The central idea I will discuss is the theme of father and son dynamics shown by Troy and Bono with their fathers. As Troy said explicitly in Act I, Scene IV, his father was a constant cause of conflict and was filled with tension and hate at times. Troy’s father acts as the role model for a cautionary story (Wilson 1415). Troy, on the other hand, is entirely perplexed and ultimately emulates his father’s behavior. Despite Troy’s accusations that his father was wicked and the devil, his father has continued to beat him brutally. Troy does not go out of his way to demonstrate to Cory how much he cared about Lyons throughout their relationship to compensate for his missed time. When Lyons tries to get Troy to watch him perform in Act I Scene IV, it serves as an excellent demonstration of their utterly opposed outlooks on life. However, in the paper, various scenes are precisely analyzed and various incidences are revealed, which portrays the existing differences and friendships among the protagonists.
Cory must face the burden of his father’s resentment, and his inability to comprehend what a father-son relationship must perform a crucial part in the scene’s climax. The relationships that a person develops throughout their life have a profound effect on their character. The drama is set at the Maxson family’s middle-class home, which is enclosed by an incomplete fence. This illustration represents the typical Black American household navigating a discriminatory and unequal society. Due to this, Troy’s entire existence is condensed into a specific spot in his domain, and Troy is its defender.
Troy and Bono inform Lyons about their southern upbringings and experiences with problematic dads in Act One, Scene Four. Despite their pessimism, Troy and Bono’s generation’s recollections may be compared to Lyons and Cory’s (Wilson 1418). When slavery was abolished, black people were compelled to work as sharecroppers, including Troy’s father. According to Troy, his father was so vicious that no woman would remain with him for an extended time, and therefore he was mainly raised alone. Troy’s father spotted the runaway animal as Troy was caring for his father’s prized mule (Wilson 1427). When Troy’s father discovered him with a girl he adored, he severely whipped Troy with leather reins until he submitted.
Troy was always defeated, regardless of how long he lived. Troy’s father sexually abused the minor child out of rage at him for failing to obey his demands, demonstrating that this man’s father was considerably more evil than previously assumed. Troy was formerly afraid of his father but has grown to appreciate him. According to Troy, the experience marked a turning point in his development as a man (Wilson 1428). Even though he was impoverished and homeless, he couldn’t bear the thought of living with someone who committed such atrocities. His isolation from his father shaped Troy’s view of manhood after the violence and betrayal of his father. One of Troy’s few redeeming characteristics was his keen sense of duty, which he valued highly. Troy became the primary earner for his eleven children when his father died.
On the other hand, Bono’s parents retained vivid recollections. Despite their differences, neither Bono nor Troy’s dad served as a father or provider for Bono and his family, but Troy’s father did. Bono’s father passed away when he was nine years old after a protracted battle with illness. Bono’s father struggled with a condition known as “The Walking Blues” that made it difficult for him to remain in one spot for extended periods or change partners often. Bono was unaware and unable to locate his father (Wilson 1435). His father declared, echoing the thoughts of many other African Americans of his age. After their release from slavery, many African-Americans migrated to the northern states, especially metropolitan areas, searching for better possibilities. This occurrence is referred regarded as the Great Migration. Bono has chosen not to have children to prevent a repeat of his father’s turbulent behavior. Contrary to Bono’s worries, the father’s attitude was not inherited from his mother; he adopted it to deal with his unique position. He has never breached his commitment to Lucille in 18 years.
They were nurtured differently, yet their journeys to adulthood were startlingly identical to those of their father. Troy could only spend time with his mother during Lyons’ early years since Troy spent most of that time imprisoned. Lyons, who grew up in a more prosperous household than Troy, believes he has earned the right to pursue his creative ambitions independently (Wilson 1442). Despite Troy’s absence from Lyons’ life, he gently steals money from the young man and returns it. Cory ultimately decides to leave home after an altercation with Troy, which parallels Troy’s conflict with Cory’s paternal grandpa. Troy and Cory assert that to be considered a man, one must leave the person who reared him after a brutal battle.” To put it mildly, moving into adulthood is challenging.
Work Cited
Wilson, August. “Fences” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 2nd ed., edited by Michael Meyer and D. Quentin Miller, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020, pp. 1408-1453.