Essay on Isolation and Alienation of Troy in Wilsons Fences

August Wilsons Fences is a play about life, and an extended metaphor Wilson uses to show the disintegrating relationships between Troy and Cory and Troy and Rose. Troy Maxson represents the dreams of black America in a predominantly white world, a world where these dreams were not possible because of the racism and attitudes that prevailed. Troy Maxson is representative of many blacks and their attitudes and behavior...within the social flux of the late fifties, in their individual and collective struggles to hew a niche for themselves in the rocky social terrain of postwar America (Pereria, 37). Much of the tension in the play stems from Troy Maxson, and his inability to change, his, refusal to accept the fact that social†¦show more content†¦Not after what they did to me in the sports (Wilson, 39). Troy, unable to change with the times, is, convinced of no professional future for black athletes, he is determined to direct his son into a more practical career (Pereira, 37). The title of the work, Fences, acts as an extended metaphor throughout the play. Troy builds fences between himself and virtually everyone in the play, isolating himself further and further as he clings to the past and refuses to adapt to a world changing around him. He builds a fence between himself and his friend Bono when he takes a promotion at work, and then puts a fence between he and Rose when he goes outside of the confines of their marriage with Alberta. He also builds a fence between himself and Cory by his refusal to acknowledge his sons dreams. As Bogumil states, By drawing a strict boundary around himself regarding familial relations, Troy loses virtually every sense of affection and bond between himself and his son, causing Cory to conclude that his father does not even like him (48). When Cory alludes to the question of his father liking him, Troy responds, ....cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw. He continues with, You my flesh and blood. Not cause I like you! Cause its my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you! (Wilson, 38). Later in the play, in the end of Act Two, Scene Four, Troy andShow MoreRelatedFences: Black People and Wilson1976 Words   |  8 PagesJanuary,2010 The Isolation and Alienation of Troy in Wilsons Fences  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   August Wilsons Fences is a play about life, and an extended metaphor Wilson uses to show the crumbling relationships between Troy and Cory and Troy and Rose. Troy Maxson represents the dreams of black America in a majorly white world, a world where these dreams were not possible because of the racism and attitudes that prevailed. Troy Maxson is representative of many blacks and their attitudes