The agony of father son relationship in Fences.

      August Wilson’s play Fences is basically about the conflict between father and son and the tension is created due to generational gap. The father fails to see life from his son’s perspective in a changed world neither the can easily grasp his father’s perception of society. The agony in their relation is not due to personal problems but it has to do a lot with larger socio-cultural issues at the heart of which lies the age long practice of racial discrimination practiced by whites against the black population of America.
    During his youth, Troy Maxon was not allowed to play in important games. Though he was a good baseball player he couldn’t play in major games primarily because he was black and the whites got the upper hand in everything. It affected him a lot psychologically and he internalized the evil practices of racism. He felt that black would never get the chances that the whites are enjoying. On the contrary his son is living in an age in which many things have changed favorably for the blacks. Blacks are also chosen for playing in major leagues. He wants for himself a career in the sports. His father can’t reconcile himself with the idea of allowing his son to go for that career. The father cannot see beyond his experiences and knowledge. This angers the son and is against the father. Though Troy has experienced the change in his own life he cannot yet accept it. They fight with each other. The father strikes his son and sends him away form home. The son too is not respectful to his father and so much so that he is not even willing to attend his father’s funeral. It is agonizing and shocking to see such a relation exist between father and son.

    Therefore, the inability to understand each other and the visible and implicit tension between son and father is very disturbing. To find an answer to this problem we should go beyond individual problems to larger social questions. Neither the son nor the father bothers to see things form another’s perspective. The deep rootedness of injustice and inequality has made the father behave like that and the son too is tied to his own age specific perception. Racism is at the core of it all.

Compare the position of Blacks as depicted in Fences.

    Wilson’s Fences paints a picture of black who both rebel against white domination and suffer from frustration basically because of the lack of opportunities and economic insecurity. Though America emerged as the superpower of the world after the II world war things had not changed much for the black population. The older generation represented by Troy had internalized oppression so they depend on the tools which they got in the social setting of their won times. Some changes have certainly taken place and the new generation sees life differently in the light of the changed social environment. Fences presents blacks without education due to which they are left with few choices and poorly equipped for getting through the problems of life.
    The Maxon family lives in black tenement in Pittsburg in the America of 1950s. It is in that setting the whole drama of their struggle, rebellion, frustration, conflict and predicament unfolds. The America, the blacks like is not living the one reflected in Lincolnian definition of democracy and the Jeffersonian idea of natural rights. It is an American where the blacks are not able to enjoy the same facilities and opportunities as the whites. When the play opens we find Troy and his friend Bono talking about the former’s challenge to the company and the union about blacks’ ability to do the same easy work that whites do. Troy’s rebellion and frustration set the tone of the entire play. In his old age he is looking for his rights and his life is a story of missed opportunities. This brings to light the kind of life the Blacks are living in America. Due to the lack of education and other trainings blacks find it difficult to go for white collar job. The entire social system based on racism is responsible for it. Troy’s struggle for keeping the family together gives us insights into the life of blacks in America.Troy lived during a time when the blacks were mostly treated as second grade citizens. Though he had enthusiasm and energy to play in the major leagues he was always relegated to the Negro leagues. Read More...

Contemporanity in Wilson's Fences.

    The fact that the play is set in 1957 and the generational conflict between Troy and Cory because of Cory’s knowledge of the changes that have occurred favorably for the blacks and Troy’s inability to accept the new changes, give the play a touch of contemporaneity.
    The setting of the play in recent American past helps us know the play dealing with themes and issues prevalent in contemporary American society. It was a time when the war had already been won and many changes had taken place in America. However, the loyalty and patriotism of blacks that had been seen as a fuel for winning the war had not been justly prized. The tenement life of blacks gives a picture of the life lived by the blacks in the land of opportunity. A study of the character of Cory helps us understand the contemporary issues raised in the play. Unlike the humiliating experiences of his father, Cory lives in a post war America where many opportunities has opened up for the Blacks. In the past Troy didn’t have the opportunity to play in the major league but different is the cause with Cory’s time. He is given chances to play in the major games. He can be recruited for playing the games which his father couldn’t. The conflict between him and his father is because of differing historical perceptions. Troy is unwilling to accept the new changes because he is confined to the perception that was an outcome of his living in a different time and period. At one point in the play, Rose tells him, “Times have changed since you were playing baseball, Troy. That was before the war.” It makes clear that she is referring to the America of 1950s. Though many changes had taken place, blacks hadn’t however been able to experience democracy as defined by Lincoln. Things had changed for the better but the winds of progress were not blowing fully and equally for the blacks. Read More...