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August Wilson's Play Fences

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August Wilson’s play Fences focuses on a man named Troy Maxson, a garbage man who is married to Rose and with her, has a son named Cory. Troy has an affair with a woman named Alberta who becomes pregnant with his child. This causes lots of tension in the house, not only between Troy and Rose, but also between Troy and Cory. This is because Cory is furious at what Troy did to Rose as well as Troy ruining Cory’s chance to go to college. In the end of the play Troy dies and Cory refuses to go to his funeral until Rose gives him a speech about why he has to. August Wilson’s intention in writing his play Fences is to tell the reader to forgive people and remember the good things about them. Cory is so mad at Troy about the affair, how he ruined Cory’s chance to go to college and also kicking Cory out. Cory holds this grudge against Troy even after …show more content…

Joseph H Wessling says that the following quote is ¨the only indication that he has accepted and forgiven his father¨(Wessling) "You go in the house and change them shoes like Mama told you so we can go to Papa's funeral" (730). Cory is able to accept the Troy within himself and begin to build on it. Cory forgiving Troy is how he will come to terms with everything and now he is able to grow in new ways. Forgiveness is how Cory is able to grow more and become a better person because he has accepted everything that has happened because of his father. In this play, Wilson intends to show the readers the importance of forgiving others and moving on from it. Rose tells Cory, and the audience, about the importance of forgiving people and that hating others does not get people anywhere. It is also important that Cory forgives Troy, because now he has accepted the Troy in him and he can build off of it and improve himself. There is a lot to learn from this play and is it clear that forgiving is a huge part and that people need to learn to forgive others and move

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