Diella Archie
Rhetorical Devices
In Fences by August Wilson, many rhetorical devices are present the
illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Rhetorical writing is a technique
that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning in
order to persuade him or her towards considering a topic from a different
perspective. Devices like understatement, symbol and climax greatly affect the
way the reader interprets the play a s a whole. One device seen a lot in the play is
understatement. Troy, the main character and father figure continuously compares
death to baseball. “Death ain't nothing but a fastball on the outside corner.” Troy
talks about death in a nonchalant manner, comparing it to baseball because he was
once a great baseball player. He believes he is immortal to death and tries to taunt
it throughout the entire play. The climax of the play is the fight between Troy and
his teenage son, Cory. Cory and Troy have always had tension and animosity towards
each other. Throughout the play, there are heavy hearted scenes where we see
Troy degrading Cory, and treating him less than a father should treat his son. Cory
has always bounced back quickly and was always respectful towards his elders.
When they end up in the fight, the reader finally sees the actual feelings of Cory
towards his father, seeing it as more of a serious scene. The big symbol of the play
was the white Fence that Rose continuously begged Troy to build. The fence
symbolize the “trapping” of Troy as a man. He's wanted to go around soaring his
wild oats. He finds a woman, Alberta who makes him feel free and young again.
When he is inside the fence at his home, he feels like he is not himself and is
always angry. The rhetorical devices of this play have greatly allowed the readers
grasp the bigger picture that August Wilson was trying to show.
Karissa DeLuca
Fences Jeopardy
Plot Summary
Fences is a story of a black man’s struggle to live out the American dream and
provide for his family during a time period surrounding 1943. Troy, the protagonist
of the story, is the first colored garbage man of his city, and an ex- baseball
player. Troy consistently expresses his bitterness toward his unlucky fate of never
making it into the MLB because he was too old once negroes were accepted into the
league. The entire play is comprised of many different baseball analogies, which
highlight Troy’s life, and also America itself. Troy’s son Cory is a star football
player being looked at by an abundance of college coaches, but Troy is unable to
get over the fact that he never made it to the major leagues, and shoots down his
sons dreams of playing football at a higher level. He tells Cory to work instead of
play sports because he will never amount to anything without a job or money to
take care of a family when the time comes. This ultimately drives Cory away from
his father. His other son Gabriel, is admitted to a mental facility after being bailed
out of jail by Cory. Troy’s wife, Rose, is a very independent woman, she doesn’t
allow herself to be pushed around by Troy and often speaks her mind. So upon
finding out that Troy impregnated another woman, who ends of dying during
childbirth, Rose decides to take care of the child, Raynell, but refuses to be
dutiful as Troy’s wife. Upon Troy’s death at the end of the play, the characters
come together a final time, this includes, all of Troy’s children, his wife, and his
best friends Lyons and Bono. Cory refuses to attend the funeral and the play ends
with Troy’s sons singing an old favorite song of their fathers, and Gabriel says
“That’s the way it goes.”
Tara Egan
Fences
Literary Devices
Baseball:
In Fences baseball is used as a form of imagery and symbolism. For example,
Troy’s failed baseball career because of his race symbolizes the weight that has
been on him all these years and establishes why he is so bitter. He uses baseball as
a symbol for death stating it’s “a fastball on the outside corner” He also uses
baseball to symbolize and explain his affair to his wife. Saying “he felt like he was
safe , but after eighteen years of that he saw Alberta and wanted to steal
second.” Lastly in the scene where Cory and Troy fight using a baseball bat is
symbolic and ironic. The bat is symbolic of a dream Troy once had and they are
fighting about his sabotage of Cory’s sports career.
Raynell’s Garden:
The garden in the final scene symbolizes Cory growing beyond his father’s
shadow. He finally comes to term with Troy after interacting with Raynell. It is
ironic that Raynell checks her garden on the day of the Troy’s funeral, but it could
symbolize new life in the face of death.
Fence:
There is a lot of imagery in the fence that Troy builds. It symbolizes Troy
separating his family and trying to keep them together inside the fence. However,
it is ironic because inside the fence was supposed to be safe, but after the affair
it becomes like the outside of the fence. Literary elements such as symbolism,
irony, and imagery affect the story of Fences as a whole because it allows the
reader to understand the story in depth. They can make connections between
scenes and what they really mean. It helps the story develop.
Emma Savas
Initial Situation: Troy's Life
In the play's opening scenes, we get a peek into the world of Troy Maxson. He's a
hardworking garbage man dedicated to providing for his family. However, we learn
that Troy just may have some flaws – one of which is that he's cheating on his
dedicated wife, Rose.
Conflict: Father vs. Son
The play's main conflict becomes clear when Troy's son Cory arrives on the scene.
Troy is determined to keep Cory from going to college on a football scholarship. He
claims Cory will only be discriminated against, just like Troy was during his baseball
days.
Complication: Cory's Dreams Are Crushed
A major complication arises when we learn that Troy has gone to Cory's coach and
told him that Cory can't play football anymore. Now Cory's one chance at going to
college is destroyed. Understandably, Cory is really angry with his dad and accuses
him of holding him back out of jealousy.
Climax: Troy and Cory's Fight
Tensions swiftly build. The truth of Troy's affair comes out when his mistress,
Alberta, becomes pregnant. After Alberta dies in childbirth, Troy's wife Rose
agrees to raise the child but declares that she's no longer Troy's woman. All this
instability at home leads to an all-out fight between Troy and Cory. Troy wins the
battle and kicks Cory out of the house for good.
Suspense: Cory Considers Not Going To The Funeral
The play picks back up years later, on the day of Troy's funeral. Cory arrives back
home but tells his mother that he won't be going to the funeral. Rose goes off on
him, saying that being disrespectful to his father isn't going to make him a man.
Denouement: Cory and Raynell
The play's tensions wind down as Cory and Raynell together sing a song that their
father used to sing. Though the song is about a dog named Blue it seems clear that
the two are singing it in honor of Troy. We're left with the impression that Cory is
on the road to coming to terms with his father.
Conclusion: Gabriel Opens The Gates
In the final moments of the play, Troy's brother Gabriel shows up. He's
determined to blow his trumpet so St. Peter will know to open the gates of heaven
for Troy. When no sound comes out of the horn, Gabriel chants and performs a
ritualistic dance. The play concludes with the gates of heaven opening wide for
Troy.
DeSean Morrow
Theme overview
Fences
3 Major Themes Throughout Fences
1. Baseball The Game Of Life
Throughout the play Troy uses baseball as a metaphor for life, It doesn’t matter
what pitch you get its all about how you swing the bat. Life throws all types of
pitches whether it be a curveball, a fastball or a splitter, but its up to you as the
batter to adjust your body, and your hands on the position of the bat to hit a
homerun or to just even get on base.
2. Fences: Freedom From Oppression
The unfinished fence that is the focus of this play serves an ambiguous symbol.
Fences were designed to do one of two things, one: keep undesirable things out and
two: keep things of value in, securing them in safely. The ambiguous design of the
fence is also seen in Troy’s life. The ambiguity of the design is parallel to the
double life that Troy leads, one being his affair with a younger women and the
other being his stable “safe” family life with his wife Rose.
3. Dream Big Or Go Home
When Rose is told the truth about Troy’s double life they argue about dreams.
Rose gave up everything to be with Troy her dreams, her plans, everything,
meanwhile Troy goes off and lives his fantasy and is happy. Troy compares his two
lives stating that in the “safe” one he isn’t happy, he feels trapped, almost like
being enclosed by a fence. He then talks about the “other woman” Alberta. He says
he can be himself, young, free, happy with no responsibilities, no cares or worries.