"Fences" Play
August Wilson - ANSauthor of "Fences"
themes - ANShow one survives the past; the past affects the future; history is personal and
cultural; the American Dream; family
motifs - ANSfamily/marriage; fathers/sons; death/baseball; seeds/growth; the Blues
symbols - ANSfences: literal and figurative, they keep people in and keep people out
unfinished fence: things left undone
trains: freedom, new starts
the devil: Troy's struggle with life; the devil is always bringing news of death
what is baseball a metaphor for? - ANSTroy's battle with death, his quarrel with Cory, and his
reasons for cheating
what has Troy asked from the commissioner? - ANSto be able to drive the truck instead of lifting
garbage
who is Alberta and why is Troy stuck on her? - ANSTroy's buxom lover from Tallahassee and
Raynell's mother; Alberta dies while giving birth; she symbolized Troy's exotic dream to escape
his real life problems and live in an illusion with no time
what has Rose always wanted for her family? - ANSa fence to keep her family in
what are the passages into manhood? - ANSrejecting your father and the life that comes with
him
what is the Friday and Saturday ritual? - ANSthe Friday ritual is drinking and talking about the
week; the Saturday ritual is that the family works on chores around the house and on the fence
how do the rituals change during the play? - ANSeventually Troy ends up drinking by himself as
he loses his friends; Troy gets promoted and it isolates him from the community--he is unable to
see his friends and family as often
who is Gabe? - ANSGabe is Troy's brother who was injured in WWII and now has a metal plate
in his head; he often thinks he is not a person, but the angel Gabriel who opens the gates of
heaven with his trumpet for Saint Peter on Judgement Day
why does Troy feel guilty about using Gabe's check? - ANSit is a disability check and it is the
reason Troy was able to buy his house
August Wilson - ANSauthor of "Fences"
themes - ANShow one survives the past; the past affects the future; history is personal and
cultural; the American Dream; family
motifs - ANSfamily/marriage; fathers/sons; death/baseball; seeds/growth; the Blues
symbols - ANSfences: literal and figurative, they keep people in and keep people out
unfinished fence: things left undone
trains: freedom, new starts
the devil: Troy's struggle with life; the devil is always bringing news of death
what is baseball a metaphor for? - ANSTroy's battle with death, his quarrel with Cory, and his
reasons for cheating
what has Troy asked from the commissioner? - ANSto be able to drive the truck instead of lifting
garbage
who is Alberta and why is Troy stuck on her? - ANSTroy's buxom lover from Tallahassee and
Raynell's mother; Alberta dies while giving birth; she symbolized Troy's exotic dream to escape
his real life problems and live in an illusion with no time
what has Rose always wanted for her family? - ANSa fence to keep her family in
what are the passages into manhood? - ANSrejecting your father and the life that comes with
him
what is the Friday and Saturday ritual? - ANSthe Friday ritual is drinking and talking about the
week; the Saturday ritual is that the family works on chores around the house and on the fence
how do the rituals change during the play? - ANSeventually Troy ends up drinking by himself as
he loses his friends; Troy gets promoted and it isolates him from the community--he is unable to
see his friends and family as often
who is Gabe? - ANSGabe is Troy's brother who was injured in WWII and now has a metal plate
in his head; he often thinks he is not a person, but the angel Gabriel who opens the gates of
heaven with his trumpet for Saint Peter on Judgement Day
why does Troy feel guilty about using Gabe's check? - ANSit is a disability check and it is the
reason Troy was able to buy his house
