An Examination of Key Themes in Denzel Washington's 'Fences'

This essay analyzes Denzel Washington's film 'Fences,' focusing on the themes of racism, the cycle of damaged black manhood, and the use of illusions and pragmatism as survival techniques. It discusses how Troy Maxson's thwarted dream of becoming a professional baseball player due to racism shaped his bitterness and influenced his relationships, particularly with his son. The essay also examines Rose's decision to stay with Troy despite his infidelity, highlighting her role as the family's caretaker. Furthermore, it explores the metaphor of building emotional fences, with Rose creating a fence to protect her family through faithfulness and hard work, while Troy's emotional fence prevents him from expressing compassion. The analysis uses specific scenes and character interactions to illustrate these themes and metaphors, providing a comprehensive understanding of the film's underlying messages.

Running Head: FENCES BY DENZEL WASHINGTON
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Fences by Denzel Washington
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FENCES BY DENZEL WASHINGTON
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Fences by Denzel Washington
Fences is a movie about an African American family that is set in 1957, directed by
Denzel Washington who also plays the main character, Troy Maxson. The main themes in the
movie are racism, becoming a within the cycle of damaged black manhood, and the use of
illusions and pragmatism as Survival Techniques. Troy and Rose choose different perspectives,
perceiving their world differently to survive their static lives. In Act the first scene, it is evident
that Troy is a dreamer and a believer in self-created illusions through his story about battling
with death (“Fences,” n.d).
I empathize with Troy since his dream of becoming a professional basketball player was
squashed. He is a product of the time when racism was rampant, and the major leagues refused to
admit black athletes. By the time they started admitting black athlete, he was deemed too old to
play. Missing the opportunity turned him into a bitter man.
I support Rose’s decision to stay with Troy since she is the caretaker of the family. Even
though Troy was unfaithful to Rose, an event that led to the birth of his daughter Raynell, Rose
decides to stay with him (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008). Their relationship was founded by
love, and Rose wanted to show her children that their father was still a good man.
In the fourth scene, both Troy and Bono relate stories of their complicated relationships
with their fathers to Lyons. Their painful memories provide a basis to understand the differences
that separate the two generations and the similarities in both. Racism shattered Troy’s dream of
being a professional baseball player, and he projects his fears to his son decision of to go to
college on a football scholarship; he crushes his son’s meeting with a college football recruiter.
Jim Bono best narrates the play’s principal metaphor when he explains to Troy that some
individuals construct fences to constrain people in and others to shut people off. Troy and Rose

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Maxson depict the metaphor of building emotional fences throughout the play. Rose creates a
fence to protect her family by being a faithful wife and working hard to provide for them. Troy’s
emotional fence does not allow his children to see his compassion for them.

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References:
“Fences.” (n.d) Main Ideas. Retrieved from
https://www.sparknotes.com/drama/fences/themes/page/2/
Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, December 11). Rose Maxson in Fences. Retrieved May 31,
2019, from https://www.shmoop.com/fences-august-wilson/rose-maxson.html