"Fences"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses Wilson's opinion and vision of fatherhood in the story and what critics think about this vision. The paper shows how Wilson's opinion of fatherhood in this play is colored by his own experiences and inability to understand and forgive his father. The paper illustrates how his portrayal of Troy Maxson is therefore partially based on his strained relationship with his stepfather. The paper discusses how Wilson's hope is to allow sons to learn from their fathers, while not committing the same mistakes their fathers made. However, the paper points out that his play illustrates just how difficult it is for fathers and sons to put the past behind them.

From the Paper:

"The play follows the lives of the Maxson family, Troy, the father, and Cory and Lyons, his sons. Like most fathers, Troy wants more for his sons than he has, but he often goes about influencing them the wrong way. Wilson based the quarrels between father and sons on his own relationship with his father and stepfather, which may explain why his portrayal of fatherhood is so difficult to read. Critic Sandra G. Shannon notes, "The playwright's own turbulent passage into manhood with neither financial nor emotional support from his father is reflected in the escalating battle royal between the antagonistic Troy and his defiant son Cory" (Shannon 92)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alexander, Elizabeth. "The One Who Went Before: Remembering the Playwright August Wilson, 1945-2005." American Scholar Wntr 2006: 122+.
• Perry, Shauneille. "Manhandled: African-American Masculinity-And Black Womanhood-Are Examined in August Wilson's Oeuvre." American Theatre Apr. 2005: 64+.
• Shannon, Sandra G. The Dramatic Vision of August Wilson. Washington, DC: Howard University Press, 1995.
• Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Plume, 1986.

More papers on "Fences":

• Book Review # 70797 : "Fences"
• Comparison Essay # 71248 : "Oedipus the King" and "Fences"
• Analytical Essay # 16659 : "Fences"
• Essay # 44966 : "Fences"

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