ipl-logo

Troy Maxson Flaws In Fences

811 Words4 Pages

The Faults of Troy Maxson August Wilson brings out the struggle of Troy Maxson in his play, Fences. All that matter to him end up feeling this struggle, for it remains constantly inside of him. Ultimately it proves to overcome Troy and make many lose the respect and love that was once felt. Troy’s actions and failure to fix them makes his true character known. By giving way to his own desires, becoming a continuation of his father and failing those he loves Troy Maxson proves to be a man flawed at his core. Troy’s Father’s importance and impact on him become evident as soon as Troy’s childhood is known. Despite the hate Troy felt towards his father he ended up very similar to him. Troy’s father didn’t love or even care about his children, but …show more content…

His relationship with Bono shows this clearly. For it always appears as though Bono only listens and comments in their conversations. It is rare that he brings up a new topic, and when he does Troy is sure to make it go in a direction he wants it to. Rose has to be the worst victim of Troy’s selfishness because Troy never even considers her feelings or how he might hurt her. He also ignores the responsibility he owes her in being her husband, all because he wanted to indulge himself with another women. This is proof of either his ignorance or complete disregard to the feelings of others, a trait that was given by his …show more content…

Originally he only did it once a week on Friday. After a long week at work it must have relieved his stress, which wouldn’t make it that unreasonable to do. However, after everyone knows what Troy did to Rose, they start to lose the respect that they once had for him. They stop visiting him and even Rose and Cory keep avoiding him. (Quote) With nobody around, Troy cannot be the center of everything, he cannot move the conversation his way. Therefore he starts drinking more, being that he cannot stand not being the center of everyone’s attention. But all the problems he has originated from, and worse than that, he does nothing productive to try and fix any of them. This once again proves that Troy is unsuitable to be a proper father for Cory and a respectable husband for Rose. Troy loses the dignity, respect and even love that was once given to him by his friends and family. His own selfish needs are fuel for the destruction of the life he once knew. By cheating on Rose with Alberta, he may have found short term happiness but in the long term he caused Rose more pain. And of course this pain seeped through to other people, leading them to lose their respect for Troy. The downward spiral of Troy life proved to be through his decisions and his actions. This may have been avoided if Troy had thought of the feelings and needs of other people important in his

Show More
Related

  • The Role Of Dominance In August Wilson's Fences

    1038 Words  | 5 Pages

    The obsession with dominance over others is a negative trait with terrible consequences. Troy Maxson, a father of two children and a friend of few, goes through his life, compulsed to assert his superiority over the people he knows. This leads to a downward trend with negative repercussions and eventually strips him of everything he ever loved. In Fences by August Wilson, Troy Maxson’s desire to be dominant with his two sons and his friend, Bono causes his life to be arduous, pushes his family away and creates a lack of sympathy. One method Troy employs to be dominant is by making people indebted to him.

    Read More

  • August Wilson Fences Symbolism

    1516 Words  | 7 Pages

    Troy’s inability to commit to building his fences despite his repetitive speaking of how he is going to finish his fence shows how his isolation from his wife stems from his inability to truly commit to his wife even though he always told her he loved her. He wanted to protect his wife from the truth that he cheated on her and has a baby on the way with her but the fence prevented true communication with his own wife. Troy's inability to see the change in civil rights during his time period because of the fence led to the isolation of his mindset towards African American rights and the straining of his relationship with his son. His struggle to be accepted into playing professional sports alongside white men lead to preventing his son from playing professional football despite the changing times in civil rights. Without isolation from change, his relationship with his son could possibly be a happy one.

    Read More

  • Troy Maxson Character Analysis

    1222 Words  | 5 Pages

    Troy chose to escape his reality by having an affair that gives him some laughs and good time every now and then. However, despite the flaws in Troy’s character, he was a providing family man who wants to insure a better life of his sons than the one he had. Based on the play’s time period, which took place at the 50’s, apparently the main problem of Troy Maxson’s character was racism against African Americans at the time that had prevented him from achieving his dreams. Throughout the play, Troy expresses his dissatisfaction in several scenes with the other characters.

    Read More

  • Black Fathers In African-American Men In The 1950's

    705 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, his use of tough love and lack of approval towards his children creates conflict in the play, which suggests the importance of a father’s emotional role in a family. The role as a breadwinner: In Troy’s mind, he has done everything right as a father because he has provided his family with basic needs for survival: a place to live, food on the table, and clothes on their backs. His strong work ethic has made him the man he is today; but he often burns all his fuel at work and, at the expense of his family, copes with his pain by drinking.

    Read More

  • Racism In Fences By August Wilson

    1220 Words  | 5 Pages

    Around the early 1900s, racism was prominent and wasn't sugarcoated either. African Americans had to deal with many obstacles around this period because of the discrimination involed in their lives. These actions effected many African Americans because it forced some of them to hate the world and limit many of their opportunities in life. Racism is sad reality in our nation that affects all types of people and it continues to shake and alter lives. People use racism as a sort of way to detect the differences with their peers and spike bias towards a group of people.

    Read More

  • Fences Literary Analysis

    1597 Words  | 7 Pages

    With this play I believe that the author is trying to explain the importance of forgiveness and loyalty within a family living through struggles at a time of racism and poverty. ​Troy Maxson is a fifty-three year old man who works at a sanitation department. He refuses to show love and appreciation for others because he believes that his duties and responsibilities are what matters most. Troy’s

    Read More

  • Troy Maxson's Character In Fences, By August Wilson

    1247 Words  | 5 Pages

    Troy uses his anger and bitterness towards the world, to evolve into a hardness towards his own life and the lives of others around him. Kenney states that “ The origins of Troy’s

    Read More

  • How Does August Wilson Use Language In Fences

    1010 Words  | 5 Pages

    He has a softer tone in the dialogue with Rose which shows that he does care about Cory. He is tough on Cory because he doesn’t want his son to experience the same things as he, as a black male in the mid-century, endured. He believes that a sturdy hand will lead his son in the right direction and prepare him for a harsh world. Troy tells Rose, “He’s got to make his own way. I made mine.

    Read More

  • August Wilson Fences Literary Analysis

    883 Words  | 4 Pages

    He becomes a "woman less man". In addition, the fence appears to symbolize thedifference in personalities of Troy and Rose. It takes Bono to make Troy realize that "Rose wants tohold on to [him]", for Rose gives everything she has to Troy, including her entire life andlove. Yet, in contrast, Troy's in no rush to build any type of fence. He

    Read More

  • Fences Troy And Cory's Relationship

    766 Words  | 4 Pages

    The way he does this is by putting all those negative emotions aside and attending Troy’s funeral. Part of the anger Cory felt, is because he never felt loved; he questioned his fathers’ love for him: “ How come you ain’t never liked me?” (1.3.37). According to Troy, he doesn’t think he needs to like Cory in order for him to be a good father. Cory fails to see Troy’s point of view, because all he sees is a non-supportive father who will not let him follow his dreams.

    Read More

  • Fences Symbolism Essay

    720 Words  | 3 Pages

    The fence symbolizes Rose and Troy’s differences in their personalities because they both use it in different ways. Bono says, “Some people build fences to keep people out...and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold onto you all. She loves you” (61). This quote shows that Rose may have wanted the fence to be built to help Troy and Cory bond.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Troy In Fence By August Wilson

    884 Words  | 4 Pages

    This meant that all professional baseball teams were still not for black people from playing. In fences, the troy character is very negative just because, he suffered in his past. In Fences, August Wilson shows that troy is a villain because he is unfair to his wife, wants to control everyone, and mean with his son. In the fences, August describe how Troy is a villain because of the unfair to his wife.

    Read More

  • Fences Play Analysis

    1593 Words  | 7 Pages

    THE BACKGROUND Fences is a play by August Wilson that is made in 1957, part of the sixth in August Wilson's ten-part "Pittsburgh Cycle". Fences is an American play that divided of two acts. The first act consists of four scenes, while the second act consists of five scenes. Fences is included as one of the most important American plays. This classic tragedy drama was written in 1983 and earned Pulitzer Prize.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The Father In August Wilson's Fences

    1457 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the epigraph, August Wilson states that we do not always have to act out the sins of our fathers and that it 's possible to banish them with forgiveness. While Troy may not have forgiven his father, after he marries Rose, he doesn 't act on the sins of his father. Troy 's father didn 't teach Troy any positive traits directly, instead Troy adopted them in order to differentiate himself from his father and to live a better life. Troy learned the value of hard work from his father and all the time he spent working on the farm when he was younger and he lives by that trait. He takes care of his family because he knows it 's the responsible thing to do no matter what.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Love In 'Fences' By August Wilson

    985 Words  | 4 Pages

    Brother, Gabriel. He shows the father and son complex in the relationship between Troy and Troy’s son, Cory. And finally he shows true friendship in the relationship between Troy and Troy’s best friend, Bono. Wilson masterfully crafts the novel to show many different types of relationships in a short three acts.

    Read More

More about Troy Maxson Flaws In Fences

Open Document