Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

Fences, by August Wilson. New York, New York, 1983 120 Pages.
Antwone Sloss
August Wilson presents many situations that are very similar to ones faced in real life
in his books, one of which is racism. In the play, Fences, he stays true to his usual
style. There is a father who abandons one of his sons, and also discrimination and
racism in the workplace. There are also other situations, such as a boy who wants to
go to college but is prompted by his father to stay in the town and get a job to help
support his family, in addition to a mistreated brother who is a mentally incompetent
war veteran. And also there is a man who is cheating on his wife and ends up getting
another woman pregnant.
Troy is an unsuccessful ex Negro League baseball player. In the beginning of
the book he is a father of 2 children, but as the book progresses he cheats on his wife
and has a third child. He works as a garbage man with his best friend Bono. Troy grew up during a racist period
in time, and he believes that his son shouldn’t try to do the things that black people weren’t accustomed to
doing. Troy is having trouble relating to both his kids and his wife. There are money issues and other family
problems that take place within the household. However, throughout the play, Troy’s wife (Rose) and the
mother of one of his children, Cory, is worried about keeping the family united.
Troy and some of the other African American garbage men at the company are starting to think there is
some discrimination within the company’s management. Troy is sick of collecting trash while the white men get
to drive the truck. Although Troy doesn’t have a license to drive he still believes this is serious dilemma with
the colored employees. Because of the consequences that the colored workers may face, Bono warns Troy that
filling a complaint isn’t the best thing he should do if he intends to keep his job. Troy ends up talking to his boss
directly and he avoids the problem by telling Troy to take it up with the Union.
At this point of the story, Troy only has two children, Cory, which he and his wife are currently raising,
and Lyons, who Troy had by another woman but abandoned shortly after his birth. Lyons is a free spirited
young adult who doesn’t quite know what he wants to be later in life. Lyons seldom visits his dead beat dad,
except when he is in need of cash. Troy eventually encounters more problems when he finds out that his son
Cory, who he has been with since birth, decides he wants to follow the path of education and go to college, so
that he can continue his football career. Troy, who is still living in the past, tells Cory that he must go out and
get a job because black people don’t belong in sports, or in college. Cory starts to believe that his dad doesn’t
love him, and when he goes to confront him, his father tells him that his belief that his role as a father is to,
“Provide shelter and food and the gift of life to a son and nothing more.”
Most of this story takes place in the yard by the half built fence. Every Saturday, Troy tells Cory that
that they are going to go work on the Fence that Rose wants them to build in front of the house. Cory and Troy
don’t understand why Rose wants them to build the fence so bad, but later in the story Bono tells them that,
“Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in." But every
Saturday, Troy blows off building the fence by telling his family he is going to the bar to have a drink and to
watch the game. Secretly, every Saturday, Troy is sneaking off to meet a girl from Tallahassee who he is having
relations with. The story takes a surprising twist when the Tallahassee girl gets pregnant and Troy tells his
family he no longer wishes to be a part of their lives.
August Wilson turns worse into worst when the mother of Troy’s new baby dies while giving birth and
Troy has to try to earn the trust and respect of his family in order to survive. Rose lets Troy back into her life
out of pity for him and respect for the newborn baby. After 7 years, Troy dies of a heart attack, but his death
leads to an astonishing event.
August Wilson brings joy to the reader even through moments of sorrow. Wilson gives the reader an
affirmative mindset during the most miserable part of the book. As everyone is gathered around for Troy’s
funeral, up the street comes Gabriel, Troy’s mentally handicapped brother. Gabriel comes running up the street
playing his trumpet. He announces that St. Peter is going to open the gates of heaven for Troy. There is a
moment of disbelief, but then a light shines down from above and Gabriel screams out, “That's the way that
goes."
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