Theme of Change in Fences: Impact on Troy, Cory, Raynell & Rose Maxson

This essay delves into the theme of change in August Wilson's play "Fences," examining its impact on the characters of Troy, Cory, Raynell, and Rose Maxson. Troy, the protagonist, struggles with societal changes and his own limitations, creating an illusionary world that affects his relationships. Cory represents a new generation embracing change, while Raynell symbolizes hope for the future. Rose embodies practicality and acceptance, contrasting with Troy's rigidity. The essay highlights how each character navigates change, with Troy's tragic flaw being his inability to adapt, leading to his spiritual demise. Ultimately, the play underscores the importance of embracing change for personal and societal growth, a theme vividly portrayed through the contrasting experiences of the Maxson family. Desklib offers similar essays and study resources for students.

Running Head: THEME OF CHANGE IN FENCES
THEME OF CHANGE IN FENCES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
Fences is an American playwright written by August Wilson. This drama is set in the
1950s and it explores on the major theme of African-American experiences. This drama has
been so popular that it won Pulitzer Prize Drama in 1987 and in the same year in won Tony
Award for Best Play. This play revolves around the characters named Troy who is also the
protagonist of the play; he is in wedlock with Rose and is father to Lyons, Cory and Raynell.
He also has a brother named Gabriel. One of the dialogue by Rose, suggests that, there are
some people who are not aware that they possesses the ability to improvise their condition of
their standard of living (Wilson). This essay will explores the various ways in which the
above-mentioned particular theme has affected any three characters of the play. The three
characters that this essay will represent are Troy himself, Cory and Raynell Maxson along
with Rose.
Troy Maxson who is the protagonist of the play is a responsible man but lives in his
self-created illusionary world. The illusions that he creates gives him the utter sense of
pleasure and in this way, he build the comfort zone where he feel safe and secured. The
charms of the this particular comfort zone is so enticing that Troy even engages with small
and trivial conflict with his near and dear ones so that his illusion can be sufficed. In his
youthful days Troy was also in Negro league but never got the chance to make the game his
career. This was due to the restriction that was applied to the blacks and it is one of the
epitome of racist ceiling that was imposed on Troy. Due to this setback, he started building a
form of mind-set, where he just refuses to move up the ladder. In this play, the contrast of
both the generation has been well depicted. Cory, son of Troy wishes to participate in the
upcoming Football league but Troy vehemently refuse to approve for his participation.
Instead of letting his son explore the newer avenue, he insists him to get back to his Grocery
stores shop. In this way, Troy resists change that was allowed to his coming generation.

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
However, it is important to note that Cory represent a freer society was willing to embrace
the change.
The character of Troy is half-full of hope and half-full of disappointment. This is also
the reason he enquires on why a blacks is always a garbage picker not a garbage driver. He
shows such a resolute nature in the act of embracing change that he even run case in court for
the opportune be a garbage driver. The duality that is shown in the character makes his
character the tragic end. Initially his family member loved him but with two bad fight with
Cory, his son and having an extra marital affair with Alberta he also cheats his wife. The
character is filled with dilemma where on one side he only wishes that things would be
served to him and on the other side, the turn come to him for services he acts in a rude way.
In this play Troy, the main character of the play had enough chances to embrace the
changes that are taking place outside. However, he only shows effort for the changes that can
in turn affects for his favour. Thus, the statement of Rose seems appropriately fitting for him
because he is not willing accept ways in which he can improvise himself. Even the gesture
with baseball bat depicts the ways that he feels superior to the almighty god. However, at the
end of the play, he loses the battle with death and finally death embraces after giving two
chances where he could changes in lifestyle. Wilson’s characters like many other characters
in other shows the trap in which they are caught. Troy is caught between the changing tides
of the history and tries every means to a keep on the holding the iron grip to his own-
sanctioned methods. Again, it can noticed that there were some changes, which came quite
soon for him, and some changes were too old to reap-apart. However, the changes that he
accepted was derived by his personal interest thus Troy at the end of the play has tragic
ending.
Cory on the other hand represented the new generation were the racist ceiling no
longer had a firm grip anymore. He is a man with full of aspirations to better his future. He

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
gets good grades in his college and he does a part time job in a Grocery shop. He is
compassionate to his differently abled Uncle Gabriel. He is also very giving and generous
person. However, when he expresses his wish to participate in the football match hosted in
his college. Troy gets flabbergasted and does not approve for his permission. Even though
Cory is aware of the nuances to better his living conditions, he is denied of accessing them.
Again this is the juncture at which the relation between the father and the son escalates with
fierceness and the battles of will begins. Cory being a responsible child also tries to rescue his
mother when Troy went furious at Rose. However, Troy also win this battle, which fills him
with ecstasy and pride. It becomes important to understand that at this point of drama Cory
too goes adamant and refuses to keep any relation with his father. The bitterness grew so
deep that he even refuses to attend the funeral of his father. However, with he changes his
position after sharing memories of his father with his mother and Raynell. The change of his
stance makes him a more respectable character to the audience because it harbours on the
qualities of flexibility. This virtue is totally absent in his father, which why the tragic nature
of Troy is well presented in the play. In understanding the character of Cory, one needs to
understand the importance of having a reflexive attitude. Thus adaptability to the changing
condition was embraces by Cory even though he was denied on the fair ground, that also by
his father.
The illegitimate child borne by troy is introduced as infant. The innocent appeal of the
Raynell convinces Rose to accept the grievous mistake of Troy. Every characters attached
with Troy shows the virtue flexibility however they are also affected by the rigidity that is
held by Troy. The play ends in a promising note where the Child plants the seeds in the
barren dirt yard. This kind of action symbolises the positive embrace to change. The
heaviness of historical past is no longer welcomed however; the mistakes Troy has
committed will have trickle-down effect in his family. The change that Rose was talking

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
about is celebrated at the end by the drama where Raynell becomes an emblem of new future
and positive values, which the older generations pass on to the young. Not everyone may be
aware of the means and the methods for imbibing to the changing condition. However, this
does not mean that one will not try; initiatives must be taken even if there is no supportive
grounds. Therefore even if the ground was barren and full of dirt, the tiny initiative taken by
the child fills the heart and the mind of the audience with hope for a better future. The
character of Rose is too infused with practicalities and even when his husband cheated her,
she accepts the illegitimate daughter of her husband. The portrayal of Troy partner exhibit the
qualities that Troy boastfully shows off. The character of Rose is compassionate and is very
practical and she wants to keep everyone close to herself. Thus, she insist Troy to mend the
fence. However, experiencing a adulterous marriage she did not indulge herself in the ego
fight and she accepted the child without any grudge or grievance. This kind of attitude also
advocated on how a person can be emotional and practical. Therefore, she stands as a pure
contrast to the character of Troy where she embraces the change even when she was denied
of her basic rights.
This drama is based on the character of Troy who is an African-American who tries
hard to meet the ends in his life. He is trapped in the vacuum of changing trend. Even though
he is offered with an obedient wife, a noble son, and good friend, he could not turn the waves
against his downfall. In his imaginary world, he fights with devil so that he can combat death.
Owing to the success of his trivial fight, he grew so confidant he thought himself to be
invincible. However, at the end, the reality struck his grotesque hand and he got defeated. In
his initial life he tempted to go stray and since there was no one to check on his behaviour.
The mere dalliance evolves into cheating and brought wrath upon the family members. In this
way the character of Troy grows to be a tragic character and dismiss the embrace of any
change. The changes that he embraced are mostly for his private gains but that does not mean

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
that he was not aware of changes that were beneficial to his entire family. Thus even though
he knew the means he was not able to change his lives.
Thus, it can be concluded that Troy, Cory, and Raynell and Rose had different
perspective of treating the change. Even though the knowledge that is informed with change
exist, sometimes people due to their intrinsic nature are not able to adapt the change. The
character like Troy work being aware of the changes that could apply to his lifestyle
remained stubborn throughout the play. Thus at the end of the play he is shown to be a person
who is spiritually dead who is bereft of children, friends and the women whom he loved. The
struggle that Troy took over symbolises the entire generation, which was hit by the Civil
Right Movement and did not respond soundly to the changing of the situation. It was stroke
with the equal amount of venom and even despised with by many (Myles.). The tragic
character of Troy was another inevitable result of the changing tide. However it is important
to note that, he might have been living for eight years but the kind of life he was leading was
more like a living vegetable. He could nor more live again despite having every and equal
share of chances to make things fall in place.
The change that rose was talking about gets reflected in one’s own thought process and
sometimes aided by the changes in the circumstances itself. At the end of the play it is
important to understand that every character unlike Troy has embraced the change even
though they were deprived of their due rights. All the characters even Cory makes peace with
Troy even though he had a combative memory of him. Situational change must be accepted
both subjectively and objectively. In case of Troy, he could not embrace the changes that
were taking place in and around him. He had an iron-grip to his ideology. Thus at the end of
the play the author leave it to the audience for what happened to the Troy in the gap of eight
years, symbolizing the death of his spiritual existence.

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
The comment made by Rose, where she states that some people may not be aware of
the ways that can bring changes to their own life. Troy being the main character of the pay
strategically chooses the changes that can help him to be more adamant in nature
(Mashaiekhy, et al.,). Cory the son of Troy embraces the change, even though he had a
combative memory he, at the end of the play makes peace his memory of his father. Raynell
and Rose too accepts the change and the entire play end on a positive note, even though the
character of Troy has a tragic end.

Running Head: Theme of Change in Fences
References
Mashaiekhy, Masoumeh, and Kian Pishkar. "August Wilson's Absurd Female Characters’
Spirituality in American African Society." Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language
Research 5.3 (2018): 287-299.
Weber, Myles. "Rescuing the Tragic Bully in August Wilson's Fences." Southern
Review 50.4 (2014): 648-674.
Wilson, August. Fences. Vol. 6. Penguin, 2016.