Fences Protagonist Troy Maxson Essay

Fences were written in 1985 by an American author August Wilson who is a profound playwright. In the play, Wilson examines and explores the changing life of African-American experience in a racial unfriendly environment. The play is the sixth in Wilson's ten-part "Pittsburgh Cycle. The contribution the play has had in the literature of African-American is remarkable. In 1987, the play was awarded the Pulitzer Prize of Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play later the same year. In the play, the story of Troy Maxson is told in his struggle for survival amidst of racial discrimination. In the play, Troy makes a number of wrong choices which eventually leads him to die a miserable death.

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The play's protagonist is Troy Maxson, a 53-year old garbage collector and later a truck driver. He struggles to raise his poor family and provide for his wife and children. His wife Rose assists him in raising his family. His son Gabriel was an ex-soldier who sustained head injury resulting in psychological damage. Gabriel's elder brother Cory aspires to play football and after he attains a scholarship, Troy crashes his dreams and ends up as a military. Consequently, Cory became resentful of his father and later after Troy's death, Cory is reluctant to attend his burial until his mother finally convinces him ("Full Text of "August Wilson "Fences"""). Troy's dreams of playing baseball were hindered due to the colour barrier and he ends up as a garbage collector. His life is marked by twists and characterized by wrong choices:

• Troy was involved in an accidental murder during a robbery that saw him spend years in prison in his young days.
• He refuses to support his son's participation in football after he gained a scholarship in fear of racial discrimination.
• While married to Rose, Troy has a mistress, Alberta, who got pregnant and later lost her life at childbirth.

These, among other choices made by Troy, had far-reaching effects in his life. First, he loses his wife after admitting to having an affair. Rose, while accepting to raise the child by Alberta, says that the child had a mother, but Troy had lost a wife (Wilson and Wilson, p. 82). He lives a lonely life away from Rose and later dies a miserable life. Secondly, his fear and insecurity caused him to deny his son, Cory, a chance to play football. This act was very unsupportive of him as a father. He used his previous hurt and discourages his son's dreams of ever being a football player ("Full Text of "August Wilson "Fences"""). As a result, Cory is enlisted in the military and become very resentful of his father.

Troy's predicament was as a result of his own making. Having gone through an experience of losing a chance to ever pursue his dream, he should have supported his son, Cory, pursue his career as a football player. In short, he ought to have been more supportive as father and assist his son to achieve his dream. Furthermore, his infidelity act made his situation worse. He lacked faithfulness as a husband and this made him lose his wife, Rose. Troy ought to have been more vitreous and remain faithful to his wife. His wrong decision is doomed after the death of Alberta, his mistress. Nonetheless, the pursuit of a virtuous life is the only way Troy would have avoided this tragic end.

Conclusion

Folks, I have come to a tragic end. My life has been a series of wrong choices. I have lost my wife, my son and my mistress. My dreams and those of my son, Cory, have been shuttered. How can man live free from the prison of his own mistakes? I have discovered that hurt people always hurt people. I choose to correct my ways. The only way I can achieve self-liberation is through pursuing a virtuous life. Furthermore, to find healing from historical injustices, so that my family can live happily, free from this chains of life. But in all this, I have found that fidelity, transparency, morality and support of others can attain a happy life for a man.

Works Cited

"Full Text of "August Wilson "Fences""." Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine, archive.org/stream/WilsonFences/Wilson%20Fences_djvu.txt.

Wilson, August, and August Wilson. Fences. Penguin Books, 1988.