Fences Troy Maxson Relationship

August Wilson makes it obvious within the play Fences that the father-son relationships are harsh and not love-driven relationships. The relationships Troy Maxson has with his father and his two sons are very different when compared to each other. In each relationship the son tries to get away from their dad’s control even though Troy feels like he knows what is best for his son, but it only ends up with problems that the father and son have to deal with throughout their lives. The experiences Troy had from the relationship he had with his father had an impact on the way he treated his own sons in the play. The way Troy acted towards his family affected his sons and stopped them from doing what they wanted to do. Troy attitudes toward …show more content…
Troy and Cory have many similarities and differences that complicate their relationship in the play. Troy and Cory do not see eye-to-eye mainly because they were raised in different generations. Their relationship is bitter and tense because Troy has a bitter attitude because of his past. He repeatedly blames racism for keeping him becoming a professional baseball player, and he cannot seem to let the matter go. Troy hates the game because it took away his chance of becoming a professional baseball player. So when Cory sort of follows Troy’s path in sports, Troy doesn’t give Cory the chance to achieve his own dreams. In the play Troy is jealous of Cory because he has the chance of doing what he wants and becoming something great, but Troy is trying to be protective of Cory. When Cory looks for a college scholarship to play football, Troy thinks that his son will not have a good future because he needs a real job. Troy tells his friend, Bono, that Cory “ought to go and get recruited in how to fix cars or something where he can make a living” (Wilson, 8). Troy thinks that Cory will not go any where in life playing football. Troy’s wife, Rose makes the statement, “times have changed from when you was young, Troy. The world’s changing around you and you can’t even see it” (Wilson, 40). Even though society is much different from Troy’s past, he still wants Cory to do something …show more content…
Troy never got to also achieve his dreams of becoming a professional baseball player, so you can see similarities in their lives. Troy and Cory do not try to understand each other because they know there is no hope that they’ll agree with eachother. Troy says, “I give you more than anyone else is ever gonna give you” (Wilson, 86). I see this quote as if Troy thinks even Cory could not benefit himself. The fights that they have ruin them. After Troy’s death, Cory refuses to go to his father’s funeral and makes the statement, “I can’t drag Papa with me everywhere I go. I’ve got to say no to him. One time in my life I’ve got to say no” (Wilson, 96). Cory becomes more like his father because he is unwilling to face the