The Importance Of Baseball In Fences By Augustus Wilson

Some people’s life revolve around the beautiful American pastime called baseball. People play baseball, coach baseball, watch baseball, and sometimes they even make references to baseball through metaphors. Back in the 1950’s, racial tensions between blacks and whites were high. Baseball legend, Jackie Robison, had recently become the first African American to break the color barrier in the Major Leagues, yet many people still failed to see black athletes as equals to white athletes, regardless if they were more talented. In the play. “Fences” by Augustus Wilson, Troy is a, former Negro League baseball player, who had a tough living environment growing up; he faced discrimination, poverty, and dealt with an abusive dad. He was a father to three children and husband to a loving wife. It is a story about an African American family living in the 1950’s. . Troy raises his kids based on the experiences he had growing up, rather than, …show more content…
“Though Troy’s and Rose’s relationships seems loving and strong” as critic Toni Arnold, author of The Struggles for Power by August Wilson’s Male Character, says; he still cheats on his wife that cares very deeply for him. . He portrays the perfect image of a loving and caring man of the house; however, he ends up cheating on rose with another woman. Troy after remaining a loyal man for many years felt like he had to “steal second base” (2098). He uses this cheating as a way to escape from his responsibilities that belong to the man of the house. Troy tells Rose that Alberta was “able to give him a different idea… a different understanding about [himself]… he could be different man. I can just be part of myself that I ain’t never been” (2098). Alberta was also able to “firm up Troy’s backbone” and through her “he was able to steal second base after eighteen years” (2098). Troy also tells Rose that he tried living a decent life but the best got