Rose Maxon Character Analysis

Have you ever stopped to look at a rose? At first you will see its fine beauty and presence; however, with a closer look you will find its thorns that are there to protect itself for survival. In the play “Fences” by August Wilson, we are introduced to a character named Rose Maxon. Her first name can be represented with a literal meaning relating the flower. She is a very admirable woman who is also strong and set in her ways. She is the wife to the main character Troy Maxon. While Rose is not always the center of attention throughout this play, her part is highly significant. Rose can be characterized as having a loving, kind, personality. She is also found to have mature soul and carries herself with great strength. In the beginning of …show more content…
She does not take any foolishness from Troy or anyone in general. In scene I Troy begins telling the story of how the two first met. Troy did not want to marry Rose at first and only wanted to “be her man” (1721). However, Rose was not fond of this idea. She said that she told him “if he wasn’t the marrying kind, then move out the way so the marrying kind could find me” (1721). Through this quote it is proven that Rose has a lot of self-respect. She was not willing to mess around with a man whose intentions were not to marry. We are able to see Rose’s mature nature, and it shows how she sticks up for herself. A second example where Rose demonstrates matureness, is when her husband commits adultery. Despite his mistake Rose stays with Troy. She leaves him romantically but continues to live with him and take care of the child that he had while cheating on her. The child’s mother dies in childbirth leaving the baby motherless. She explains to troy that “a motherless child has got a hard time. From right now…this child got a mother. But you a womanless man” (1755). Not many people would raise the child that is not their own. Especially not one who was created in the act of adultery. Yet, Rose takes the child into her own arms, and loves it as her own. Despite agreeing to tend to the child who is named Raynell, she disconnects from Troy in her own way. This duty takes a lot of maturity, and love. Rose is a well-mannered …show more content…
She is not wrapped up in any fantasies or fake events. She is very serious about her life and her family. Using the same routines to go about her day, Rose is very simplistic and ordinary in the beginning of the play. However, she does undergo a change in character. The main turning point for Rose in this play is when she lashes out at Troy for being disloyal to her. Troy always claims he is the main provider for the family and likes to brag that if it was not for him, they would not have a roof over there heads. Until this point of the play, Rose stays calm and does not make remarks when Troy boasts. In Act II Scene I, Rose reacts at Troy negatively for the first time. “Don’t you think I ever wanted other things?...But, I held on to you, Troy” (1751) she states. Rose is trying to get across that even though sometimes she wanted to do something out of the ordinary, or out of her daily routine, she remained lawful to Troy. She wanted their marriage to be successful, not only for the two of them, but for Corey as well. With Rose deciding to speak out, it is an important part of the play because it creates a message that she will not bow down to him anymore. Even though she will still care for him, she will not put him before herself