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THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FENCE IN FENCES

The theme of racial discrimination and its negative effects on an African-American family in the 1950s. African Americans had to fight white segregation as well as deal with their own internal conflict. So, they are externally fenced off while they also put up their own internal fences. Fence Is a structure, like a wall built to separate one area from another or to prevent people or animals from entering or leaving its enclosure. The play is about the building of a fence in the Maxsons’ backyard. The life of the Maxson family is affected one way or the other by the fence building project.  Rose sings a song asking Jesus to protect her like a fence.  Rose believes that asking Troy and Cory to work together to build the fence will help them to bond and heal the conflict between father and son. Bono, Troy's friend also told Troy that Rose wants a fence built around the house to keep Troy and other members of the family in. And this is a time Troy goes to see Alberta at Tylor's place.

 In the final showdown between Troy and Cory, Troy kicks Cory out of the house. The fence becomes the physical barrier that separates father and son.  The constant friction between Troy and his son Cory can be seen as an emotional barrier that separates them. The fence symbolizes all the other emotional barriers; Troy has had to experience these barriers in his life. 

The altercation between Troy and his cruel and abusive father, the racism that prevents him from becoming a professional baseball player,  poverty and homelessness that prevents him from living a dignified life are all fences that is, barriers in his life. 

Even though the play is about the building of a single fence, the title ‘Fences’ derives from the fact that there are other ‘fences’: The play’s main conflict is between father and son, Troy and Cory. There is a metaphorical fence between the two. Early in the play, Troy tries, as it were, to dismantle the racial barrier, that is, the fence between him and his aspiration of becoming the very first black truck driver in the sanitation department he works for. The whites put a ‘fence’ between Cory and his ambition to go to college on a football scholarship. They claim Cory will be discriminated against, that is, a ‘fence’ will be placed between him and his career because he is black. Troy himself had a similar ‘fence’ placed between him and his career as an aspiring baseball player. When Troy’s affair with his mistress, Alberta, is exposed, his wife Rose declares she is no longer Troy’s woman. Troy’s extra-marital affair places a ‘fence’ between him and his wife. 

The Significance of the title is manifested by the hurdles black Americans like Troy had to overcome at their workplace as manifested by the internal wrangling within the Maxson family and efforts to bring back peaceful and harmonious relationships. 

The theme of racial discrimination in America of the 1950s which impacts the lives of black Americans particularly Troy and his family. Troy Maxson is a fifty-two -year old man. He is large and has thick heavy hands. He is the central character in the play. He is the father of Lyons, Cory and Raynell, all from different mothers. He is the husband of Rose. His father is an unsuccessful sharecropper. Troy left home at age fourteen and has now built a family with his wife and children. He is a truck driver in a sanitation department. He is a friend to Bono. 

Troy's character has its background in his upbringing. Troy's father was very hard working, yet he was always in debt. His father used confrontation and violence to put fear in him. Troy engaged in a near-death confrontation with his father over the sexual abuse of his girlfriend. He left his father's home in Alabama, travelling 200 miles to the city. 

As a results of Troy’s Upbringing, he seems to have given him a wrong perception of parenting. He sees himself as a commander who can not accept his Children’s views. Troy learns the value of hard work and a sense of responsibility. Troy  experiences racism as  a boy when he is denied the opportunity to play baseball. As an adult, his honesty and awareness of wrong enable him to change his status at his work place and become the driver of a garbage truck. 

Troy’s upbringing had greater Influences on his children. Troy’s refusal to let Cory play football is an influence from past upbringing. Troy repeats the mistake of his father as he drives his son Cory away from home because of a fierce argument that nearly turns to a physical fight. Troy’s sense of hard work and responsibility is picked up by his sons, particularly Cory. He wants his children to  work hard. This is also shown when Lyons insists on paying him back the ten dollars he borrowed from him. Cory goes away to educate-himself and become a Marine Corporal. Thus, Troy’s upbringing has positive and negative influence on him, and it manifests in his relationship with his children.