Show and Tell Post #2

The play that I would like to share today is called Fences.  Fences was written by August Wilson in 1983. The setting is a “house set back off a small alley in a big-city neighborhood” and takes place in the 1950s. It was first produced at the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center in 1983. Fences hit Broadway in 1987 at the 46th Street Theatre. This production featured James Earl Jones and Mary Alice, among others. It has won may awards such as a few Tonys and the Drama Desk Award. It has since been produced again featuring Denzel Washington. You can find this play in Barnes and Noble’s Bookstore, online, or in your public library.

Fences shines a light on African American life in the 50s by revealing the struggles and secrets within the family. Troy Maxson is the father of the household, and the most aggressive, assertive character. He can be perceived as hot-headed and fearless. Rose Maxson is Troy’s soft-spoken wife of 18 years. She is 10 years younger than Troy and devotes herself to him because she sees an inner light in him. She is also so loyal to Troy because she fears what her life would be without him. She can be perceived as a pushover, but I, personally, think she has an inner strength. Troy was formerly a baseball player and experienced racism first hand, so he is overprotective of his son Cory. Troy is currently a garbageman struggling to stay faithful to his wife, and keep the household together financially. He also has this strong idea about cheating Death, and not being afraid of it. This is where the “fences” part of Fences comes in. Troy wants to complete building a fence around his yard to keep Death out. Rose wants the fences built to keep and protect what’s inside her house inside, and what’s on the outside, outside. Regardless, Troy ends up impregnating another younger female outside of the household, and leaves Rose to pick up the pieces. 

One dramaturgical choice that Wilson made was to not make Troy necessarily the bad guy. He shows Troy with the strength you would expect a black male to have in the fifties. By this, I mean Troy is showcased as a strong man that provides for his family, speaks his mind, and dominates the household. We, the audience, are introduced to Troy in a comfortable setting where he’s making jokes with a friend, and shows his softer, “good” side. It shows that he does have dimensions.  I think the choice to not make him a stand out villain was interesting because I definitely saw him as a bad guy after he admits to cheating on Rose. No matter how he tries to justify his actions, I see him as a bit of a villain and a bully.  Another dramaturgical choice that Wilson makes is to make Rose equally as strong, but in another way. She’s not mean and intimidating like Troy, but a sweetheart. Throughout the play, Rose is shown as a sweet, soft-spoken woman who puts her family’s needs before her own. When Troy confesses his infidelity to Rose, she finally reaches her breaking point. She becomes outspoken and says everything on her mind. At that point, she tells Troy that he lost a wife. I think this shows Rose’s strength because she was strong enough to deal with all of Troy’s baggage for 18 years, and strong enough to let him go. Also, Rose ends up taking care of Troy’s baby for him since the mother died giving birth. This exemplifies her strength because she’s so caring that she’ll mother someone else’s child just so it doesn’t have to grow up motherless.