Fences' Cory Essay

In Fences, Cory, one of the protagonists in the story, plays a vital role in the development of the themes in the play. Throughout the story, Cory s depicted as a character who transforms line with the racial realities of the second of the 19th century in the United States. The conflict in the story which develops the personality of Cory relates to his antagonism with his father, Troy, regarding career choice and how to become a responsible man based on his understanding on what responsibility meant to him at the time. Whereas Troy is stuck in the past, Cory does not see life in the perspective of the father, and therefore, strives to break the symbolic fences by controlling his own destiny in total defiance of the father's wishes.

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At the onset of the first encounter between Troy and Cory, the reader can see that people have different perspectives on life. Notably, Cory requests the father to buy television, but the Troy retorts that it is a wrong way of thinking on how to spend money. Cory asks, "Why don't you buy a TV? The father responds, "What I want one of the for?". While Cory sees the TV as an opportunity to learn about his favorite sport, Troy sees that as a waste of money. At this stage, it can be observed that Cory is interested in becoming a footballer. Unlike his father, Cory does not see racism as a hindrance to the progress of black youngsters in sports activities in the United States. Therefore, he aspires to be a professional footballer just like what his father had tried to achieve as a youth.

The real confrontation between Cory and his father comes when he receives a call-up to attend college. While Cory sees this as a perfect chance to pursue his dream of playing baseball and succeeds as an athlete, the father prefers to his son take close attention to his job as this the only avenue that can bring success to the life of the son. The father's view can be linked to the verbal exchange between him and the son at the opening of the story where the father judged Cory as irresponsible when the son answered to him in a conversation that he would buy a TV if he got thou hundred dollars. The difference in perspectives about what constitutes success is apparent in the disagreement with the father. While Cory sees as success as having the opportunity to pursue one's aspirations by exploiting their talents; Troy sees such view as a waste of time because it does not add value as a success, at least according to the father, means keeping the job and becoming financially stable.

The variation in perceptions about success results from the varying life experiences between Cory and Troy. Whereas the father believes that racial discrimination against black players hinders them from achieving their full potential in sport as was the case when he was a youth, the son sees lack of opportunity as the highest hurdle for one to succeed in their goals. This means that the son does not see any element of racism in his quest to reach his goals as a baseball player. The two opposing positions are critical in the development of the theme in that the father sees racism (fence) as the hindrance for the son to succeed in baseball while the son considers the father to be the only impediment to his aspiration.

The portrayal of the father as a hurdle to the attainment of the career objective of becoming a professional baseball player is seen the reaction of Cory to the father's actions that intended to dissuaded him against his desire. Cory is so passionate about pursuing a career in baseball that he does not want anybody to put a hindrance on his way. The passion can be seen in fight between him and the father. The argument culminated in fighting related to the father's decision to lie to Cory's coach that the son no longer wants to pursue football as a career and, therefore, the scholarship was not necessary. The father's actions made Cory lose the scholarship thereby missing an opportunity to exploit his football talent to the fullest. Cory's engagement in fighting with the father shows the extent to which we wanted to go to secure the opportunity to advance his career as he wanted. Thus, fighting the father suggests becoming a professional football footballer was great emotion he cherished contrary to the father who felt a lot of hatred to the son's ambition. Additionally, when Cory joins the army, he refuses to relate with his father until his death when he forgave at the advice of the mother. Harboring the grudge against the father for such a long time further shows how passionate Cory was in becoming a baseball professional by joining college.

On the whole, Cory considers success as having the chance to pursue one's aspirations without any setbacks. He expects the father to support, but this does not happen. Unlike, Cory, the father sees financial stability as the best manifestation of success. Troy's position that the son should not pursue baseball is informed from his past experiences of racism, and therefore, he feels that the son would experience the same hurdles. Contrary to the father, Cory sees opportunity in accepting the college scholarship offer thereby seeing the Troy as the enemy to his career objective.

References

Wilson, A. (2016). Fences. New York, NY: Plume.