August Wilson, Fences Discussion Questions

1
August Wilson, FencesDiscussion Questions

• The Fence
• Why does Troy always defer working on the fence?
• What does the fence stand for or symbolize? What
  are the different meanings discussed by
  characters in the play?
• Why is the title of the play in the plural
  (Fences)?
• Passages
• P. 28-31 p. 61, p. 64, p. 77, p. 84, p. 89.

2

• Father-Son Relationships
• Troyhis father (pp. 50-52)
• TroyLyons (p. 13ff, p. 56)
• TroyCory (most of Act I, iiipp. 29-40 p. 57,
  p. 72, pp. 85-89 p. 96, p. 100)
• What generational conflicts are brought out in
  their relationships?
• Responsibility vs. love driving parent-child
  relationships
• money
• work
• meaning of life/happiness
• Are Troy and Cory just repeating the cycle? Or,
  can the cycle ever be broken?

3

• Racism
• To what degree are the conflicts in this play
  caused by racism or racial/social inequality?
  Or, are they more universal?
• Why does the play highlight prejudice and
  inequality in sports (through Troys voice)?
• p. 33
• How does this issue of racial inequality in
  sports intrude upon the father-son relationships?
• Is Troy too stubborn to acknowledge changes,
  especially positive ones? Does he simply blame
  racism for all his shortcomings?
• Or Are some of the other characters blind to
  the ways in which racism limits their lives?
• For Troy, what does racism have to do with his
  responsibility for caring for his family?
• Why does Troy use the N-word so frequently?
  How does he use it and does its meaning change or
  vary?

4

• Troy-Rose Relationship
• Does Troy love Rose?
• Why does he cheat on her?
• P. 39-40 43, 49, 62-63, 66-72, 73-77, 78-79,

5

• Troy
• What is your take on his character Is he simply
  a flawed hero, is he despicable, is he typical?
  Can you sympathize with him?
• Is Wilsons portrayal of Troy too harsh? Does it
  confirm common prejudices or stereotypes about
  black men?
• What is the purpose of this character?

6

• Can you see any links to other texts in this
  semester?
• The Great Gatsby
• Huck Finn
• Poetry of Emily Dickinson
• The Scarlet Letter
• Son of the Forest
• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
• What does this text say about American identity,
  as well as the ability of the individual to
  achieve his or her dreams/goals?

7

• What is the significance of some minor
  characters, such as Bono and Gabriel?