Fences vs. King Lear
Fences Questions
1. What is your reaction to Fences? Did you like King Lear or Fences better? Why?
I felt like August Wilson did a good job writing Fences. The relationship between Cory and Troy can be related to relationships I view today between my friends and their parents, so I was able to connect better with the piece of literature. I also enjoyed the character of Rose. Her patience and care for her family was very admirable. It was an interesting play, but I liked King Lear better. I felt like there was a lot more growth in the tragic hero displayed in King Lear than in Fences. Both Troy and King Lear demonstrated their tragic flaws, yet in King Lear he showed much more suffering due to his choices. Also, he showed a significant growth in understanding his flaws and what his kingdom needed. The ending of both works were good, but I enjoyed King Lear’s better. Shakespeare flawlessly emphasised the growth that took place inside Lear and caused quite a dramatic death for him while in Fences the reader was not fully able to view the change that took place inside Troy. Overall, both pieces of literature were amusing, but due to the way in which Shakespeare was able to add such detail and dramatic events to the life of the tragic hero which wasn’t fully portrayed by August Wilson, I prefer King Lear over Fences.
2. What is the symbolic role of fences in the play? The fence in August Wilson’s play can be used as a symbol in multiple ways. Rose views the fence as a symbol of protection. Due to Troy’s past, she strives to keep the world out of her families’ lives. She is aware that at any moment Troy could make a decision that would impact her life and her child’s life. She wants the fence to keep her loved ones safe at home, which is why her persistence for Troy and Cory to finish the fence is so extreme. For Troy, he too views the fence as a symbol of protection for his family, but also as a symbol of his discontent. When the fence is broken, Troy
1. What is your reaction to Fences? Did you like King Lear or Fences better? Why?
I felt like August Wilson did a good job writing Fences. The relationship between Cory and Troy can be related to relationships I view today between my friends and their parents, so I was able to connect better with the piece of literature. I also enjoyed the character of Rose. Her patience and care for her family was very admirable. It was an interesting play, but I liked King Lear better. I felt like there was a lot more growth in the tragic hero displayed in King Lear than in Fences. Both Troy and King Lear demonstrated their tragic flaws, yet in King Lear he showed much more suffering due to his choices. Also, he showed a significant growth in understanding his flaws and what his kingdom needed. The ending of both works were good, but I enjoyed King Lear’s better. Shakespeare flawlessly emphasised the growth that took place inside Lear and caused quite a dramatic death for him while in Fences the reader was not fully able to view the change that took place inside Troy. Overall, both pieces of literature were amusing, but due to the way in which Shakespeare was able to add such detail and dramatic events to the life of the tragic hero which wasn’t fully portrayed by August Wilson, I prefer King Lear over Fences.
2. What is the symbolic role of fences in the play? The fence in August Wilson’s play can be used as a symbol in multiple ways. Rose views the fence as a symbol of protection. Due to Troy’s past, she strives to keep the world out of her families’ lives. She is aware that at any moment Troy could make a decision that would impact her life and her child’s life. She wants the fence to keep her loved ones safe at home, which is why her persistence for Troy and Cory to finish the fence is so extreme. For Troy, he too views the fence as a symbol of protection for his family, but also as a symbol of his discontent. When the fence is broken, Troy