The Rise And Fall Of Troy Maxon - 1278 Words

The Rise and Fall of Troy Maxon: An Analysis of August Wilson’s play Fences In Fences, August Wilson, the playwright, provides a believable and powerful examination of the African American experience in the late 1950’s. It provides an apt portrayal of the mentality of African American men going into the civil rights movement, as well as a well-developed account of the friction that occurs between a father and a son, and a husband and wife in the face of conflict. According to Wilson, his play provides Caucasians with a view into an African Americans life to find similarities to their own (Kennedy and Gioia 1883). Not only did Wilson accomplish this, but also provided a representation of interfamily relationships that occurs in many cultures. For instance, Katz maintains that the father son relationship contains â€Å"†¦ inherent seeds of conflict† (Katz). The relationship between Cory and Troy mirrors the conflict between many young men and their fathers as they attempt to create their identity and independence while the fathers are still attempting to shape their future based on their experiences, creating conflict that transcends differences in race and culture. Similarly, the issue of infidelity in a marriage is another issue that is common in a multitude of cultures (Hartnett), and addressed in this play through Bono’s accusations toward Troy, and Troy’s subsequent admission to Rose that he had an affair resulting in a child. Wilson puts the most effort into developing