Introduction
August Wilson was a famous American playwright who is widely known for the cycle of ten plays that is titled Pittsburgh Cycle. They are devoted to the problems, struggles and hopes of African-American people in the USA, who were severely humiliated in the 20th century. For instance, the play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is about a blues singer Ma Rainy who together with her band comes to Chicago to record a music album. Young and promising trumpeter Levi writes a dance version of her most popular song Black Bottom, and the producers want to insist on this version of the song, but Ma Rainey does not agree. She states that either everyone performs her demands or she refuses to record the track. Thus, work at the studio becomes a challenge for all characters of the story. This particular play was influenced by the most important of Five B Mentors, that is blues (CTG). Blues was the major source of inspiration for August Wilson, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a perfect example of it, since the story is about the singers of this music genre.
The major type of stories August Wilson wrote were plays, and almost all of them were staged in theatres. Wilson writes about the daily struggles of Afro-American people, showing them fighting against the stigma and stereotypes. His play Fences concerns these topics as well, as its characters face discrimination based on their race. At the same time, it touches upon other important topics. Fences is a lesson in accepting the Crookeds with the Straights as revealed in the lives of August Wilson’s characters.
Troy
Troy is the protagonist of the story. He works as a garbage collector and is a former prisoner who served fifteen years in prison for murder. Troy tries to fight racial discrimination at the workplace since he is humiliated by the fact that because of his race he could not become a professional baseball player when he was young. He also tries to prevent his son from playing football in the university team, so he tells his wife Rose: “The white men ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football” (Wilson 8). He does not want his son to face the same sufferings and lost hopes as he did in his youth. At the same time, Troy is quite stubborn, as he does not want to acknowledge that the reality has changed: “How the hell they [times] done changed?” (Wilson 9). Troy is a very ambiguous character since he loves his wife but has a mistress and a baby with her, he does not want to give his son Lyons money and still gives it.
Troy’s whole life may be described as a struggle. First, with his parents, then with the poverty he had to face with when he was young, then he had to fight for himself in prison. Finally, throughout all his life he struggles with racial discrimination, and here it is possible to draw a parallel between him and the character of the song The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel. “Til he cried out in his anger and his shame ‘I am leaving, I am leaving’, but the fighter still remains” (Simon and Garfunkel). However, it is hard to say whether Troy remained a fighter till the end of his life because after his mistress, Alberta, gives birth to their child, he becomes isolated from his family.
Being the protagonist of the story, Troy is a typical round character since his life is better and, in more details, described by the author. In Troy’s case, the readers see the dynamics from growth to degradation, may trace his thoughts and understand his character, which is typical of round characters whom writers depict in many roles (Foster 84). When looking at Troy’s enneagram, it is possible to see that he likely is the eight. The actions of people of this type are often motivated by their independence and their desire for fairness (Truity). Thus, Troy, throughout his whole life, struggles for the abandoning racial discrimination and urges his family to do so as well.
Rose
Rose is Troy’s wife, and she loves him and tolerates his faults. They never have any serious arguments apart from one that touches upon their son’s interest in football. Unlike Troy, Rose strongly supports her child and tries to convince her husband to change his mind and let their son enter the university football team. She says to him: “He’ll tell you he ain’t talking about making no living playing football. It’s a honour to be recruited” (Wilson 9). Though Rose is quite mild with her husband throughout the play, she does not forgive his cheating, as she stops communicating with him after she finds out that his mistress is pregnant.
When speaking about her relationships with Troy’s first son, Lyons, they get on quite well, and she even protects him from his father in small family disputes. Thus, when he comes by to ask Troy for money, she says: “Troy, leave your boy alone. He come by to see you and you wanna start all that nonsense” (Wilson 13). She loves her husband, and it explains her love to all his children, including even Troy and Alberta’s daughter, Raynell.
It is possible to connect Rose’s destiny to the song Jesus Be a Fence around Me by Sam Cooke because her life seems completely ruined after he finds out about Troy and Alberta’s relationships. She fights her silent battle with herself and still seems completely calm, that may be described by the song’s lyrics: “Fight my battle (yes, Lord) if I just keep still” (Sam Cooke). Though Rose is one of the protagonists of the story, her personage is not as vividly described as Troy. Thus, she may be considered the character of the second in command, who are usually shown not dynamically so that the readers may trace their development throughout the story but statically (Foster 86). In that case, the readers may understand their actions and motives but do not see the character’s growth or degradation.
Bono
Bono is Troy’s best friend, whom he treats with respect and constantly follows his lead. Bono can be named to followers in a relationship, as he confesses to a friend about his affair with Alberta. He is sure that Rose loves Troy and says that “some people build fences to keep people out… and other people build fences to keep people in” (Wilson 16). Bono admires his friend for the wisdom, tact, and empathy he sees in Troy. This opinion is reinforced in him from the moment he learns about the upcoming wedding of Troy and Rose. Thus, Bono realized that his friend was the right person to follow.
Moreover, Bono succumbs to Troy’s stories and fantasies, which cannot be said about Rose. He listens to a friend’s made-up story about meeting Mr. Death. This can be explained by the fact that his devotion to Troy is blind, and he is confident in his strength and diligence. He states that “my man Troy knows what he’s doing…he might take me somewhere.” (Wilson 18). Moreover, in the end, Troy represents pain and betrayal due to adultery.
Bono constantly leaves meetings early in order to return home to his wife Lucille. However, his role is to develop the character of the protagonist (Foster 88). Bono recounts the misfortunes, his friend endured, including the story of Troy’s imprisonment. Thanks to the fact that they were in prison together, Bono can observe what changes the character of a friend undergoes. In this way, he tries to be a positive influence in Troy’s life.
Bono can be personified with the song Brothers under the sun by Bryan Adams. His blind confidence and devotion to Troy makes him listen to and admire his friend. In any situation, Bono is ready to help Troy and sees in him the good that he noticed initially. There are lines in the song that describe a person’s willingness to be next to a friend: “Wherever you go – I’ll be there beside you / Cos you are my brother – my brother under the sun “(Bryan Adams). Thus, Bono appears as a hero who will always come to the aid of a friend and will be there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Troy’s dream of playing professional baseball and the bitterness of a missed opportunity become the main motive of the work. Unfulfilled desire puts pressure on the hero and does not allow him to live freely and calmly with his family. Langston Hughes in “Harlem” says that the delayed dream is “fester like a sore” (Hughes). Thus, Troy destroys his family and cannot be realized. However, “Fences” should be read as it teaches friendship and the need to pursue dreams.
Works Cited
Adams, Bryan. “Brothers under the sun”. Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron. A&M Records, 2002.
Cooke, Sam. ““Jesus Be a Fence around Me”. Mary Lou. SAR records, 1961.
Foster, Thomas C. How to read literature like a professor: A lively and entertaining guide to reading between the lines. New York: Quill, 2003.
Simon, Paul and Garfunkel, Art. “The Boxer”. Bridge over Troubled Water. Columbia, 1968.
Wilson, August. “Fences”. Penguin Books, 1991.