Fences is a fascinating story and a play written by August Wilson in the 20th century, exploring the evolving African American experience and racial relations. The playwriter depicts the story of African American character, Troy, earning a living by collecting garbage. Troy Maxson is not only the protagonist of the Fences, distinguished by his active involvement in all conflicts, he is also an antagonist because of his controversial nature that makes him the one who opposes himself.
The antagonist of a story is a character that resists something. This character is constantly engaged in a conflict or affected by it. Interestingly, Wilson chooses African American character as an antagonist, putting his frustrations and self-created illusions forward to the audience. Initially, it seems that Troy is just the protagonist of the story. He has nothing remarkable from other people: a loving wife, supporting friends, and a son. However, his attempts to change the existing order and reject contradicting opinions make him an antagonist or a character that challenges the audience with his beliefs.
The first time Troy stands out from the other characters with his controversial ideas is connected to his job. He is a garbage collector who can not drive the garbage truck because of the biases held by society. He says to his friend, Bono: “How come you got all the whites driving and the coloreds lifting?” (Wilson, 1986). It highlights that Troy asks questions that no one cares about, but they are part of racial strife and the oppression of black people. Troy becomes the first in the history sanitation driver of African American origin. It makes him a leading character who opposes the surrounding community and wins. Considering that Troy feels dissatisfied with his job, it is unexpected that he constantly gets angry at his son for his negligent attitude towards his job. This way, he demands something that does not correspond to himself from his son.
As an antagonist, Troy plays a vital role in conflicts. Wilson tries to illustrate fences as family bonds where every member identifies his commitment and role. By introducing betrayal to the plot, the writer highlights how infidelity breaks these fences. The significant external conflict of the story arises due to Troy’s inner conflict, which makes him an important character. Rose, his wife, emphasizes the drama of his betrayal: “been married eighteen years and I got to live to see the day you tell me you been seeing another woman and done fathered a child by her (Wilson, 1986).” Meanwhile, Troy thinks he has “been standing in the same place for eighteen years (Wilson, 1986).” This quarrel shows the importance of Troy’s feelings to the author, who wants to present him as an antagonist who breaks his family.
Troy dreams of being a baseballer during their childhood, but he loses hope because of the existing racial segregation. African Americans could not pursue sports careers. Troy forgets all his dreams and beliefs when his son aims to become a professional footballer. Although Troy knows the importance of football for his son, Cory, he never permits him to join the Leagues. He becomes the father who fights his son for having the same dream as he had.
To conclude, Wilson makes Troy a protagonist for some readers but an antagonist for others. Troy’s leading role in the conflicts and his depiction as the first African American truck driver make him the protagonist. Meanwhile, his anger and bitterness toward the surrounding people make him an antagonist. Wilson highlights his controversial nature that opposes Troy’s personality through his infidelity and relationships with his son, Cory. In the end, Troy loses everything due to his pride, stubbornness, and weakness.
Reference
Wilson, A. (1986). Fences. Pinguin Group. Web.