'Fences' by August Wilson: A Commentary

by David Wheeler

A short critical essay which considers the significance of the title.

Genres: Plays, School, Classics, High School, Fiction

2 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 16, 2011

Reviews

[Scortina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some things I enjoyed about the play Fences was the specific tone characters had throughout the play. Given that there weren’t many characters in the play, each character had a distinctive tone and role. For example Troy, he was the main character who would use a more assertive tone and use clear-strict syntax (always to the point). An example is, “Liked you? Who the hell say I got to like you? What law is there say I got to like you? Wanna stand up in my face and ask a damn fool-ass question like that. Talking about liking somebody. Come here, boy, when I talk to you” (19). In this line, Troy isn’t behind the bush when there is a problem, he asserts his tone and condescendingly ask a rhetorical question. In the play he usually displays superiority towards his family and has the need to feel right or respected. Something I did not like throughout the play was the conflict. I feel that the conflict(s) throughout the play weren’t very strong, I know the biggest conflict with his son Cory was intended to be huge but the father's reaction really didn’t amuse the satisfaction of the situation. Complementary to his attitude and tone, this is the reason why the situation didn’t get a better reaction. In the play Troy states, “Turn your behind around and walk out this yard. And when you get out there in the alley… you can forget about this house. See? Cause this is my house. You go on and be a man and get your own house. You can forget about this. ’Cause this is mine. You go on and get yours ’cause I’m through with doing for you” (41). Troy shows little emotion towards the conflict due to his strict attitude and feeling throughout the scene. His tone is very noticeable but contribute no enthusiasm within his actions creating a bland or dry sense of feeling.

Nonetheless, the audience best suited for this book would most likely be teenagers due to the vulgar language. It’s fairly basic to read, vocabulary throughout the book isn’t difficult at all. People who enjoy black history, or culture difference, drama and plays are best suited for this play. Fences uses keen examples to show the variance of perspectives and changes shown throughout the character's life.

[Amaha]

Fences by August Wilson follows the life of a person named Troy Maxson. After leaving the person where he was with his friend Bono, working as a trash collector. Troy attempts to become the first black garbage truck driver and becomes one. The issue in the play is between Troy and his son Cory. Cory receives a scholarship to play football but Troy refuses to sign the permission papers. He decided to do this because he didn't want his son to deal with racial discrimination which he had faced when he tried to play professional baseball. On top of that Troy has been having an affair and the woman was pregnant. During childbirth, she dies and his wife agrees to help raise the baby but not be with him. Also, he loses his best friend who was upset at him for the affair and his son and he also has a fallout and they don't make things up. I think the play was decent so I would rate it a 3 out of 5. Since there were a lot of negative things and nothing positive came out which made it seem really depressing since he lost everything in life.

[Jordan]

1st book I finished to teach in English: when I watched the movie made about this play on the airplane I was young and bored by it but reading and rewatching the play again with my 11th graders I thought it really beautiful and heartfelt and tragic and well done! Recommend for anyone looking for a VERY quick read

[Natalie Baker]

Fences is a 1985 play written by August Wilson that follows the character of Troy, detailing his daily life and the complex interactions and relationships that he has with his family. I watched the 2016 Denzel Washington film adaptation.

Fences approaches the topic of mental health from multiple fronts. It largely focuses on the impacts that race and masculinity have on mental health, but there is also a unique aspect to the way that it approaches mental health with the character of Gabe, Troy’s brother who suffered a traumatic head injury during World War II and essentially went psychotic because of it. Gabriel is a source of shame for Troy, I think, because the only reason why Troy was able to buy his family home was because of the disability checks that he received while Gabe lived with him.

Something that I’ve noticed about this category is that it is centered almost entirely in the mundane. Of course, there are some exceptions to this, but for the most part, there is nothing particularly extraordinary going on. Most of the focus is on the human condition and how mental health is relevant in everyday settings. Fences is no different, following a seemingly average story that slowly unravels to reveal the true struggles that Troy faces. The film is set in the 50’s, a time where mental health was rarely spoken about or acknowledged. But as the film unfolds, we see that underneath all Troy’s hardness, he struggles deeply with inferiority and self-hatred. Instead of confronting his insecurities, he chooses to ignore them, turning to infidelity and self-sabotage as he takes his anger out on his family members, particularly his son, Cory.

Troy is not necessarily a likable protagonist, but I did like the film. Despite his actions, he is fairly easy to empathize with. He once had a promising career in baseball, but ended up a garbage truck driver instead, struggling to keep his family afloat. It is easy to understand his anger towards both himself, and the world.

[ns · Rating 1 out of 5]

i tried, i really tried.

[Mina Yamamoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

final stage directions 🫡

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Like you? I go out here every morning. . .bust my butt. . .putting up with them crackers every day. . .cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw.
It's my job. It's my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take care of his family. You like in my house. . .sleep you behind on my bedclothes. . .fill you belly up with my food. Now 'cause I like you! Cause it's my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you!
Let's get this straight right here. . .before it go along any further. . .I ain't got to like you. Mr. Rand don't give me my money come payday cause he likes me. He gives me cause he owe me. I done give you everything I had to give you. I have you your life! Me and your mama worked that out between us. And linking your black ass wasn't part of the bargain. Don't you try and go through life worrying about if somebody like you or not. You best be making sure they doing right by you. You undersatnd what I'm saying, boy?"

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book we had. We saw many ups and downs with the family creating lots of character development which I thought was very interesting. We basically see the husband fall out of love with his wife and have an affair. This affair led to him having another child with other women. The mistress passes away and eventually so does he. It was interesting and strange to see how the affair kid was welcomed to the family and taken care of by Rose. While Troy is losing his relationship with his wife Rose we also see him starting to have problems with his son Troy. Everything started to spin out of control creating many problems that were added to the story. This was a story of adversity to me and I think it is very interesting to see how people deal with their problems, so overall I did like this book.

[RJ Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this novel. Fences featuring a lot of culture inside the book. There is many more pros than cons throughout the book. Each character is developed in a special way, Troy the father of Cory and husband to Rose, being one of the main characters of the book he soon falls out of love with Rose and has a child with another women who passes away. I was very surprised when Rose decided to care for the newborn. An altercation breaks out between Cory and Troy and it is a very powerful scene. Troy and Cory end up fighting and almost start to swing Troys wooden bat at each other. This book has many surprises, many curves and presents many different sides of life in one family.

[Nuvia Saucedo-Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fences was a good play. I would give it a 8/10 because I feel like Wilson could've added a better meaning behind the play. The character traits made it better and so did the conflict that the play had because it gave it something to be interested in.

[evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a book from my ela class, but i decided to read it on my own and honestly it isn’t a bad book it’s decent i liked the story and everything, but i will say the way it’s written sometimes confused me pero at the end i understood what it was tryna say yk

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Fences" by August Wilson was an interesting story to read. I enjoyed learning about each character in the story. I like how reading this story makes it feel so real. I like that it shows the difference between Troy and Rose parenting skills.

[Ali Rites · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how much it played with you. The character, Troy, is so complex in the way that I, as an empathetic person, care for him, am saddened for him, but I also hate him for what he did to his family. I love Rose so much, though.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read this as a requirement for class this semester. This is one of my favorite books that I have read this year.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

poignant

[Orlando Arellano-Moreno · Rating 3 out of 5]

fences was a great story but there wasn't sufficient description of characters and also they couldve made the story longer .

[Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Fences was an intelligent book, the theme was clear and it made sense. I rate it a 5 out of 5.

[Trip Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: Mid
After baby mawma drama: pretty good

[sadie alger]

read for school

[Edward Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good.

[Christian]

It was a ok book i liked it a little because it has a lot of references about life and family otherwise i don't like it because of all the characters and is very confusing sometimes.

[valentina gallegos · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was okay. the ending was light hearted though, it was the only part i liked because the rest was weird and scary tbh.

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very real. These characters evoke a lot of emotion in the reader.

[Lucy Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

better as a movie

[Joelle Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just Death of a Salesman—but better!

I really enjoyed all the emotion in this drama and all the similarities between the tragic characters of Troy Maxson and Willy Loman.

[Genesis Checo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left me in tears.

[Mayra H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different parenting styles and a big reveal within the story. A shift of change that is not good happens that affects everyone. Women’s and men’s stereotypes are strong in this story.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit it fast and come running into home.
Every contemporary novelist wishes they had Wilson's skill for conversational writing.

[Alicia Buteau · Rating 2 out of 5]

school

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for a course this semester and thoroughly enjoyed it. A play revolving around dreams centered in a Black community in Pittsburgh during the 1950s, it begs the question of how America has changed in regard to equal opportunities, and if we even have them. Everything about this play was incredibly profound, and the ending with Gabriel trying to play his horn was very meaningful to me.