Entertainment
• Science and Tech
• Education Today

Avram Manchu essays childhood version of titular character in first look from ‘Kannappa’

In the poster, Avram could be seen in a fierce avatar as he stands against the backdrop of a deity. Avram essays the role of the childhood version of the titular character with the adult version of the character essayed by Vishnu Manchu.

Mumbai : Avram Manchu, the son of Telugu star Vishnu Manchu and the grandson of the legendary Mohan Babu, is set to make his acting debut with the upcoming film ‘Kannappa’. The first look of Avram as the childhood version of Kannappa (Thinnadu) was unveiled on the occasion of Janmashtami on Monday.

• MAA president Manchu Vishnu reacts on Arshad Warsi’s ‘joker’ remark

Talking about the same, Vishnu said, “Watching Avram step into the shoes of young Kannappa has been an emotional experience for me. This film is a dream that spans generations in our family. I am incredibly proud to introduce Avram to the world through such an iconic role, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the magic he’s bringing to the screen”.

Avram’s role as the young Kannappa marks the continuation of the Manchu family’s rich tradition in the Telugu film industry.

The film boasts a stellar cast, including Mohanlal, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, Mohan Babu Sarathkumar, Bramhanandam, and Kajal Agarwal.

The story of ‘Kannappa’ revolves around the legendary warrior Kannappa, who has been touted as one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva which made him a legend in the circle of the devotees of Mahadev. His transition from a hunter to a warrior to a saint earned him the title of Nayanar.

The film was announced last year at the Srikalahasteeswara temple which holds an important place in the film’s narrative as this is the spot where Kannappa willingly blinded himself, earning his blessings from Lord Shiva and becoming the revered legend.

Produced by 24 Frames Factory and AVA Entertainment, ‘Kannappa’ is directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh.

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Serge Schmemann

Editorial Board Member

After Israel’s Hostage Rescue, Could There Finally Be a Cease-Fire Deal?

The rescue of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza on Tuesday was hailed as something of a miracle in Israel. But it did little to quell the anger among many Israelis over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resistance to a cease-fire deal that would bring home all the remaining hostages — dead and alive.

The details of the rescue were not immediately clear. The Israeli military spoke of a “complex military operation.” Unnamed senior Israeli officials told The Times that commandos were scouring Hamas tunnels when they came upon Farhan al-Qadi, 52, a member of Israel’s Bedouin minority who was working at a kibbutz when he was seized in the Hamas raid of Oct. 7. In either case, he was the eighth hostage to be freed by the military.

With the latest rescue, 108 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, including 13 whose deaths have been confirmed, according to Haaretz. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that represents the families of the hostages, said that the rest cannot hope to be freed by military operations. “A deal is the only way to secure the return of the remaining 108 hostages — the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for proper burial,” it said in a statement .

A deal seemed tantalizingly close at the end of May, when President Biden reported progress toward a phased cease-fire that would lead to the liberation of all remaining hostages and end the grueling fight that has taken more than 40,000 Palestinian lives. But since then, both Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the elusive Hamas leader in Gaza, have repeatedly put roadblocks in the way of an agreement, with Netanyahu insisting on the full destruction of Hamas and Sinwar saying he would accept only a permanent end to hostilities. Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken, told reporters that a bridging proposal offered by Washington was probably the best — and possibly the last — opportunity for a deal. The last round of talks ended in Cairo on Sunday without one.

Netanyahu’s insistence on a decisive victory has placed him at odds not only with the hostages’ families but also with the Israeli military, which questions whether a total victory over Hamas is feasible and is concerned about a potential clash with Hezbollah. More broadly, polls have shown that a majority of Israelis support a cease-fire in exchange for the hostages.

Al-Qadi did not join the debate as he profusely thanked those responsible for his liberation. But in a meeting with the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, al-Qadi urged the government “to do everything to bring people home.”

“Twenty-four hours without sleep,” he said. “People are suffering, suffering you can’t imagine.”

Michelle Cottle

Opinion Writer

Tulsi Gabbard’s Trumpy Transition Is Now Complete

Step back, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. You aren’t even the most interesting ex-Democrat-turned-MAGA-tool to endorse Donald Trump this month.

For my money, that would be Tulsi Gabbard, the former House member and 2020 contender to unseat President Trump.

Gabbard has been on quite the political journey. She never got much traction in her 2020 race. But she did win herself a small but intensely passionate following based heavily on her isolationist leanings — which, admittedly, are more electrifying than most, thanks to her penchant for making indulgent statements about bloodthirsty strongmen such as Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin. Indeed, Gabbard’s soft-on-Russia musings have been at times so striking that Hillary Clinton publicly called her “a Russian asset,” prompting Gabbard to sue Clinton for defamation. (Gabbard later dropped the suit.)

Gabbard quit the Democratic Party in 2022 and became an independent, saying it had fallen “under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness,” and promptly began making nice with the red team. She hit the campaign trail for Republican candidates in the midterms. She spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference . Conveniently, she was already a hot guest on Fox News.

For this election, she has settled snugly into the MAGA fold — all the more so since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. Gabbard has been helping Trump with his debate prep . During a primary debate in 2019, you may recall, Gabbard hit Harris hard from the left — successfully enough to leave a mark and tick off Harris . Trump, who has been struggling to figure out how to deal with his new opponent, is clearly hoping some of Gabbard’s mojo rubs off on him.

Just in case anyone had any doubts as to her new allegiance, Gabbard endorsed Trump on Monday. They appeared together at a National Guard conference in Detroit, on the third anniversary of the bombing in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members. A National Guard veteran, Gabbard asserted that Trump “understands the grave responsibility that a president and commander in chief bears for every single one of our lives.”

The next day, Trump announced that Gabbard was joining his transition team, as is Mr. Kennedy.

Team Trump is presumably betting that bringing on former Democrats will send a signal that his campaign is the one with a big tent and mainstream appeal. But when we’re talking about characters as … colorful as Gabbard and Kennedy, I’m betting the signal to many voters is that Trump’s G.O.P. is the home of the politically strange.

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Zeynep Tufekci

Opinion Columnist

‘Free Speech’ Should Not Shroud Criminal Activity

The detention in France of Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of the messaging app Telegram, has sparked a loud outcry about free speech. Elon Musk has portrayed the arrest on his X account as an ominous threat to free speech, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. referred to the app as an “encrypted, uncensored” platform and said “the need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”

It’s a curious case, and the French government hasn’t helped matters by releasing information in dribs and drabs. While it is possible that there are free speech issues entangled here, some early details suggest the issue may be one of criminal activity.

On Monday, the French prosecutor said in a statement that Durov — who is a citizen of France, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates — was being held for questioning in connection with an investigation into criminal activities on the app, including the trading of child sexual abuse material as well as drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering. Notably, Telegram explicitly boasts that it has never disclosed user data to any government, ever.

Questions have long swirled around Telegram. Contrary to widespread belief, Telegram is not encrypted in any meaningful sense. That would be “end to end” encryption, so that even the company couldn’t read users’ messages. Telegram — and anyone it chooses — can read all group chats, and there is no way to fully encrypt them. Those very large groups are the main attraction of the platform.

Private chats on Telegram also lack end-to-end encryption by default. Here, though, users can undergo an onerous process to turn on end-to-end encryption, which then applies only to that conversation. Even the protection provided to private chats is murky: Cryptography experts have long questioned whether Telegram’s limited encryption actually meets security standards.

Durov was born in Russia, where Telegram is used widely. The Kremlin has Durov’s back: It issued a statement that unless more evidence is provided, Durov’s detention may be “a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication.” Russian antiwar activists have long wondered how the Kremlin seems to know so much about their activities on Telegram. (Good question.)

Free speech is an important value, but protecting it does not mean absolving anyone of responsibility for all criminal activity. Ironically, Telegram’s shortage of end-to-end encryption means the company is likely to be more liable simply because it can see the criminal activity happening on its platform. If, for example, Telegram did not cooperate with authorities at all after receiving legal warrants for information about criminal activities, that would mean trouble even in the United States, with its sweeping free speech protections.

Neel V. Patel

Opinion Staff Editor

Faced With the Boeing Starliner’s Flaws, NASA Gets a Couple of Things Right

Odysseus may lay claim to the most delayed and perilous trip back home, but the NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are giving him a run for his money. What was supposed to be a weeklong mission to the International Space Station will now be an eight-month stay in space, after the spacecraft they launched aboard, the Boeing Starliner, experienced some unexpected glitches .

Boeing has been utterly humiliated by the Starliner’s failure, not least because the company’s rival, SpaceX, will take Wilmore and Williams home. But it’s NASA that deserves applause: Faced with an unsettling turn of events for its human spaceflight program, the agency has gotten a couple of things right.

It got the first thing right nearly a decade ago. In September 2014, NASA awarded contracts to both SpaceX and Boeing for their commercial crew programs, effectively saying it would pay two companies to develop new spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the space station. The veteran aerospace firm Boeing was awarded $4.2 billion, while the newcomer SpaceX was awarded $2.6 billion.

While both companies’ programs were mired in delays, SpaceX eventually vaulted ahead of Boeing and pulled off a successful crewed flight to space in 2020. Boeing remained sluggish. Throughout this period, NASA emphasized that the whole reason it gave contracts to two companies in the first place was in case one company hit snags. The wisdom of that choice is on full display now, as Wilmore and Williams can return home on a SpaceX mission, after the Boeing mission went awry. Redundancy paid off.

NASA got one other thing right during this debacle. Though Wilmore and Williams are trapped in space until February, the agency is wisely playing it safe. There isn’t much reason to think the Starliner couldn’t securely bring the astronauts back to Earth. But NASA is choosing not to risk a repeat of the tragic Challenger and Columbia disasters. Taking risks is a fundamental part of spaceflight, but the United States is no longer in a race to beat the Soviets. NASA can and should take its time to reduce the odds of risk whenever possible. It’s the right thing to do.

The astronauts’ delayed return must be truly aggravating for both of them and their families. But it’s unquestionably preferable to an alternative outcome that would put them both in any sort of elevated danger.

Pamela Paul

Gus Walz Brought Out Both the Joy and the Cruelty

Gus Walz’s unbridled emotional reaction last week at the Democratic National Convention to the nomination of his father, Gov. Tim Walz, embodied both the humanity that lies beneath the political process and the momentousness of the political process itself.

In other words, Gus reacted the way he did because he recognized the import of his father’s nomination. And because the man onstage was his father — “That’s my dad!” — a man who raised and supported and accepted and loved him for who he is, a 17-year-old boy with anxiety and a learning disorder and, as Tina Brown wrote in her gorgeous essay on Friday, a human being like any other.

Gus’s reaction was beautiful. And then things got ugly .

In response to Gus’s exuberance, Ann Coulter posted on X, “Talk about weird …” (She later took her post down.) “Sorry, but this is embarrassing for both father and son,” the conservative radio host Jay Weber posted. “If the Walzs represent today’s American man, this country is screwed,” he said, adding a crude insult of the teenage Walz. (He, too, removed his post.)

Perhaps they didn’t know the context. They didn’t know anything about Gus Walz beyond the politics of his father. They didn’t realize they should have been kind. Few people do before issuing a least-charitable-interpretation potshot. People’s private lives, their psychological state, their family or personal circumstances and their disabilities are often invisible. This is as true for public figures as it is for private citizens. Gus didn’t deserve “special” treatment — he deserved the kind of treatment any person does.

If nothing else, Gus reminds us of what an unfiltered human reaction looks like and what a sharp contrast it makes with the noxious swill of performance, hot takes and low blows that passes for online political commentary.

Let’s dwell on that contrast for a moment. Gus’s surge of emotion offered an image of us at our all-too-human best. Those who chose to disparage him reeked of our all-too-human worst. Gus Walz showed us what it means to really care about other people. His critics made clear they’ve forgotten how.

Patrick Healy

Deputy Opinion Editor

Harris Has the Momentum. But Trump Has the Edge on What Matters Most.

Every Monday morning on The Point, we kick off the week with a tipsheet on the latest in the presidential campaign. Here’s what we’re looking at this week:

We’ll know soon what kind of polling bounce Kamala Harris got out of her very good convention in Chicago. I’m especially curious how she’s faring in Pennsylvania and Georgia, which are the most critical battlegrounds in the race. Given Harris’s and the convention’s focus on themes like patriotism, small-town values and the economy, I can see her gaining a couple of points in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Democrats’ hammering of Trump on abortion is also going to help Harris in Pennsylvania and Arizona, where abortion rights is a hot-button issue.

The Democrats’ Joyfest is Over. Now Comes The Slugfest.

But consider this: Harris has won the vast majority of news cycles since she declared her candidacy. And yet, she is only two or three percentage points ahead of Trump in the national polling average and effectively tied with him in the seven swing states that will decide the election. Structural factors — polarization, the gender gap, Republicans’ advantage in the Electoral College — are keeping this race tight.

To that end, with early voting only weeks away, the battle between Harris and Trump will be to find the best strategies for the three most important elements of this campaign.

Defining the race: Harris wants to make the race about the future, freedom and unity; Trump wants to make the race about the past, his presidency and threats to the country. Harris has effectively cast the race as a choice between her and Trump, which helps her because he is so unpopular. But there is still time for this to change, especially if an unexpected or outside event suddenly shifts voter attention to safety or national security.

Defining Harris: So far, Harris is also winning on this front, positioning herself as the candidate of change — an appealing image to many voters. Trump is trying to define her as “ dangerously liberal ” and as the de facto incumbent, but even some Republican strategists tell me that they don’t see strong evidence this is catching on. Trump will campaign in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania later this week; watch for whether he starts trying to define her anew.

Defining Trump: The former president is struggling. He is trying to appeal to moderate and independent voters by opposing a national abortion ban and talking about the economy; if he had the discipline to bear down on the cost of living, trade and immigration, he’d be doing better than he is in Pennsylvania, where those issues resonate. But as the Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik put it to me, the only way Trump can win the presidency is by turning out his vote strongly and edging out his opponent with sufficient numbers of swing voters — which is what he did successfully in 2016.

Right now, Harris has the momentum, but I think the Electoral College currently favors Trump . Nothing will be more critical than the Sept. 10 debate to define the race, Trump and Harris. A debate changes things in an instant. Just ask Joe Biden.