Life and Death of Troy Maxson Essay Example
Life and Death of Troy Maxson
In a relationship, people must trust one another and express appreciation towards the other person. However, it is a certainty that they will commit wrong doings that negatively affect their counterparts. In August Wilson's “Fences”, Troy is a father and husband who make’s the decision derived from human imperfection and outside variables, to commit adultery and become involved in another relationship with a woman. By examining the racial tension of the late nineteen fifties, in combination with Troy's past life experiences and the events that unfold in the play, one can understand Troy's choice to commit adultery. This situation is clearly emphasized in Fences with Troy’s dissatisfaction about life. However, Wilson’s Fences is also based on family values, and life issues such as importance against major powers such as time and death.
Troy Maxson is an African-American living the transitional decade of the '50s, whose main dream is to become a baseball player. A few years earlier, Jackie Robinson breaks through the segregation of major-league baseball, but the new opportunity for black ballplayers arrives too late for Troy Maxson. This situation causes a frustration in Troy’s life pushing him to live in an ordinary way as a dissatisfied employee. He is a former convict and once a baseball player, who is now a sanitation worker due to the lack of opportunities for his race. He is not being treated equal at his job. He wants everybody to have the same opportunity to drive a truck: “All I want them to do it change the job description. Give everybody a chance to drive the truck…” (822). In Fences, racist is the evident antagonist since Troy’s unhappiness or frustration is mainly influenced by the unfortunate situation of many African-American citizens of his time. This neglect towards the reality of the situation enhances how profound Troy's situation is.
Interestingly, Troy would often go to a bar to "watch baseball," and in actuality
In a relationship, people must trust one another and express appreciation towards the other person. However, it is a certainty that they will commit wrong doings that negatively affect their counterparts. In August Wilson's “Fences”, Troy is a father and husband who make’s the decision derived from human imperfection and outside variables, to commit adultery and become involved in another relationship with a woman. By examining the racial tension of the late nineteen fifties, in combination with Troy's past life experiences and the events that unfold in the play, one can understand Troy's choice to commit adultery. This situation is clearly emphasized in Fences with Troy’s dissatisfaction about life. However, Wilson’s Fences is also based on family values, and life issues such as importance against major powers such as time and death.
Troy Maxson is an African-American living the transitional decade of the '50s, whose main dream is to become a baseball player. A few years earlier, Jackie Robinson breaks through the segregation of major-league baseball, but the new opportunity for black ballplayers arrives too late for Troy Maxson. This situation causes a frustration in Troy’s life pushing him to live in an ordinary way as a dissatisfied employee. He is a former convict and once a baseball player, who is now a sanitation worker due to the lack of opportunities for his race. He is not being treated equal at his job. He wants everybody to have the same opportunity to drive a truck: “All I want them to do it change the job description. Give everybody a chance to drive the truck…” (822). In Fences, racist is the evident antagonist since Troy’s unhappiness or frustration is mainly influenced by the unfortunate situation of many African-American citizens of his time. This neglect towards the reality of the situation enhances how profound Troy's situation is.
Interestingly, Troy would often go to a bar to "watch baseball," and in actuality