Fences People Use Fences

Fences People use fences to keep things out of their homes, but some to keep everything in. In many cases, a fence may represent more than a literal fence. It may represent how people may feel about life itself. A simple form of a fence can keep a person safe in their mind. They will feel like if the doors of the fence are closed so long that nothing bad may enter. Even though keeping the door closed might mean that the person may have a monster inside their safe zone. Fences may mean many things like opening the door when you want a person in your life. Even closing the door shows that a person might not want people to know everything they are doing to save the people inside the fence. It may seem like in the play of Fences by August Wilson's it shows a real fence but in reality, it's more than just a fence.

Throughout the play, the fence unravels many truths about each character. When Troy and Bono first started the fence, Bono said to Troy, Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in( 2.1. 57-58). An example would be the way that Rose acted when Troy told her he was going to be a daddy. Rose had the fence to show how much she cared and loved Troy. The fence meant everything towards her because in her mind she thought she would always keep the fence closed from the outside. When Troy told her the news she replies, Well, I don't want to know, goddam it( 2.1. (PG 771))))). Rose had the fence up with so much pride thinking she knew that if the fence was there for a long time nothing would get in. In reality, Troy opened the door a little and something so small that came through became something big.

When Troy Build the fence up he thought he was keeping everything in the house safe. He believed he was doing the right thing but he knew he was not happy. He told Rose that he was stuck in the same place for eighteen years but he never thought that Rose was with him for those same years. They had the fence so high up that they both didn't see the damage they were getting into even by being locked inside the fence. The fence showed them how damaged they were but only Troy did not want to see it. He was so blind that he even pushed his son out of his life. He wanted to keep a happy family inside the fence but in the end, he pushed them all out. Throughout the play, he speaks about death like it is his neighbor waiting to get him. He builds the fence to keep death out but little did he know that death was slightly opening the door and Troy never noticed. The first time that Troy had the encounter with Death was in his deathbed when he had pneumonia. Although, he fought until death gave up. The next time he encountered Death was when his lover died to have his baby. Even though he had an idea be able to work it out with Rose and his lover he never saw death opening the door a little more. Lastly, when Troy fought with Cory and kicked him out he said, [i] can't taste nothing no more. Come on! It's between you and me now! Come on! Anytime you want! I be ready for you but I ain't gonna be easy( 2.4 PG.

He knew that he taunted Death itself to come in through the fence and fight with him once again. Tory's best friend Bono encountered everything that Troy was going through. He was there when Troy met Rose and fell in love. Bono knew Troy when he was a player and did not care anything about anyone besides himself. When Bono saw that Troy changed the way he was by falling in love with Rose he also changed his way. He helped him build a fence that would keep him focussed on the bigger picture. Bono thought that the big picture was having a happy family. He knew that he was a great Man and that he truly loved her. That fence meant that he would always support Rose and keep Bono by his side.

Although, Bono saw when Troy was opening the door little by little. He saw all the little mistakes that he let in from the other side of the fence. Bono was a good friend and told Troy that I done learned a whole heap of things about life watching you. I done learned how to tell where the shit lies You showed me how to not make the same mistakes( 2.1. Pg 766))))). He showed Bono that if he opened his own fence door just a little he would be in the same problem that Troy was getting into. Although Troy tried to keep Bono friendship inside his fence, in reality, he was pushing him away with all the lies he was carrying. Bono knew that Troy was a good Man but he also knew that if he went the same path he would lose everything. Even though Bono was there for Troy throughout their friendship the only person who saw it from the inside every day was Cory.

Cory was the one who actually saw what was really happening inside the fence. Troy thought that having a fence might have protected Cory from the horrible world, but in reality, he trapped a monster inside. Corry was afraid of his own dad growing up. He thought every time he did something in his life he had to make Troy happy. Cory had it hard when he had to get out of football because Troy did not want him to make the same mistake when he was younger. Although Rose would always tell him that the issue he had to go through changed throughout the years. Troy's fence was so high that he did not realize that he was harming his own son. Cory tried to stand up for himself but he knew he was afraid of what his dad would do to him. By Troy putting a fence so high that Cory could not reach Cory build his own fence and never let his dad in, after the news about his baby sister. Since Tory felt that Cory had to do everything he would say, Cory had the chance to change that after breaking everyone's heart.

Before Troy's funeral, Cory entered the military to get away from his dad and everything he trapped in that fence. He was finally free but when he had to go back home to go to his dad funeral all the feelings he had had came back. When he entered his old house he talked to his new little sister and finally had the courage to tell Rose that he would not be able to go to his dads funeral. He finally wanted to break down that fence he built so long ago and say No to his dad. He thought by not going to his dads funeral he would finally have peace in his own conscious. He told Rose, The whole time I was growing up living in his house Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere( 2.5 (Pg 786). Cory knew that he would not be able to get out of the fence that his dad build so long ago until he became a Man and stood up for himself. Although his little sister made him realize that Troy was dead and that even though he was horrible with him at times he knew that he thought it was for the best.

A fence may keep everything bad from entering a person's safe zone, but it may also be that the person is keeping a monster inside the fence. Having a fence might be a struggle to keep up and maintain every one inside happy. Sometimes having a fence does not mean that things from the outside can not enter through the cracks between the wood. People should let down their fences and show the real feelings they might have.

Cite this page