Analysis Of `` Fences `` A Generational Story About Troy...

Near the turn of the century, as decades passed by in a prejudiced America, where to be black was to lose all dignity, an emerging provocative spirit of liberation eventually catalyzed a period of great change: a period of enlightenment known as the 1960s. Slowly but surely, black pride began to restore as differences in morals between successive generations caused societal changes. Capturing the essence of black struggles prior to -and during- this dynamic period of change, August Wilson wrote the play Fences, a generational story about Troy Maxson, the son of a black sharecropper father. Highlighted by the play’s title, a particularly important motif of Wilson’s work is the concept of â€Å"fences† regarding how they both â€Å"trap things in†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦On pg. 28, after Gabriel’s sudden appearance, Troy argues to Rose, â€Å"If my brother didn’t have that metal plate in his head †¦ I wouldn t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.† Essentially, he would not have had his land if Gabriel had not been injured. Furthermore, his negative tone, shown through his aggressive word choice throughout his dialogue with Rose, implies agitation and suggests some degree of guilt. After all, Gabriel’s compensatory grant was originally intended to be used for his own well being -and not for the sake of Troy’s stability. While Rose treats Gabriel well with care and concern, shown by her offering to feed him (on pg. 26) and pointing out that â€Å"he ain’t eating right† (on pg. 27), Troy’s guilt leads him to further ignore and cheat Gabriel out of what is rightfully his. On pg. 74 and 75, Rose forcefully confronts Troy for allowing Gabriel to get â€Å"locked up† and â€Å"signing him to the hospital for half his money†, and he responds by claiming that he had been unaware of the release form’s conditions. Intentional or not, this cle arly inconsiderate act supports Troy’s â€Å"pushing away† of Gabriel, showing his incapacity to face guilt and shines a selfish light on him. Finally, on pg. 28, although Troy intends to fix his fence at first, after Gabriel’s sudden intrusion, a mental shift clearly occurs in Troy, who immediately ditches his