The Purpose of the Fence in Fences Essay

Fences

A structure serving as an enclosure, a barrier, or a boundary usually made of posts or stakes joined together by boards, wire, or rails. What are the purposes of a fence? According to Websters definition it is used to enclose something in or out. August Wilsons play Fences he does a fine job of demonstrating symbolism of a fence. What was the purpose of the fence? Was it symbolizing Rose trying to keep Troy and Cory together as a family? Or was it to Troy trying to keep death out? There are so many different ways that the fence was used. Troy used it as protection, while Rose used it to keep her family together.

There are three different answers to the reason that the fence was built. Rose could have been able to see the life she once enjoyed to be unraveling right before eyes. She felt as if, maybe if Troy built the fence she would be able to protect and hold on to their family. She wanted Cory and Troy to have a better relationship than the one that they had. But Troy had something different in mind. While Rose was trying to keep him and Cory in, Troy is busy trying to keep death out for all the wrong reasons. The main reason other than him being in a constant battle with death. Although he does believe that the fence will keep him from death until he is ready, but he built it in the honor of Alberta. After his near death experience and his mistress dying after giving birth. He decides that enough is enough and takes matters in. After being asked for months on end he decides that the time is finally right. his own hands

After receiving the phone that Troys mistress Alberta died while giving birth, it is then that Troy decides that enough is enough. He stands in the yard and proclaims AlrightMr. Death. See nowIm gonna tell you what Im gonna do. Im gonna take and build me a fence around this yard. See? Im gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. And then I want you to stay on the other side. See? You stay over there until, your ready for me. Then you come on.(Act 2 Scene 2 pg.1073) Rose has been asking Troy for awhile to build her a fence around her house, but it took the death of his mistress to complete the work that should have been done. Would there be a mistress if Troy would have built the fence when Rose first asked? Although they were never clear of the reason that Rose requested the fence, Bono seemed to have a slight clue. He tells Cory and Troy that some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in. (Act 2 Scene 1 pg.1064) Which was the fence built for?

Every woman knows her man, as Rose knew Troy. For so long she continuously asked Troy to build the fence, but he never did. Bono makes it evident that she was trying to keep them, but keep them from what? Did Rose know that her husband was venturing off to another womans arm every other night? If the fence was built would Troy feel obligated to stay home instead of going to Taylors or Albertas? Who really knows? Even if she knew there is nothing that she could do, because she was a good wife who was submissive. Troy knew that the fence would keep him in and he hesitated to build it he knew the good intentions of his wife. Not only did her fence not keep her husband in his own home, but it is the very fence that Cory walked out of when he left home for good and joined the Marines. She tried her best to keep her family together but the fence just was not strong enough.

So maybe the purpose of the fence serve the purpose of keeping death out, if so who was Troy protecting from death, Rose, Cory, himself or Alberta? He never specified who he was protecting. Could he be trying to protect his new baby mother and he secret life, opposed to protecting the life and family he already had? Troy did not fence death out of Albertas home and life, yet he forgot to build the fence around himself.

At the end of the play, death conquered Troy. He fought and fought and fought until he couldnt fight anymore. Death finally won. Maybe he built the fence to protect his family from death but forgot to build the fence to shield him.

Work Cited

Wilson, August. Fences Backpack Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. 2nd ed. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gola. New York: Longman, 2008. 1026.