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Troy and Rose are represented as a playful couple towards the beginning of the play, but they are also not a couple where they are completely open and equal with one another. Gender roles are still observed when Troy talks "man talk" with Bono, and when we see Troy working and building the fence while Rose cooks and manages the finances. As time goes on, we see that Rose is the one advocating for members of the family, be it Lyons, Cory, Gabe, or even Raynelle. At the end of their relationship, however, we see that Rose was far more willing to make sacrifices for the relationship than Troy was. Even after she proclaimed him a "woman less man" she continued to cook, clean, and eventually "duty" preceded anything she may have actually felt. At the very end of the play, Rose adopts the same playful attitude towards her relationship with Troy as she had at the beginning of the play.

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There is a cycle of Maxson men being horrible husband's and people to the one's who care about them. This created an environment suppressing women and allowing males to do whatever the wanted. For example Troy's father was abusive and had as man children as he wanted and did as he pleased. His mother is silenced from the story as a result. This shows the oppression of women in the text. Troy followed his father on a lesser scale as he got someone pregnant then went to jail, leaving that family, then ruined his second family by having an affair and blaming it on Rose's inabilities to give him exactly what he wants. However there is hope for Cory breaking the cycle at th end of the story. - (Jaimee

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Gabe and Troy’s relationship reflects Troy’s desire to be free from his family and finances. Troy fights for Gabe to be independent throughout the movie, until Act 2 scene 2, where he signs the papers to hospitalize Gabe in order to get checks from the city. Gabe is able to come and go as he pleases, just as Troy wants to have the support from Rose but have a life separate from his family. Their relationship also acts as an antithesis to emphasize death, both Gabe and Troy have an obsession with death, but although Gabe embraces the idea of death and afterlife, Troy continuously fights it.

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What about the role of Gabriel? And Troy's battles with the 🤬? 

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What about the role of Gabriel? And Troy's battles with the 🤬? 

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Troy has a very specific schema of what a man is supposed to do: provide for his family fiscally (by giving Rose as much money as she asks for, etc) and physically (by putting up the fence, for example). Because he is successful enough to provide for his family by making sure house payments are paid, Rose is content with her stipend, and Cory doesn't have to work even though most people his age would have a job, he is extremely proud. This is reflective of the "ideal" man in the 1950's, whose responsibility was to go to work and come back to a wife that had dinner made. Troy doesn’t contribute emotional support to his family, and leaves this responsibility to Rose. Likewise, he never recognizes the work that she puts in to maintaining their family because he believe a woman’s role is easy. On the contrary, the 1950s had a period of economic growth, and familIes had more purchasing power than ever. Troy is not content with the fact that his career as a garbage man is stagnant, and this affects how he values himself.
"The 1950's." History. 2010. https://www.history.com/topics/1950s

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For Troy he sees the fence as a way of keeping someone out while Rose uses it to keep people in. I believe this is used to accentuate the differences between the two main characters. It shows Troy's immediate negativity and want to have both figurative and literal barriers between him and other people. Rose's nature is to be positive and nurture those around her. These differences almost foreshadow the disintegration of the relationship as the two are so different.

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One of the major challenges the characters experienced in the play was the birth of Raynell after her mother's death. This was the major turning point in Troy and Rose's relationship, first forcing Troy into the role of a single parent and then Rose adopting his child and telling him that he was a womanless man. However, at the time, 72 percent of all black children were born out of wedlock. While the feelings of betrayal are significant to Rose, there were also many other women at the time suffering with similar troubles. Furthermore, this may excuse the action of infidelity in Troy's mind as many of the other men around him would have found it acceptable. Thus, the birth situation of Raynell was common in the time period, allowing the text to express another accurate topic at the time.
http://reason.com/archives/2015/02/26/the-black-family-in-1965-and-today

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I think the fence is meant to represent the different sides of each character and how they want to put a barrier between the different parts of themselves. Firstly, Troy's internal fence is the one between family duty and duty to himself to enjoy his life. He is constantly torn between being a loyal father but feeling stifled by his duty and by his want to be free and not have responsibility. The fence represents the way he chooses to hide both parts of himself from the other. Secondly, Cory is torn between his desires and his teachings. He is taught to be like his father and be responsible, while also wanting to pursue his dreams of football. For him, the fence represents something put there by Troy to keep him from doing what he wants, and to trap him on the duty bound side of himself. Finally, to Rose the fence is the division between the family she wants and her reality. She tries so hard to be a good wife and convince herself that her family is whole. She builds a fence internally to block out the reality of her broken family unit, the truer side of herself.

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Race plays a role in Troy's emotions and feelings. Black people were denied opportunity and jobs during this time, therefore Troy cherished all his possessions and did not take any risks in life. He maintained his steady job and same house so he could continue to provide for his family. If he changed his norms he may have lost all he knew because of racial expectations and discrimination in the time. When Troy challenged his race to become a driver, Rose was fearful of Troy losing his job and not being able to find another one. :)

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- Willow -
Religion and song have long been connected, especially in African American Culture. Even in the 1600-1800s in America, African slaves could be heard singing in the fields, and that love of song didnt die when the civil war ended. In Fences, this comes into play quite a bit, both when Rose is heard singing religious songs, and when Troy sings the song about Blue. Rose's songs all seem to have religious meaning, but Troy's still have significant meaning to him and his family, as it was that song which brought his daughter and his son together after his death and convinced Cory to attend Troy's funeral.

http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-24

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- Willow -
The fence can also be seen as a means to identify and protect what belongs to Troy. He is constantly referring to what is his and seems to have a problem with sharing. This is why he butts heads with Lyons with Cory when they ask for something or are, in his eyes, ungrateful for what they have. The fence seems to be a means of controlling what belongs to Troy.

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Rose defies the expectations of the typical wife, because she expresses her opinions. Troy follows the expectation because he makes money and brings it home.

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Education as an Element of Conflict between Cory and Troy (Morgan)

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Education as an Element of Conflict between Cory and Troy (Morgan)

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In the 1950's, some universities were beginning to open their enrollment to black students due to federal urging, but many smaller, private colleges were still admitting minimal numbers of black students. This indicates that getting the opportunity , as a black student, to go to college was a big deal in the 1950's. This is why Cory becomes so angry with Troy when he ruins his chances at going to college to play football. From Troy's point of view, which is the point of view that many Americans adopted at the time,  Cory did not belong in college; he belonged working to provide for himself and the family he may have in the future. Education was a luxury that many black young people could not only not afford, but that was not accessible to them, and Troy knew this. He believed Cory was being childish and irresponsible, because he had never known a world where blacks had the opportunity to go to college,In a way, he most likely thought it too good to be true. But this drove a wedge between him and Cory, because Cory was growing up in a time where that opportunity was real and rare, where it was something you held onto and treasured if you got it. According to Kenyon College, "Before the black enrollment boom of the late 1960s, some schools began to investigate the possibilities of recruiting qualified black students." So though education was a rare opportunity for a black teenager, it was viable, and this is why Cory and Troy's differing views on education were so detrimental to their relationship.

http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Amerstud/blackhistoryatkenyon/Individual%20Pages/History%20of%20Black%20Education.htm

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The Civil Rights Movement took place primarily during the 1950s and 1960s. With the movement came more occupational and voting opportunities for African Americans in the United States.  Specifically, the Civil Rights Act of 1957 allowed federal prosecution of anyone who tried to prevent someone from voting and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guaranteed equal employment for all, limited the use of voter literacy tests and allowed federal authorities to ensure public facilities were integrated. These monumental changes that were occurring In society most likely encouraged Cory’s attitude towards chasing his dream of football. Whereas Troy was extremely hesitant in letting Cory play football because of the segregated society in which he grew up.

(https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement)

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Rose was affect the most by expectations. She has to given into Troy and his rules even though she disagrees with him but that is what is expected of her. She also never divorces him even after he cheats because society frowned on divorce. Not only did she stay with him but she raised Alberta's baby as her own which also was expected of her as a mother.
Hamilton, Neal. "Women's Liberation Movement." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2018, americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/256044. Accessed 9 Apr. 2018.

(Reagan)

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Despite Rose's intelligence and Troy's lack of education, because Troy is the male figure of his household, he makes all the final decisions in the family. Because Rose is female, she is expected to cook and clean the house for the most part, while Troy is supposed to go out and find a stable job to maintain the house. In the 1950s, this was commonplace in many households.
-Daniel

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While some universities would require federal urging to open their enrollment to black students, these were primarily larger state universities. Many private colleges never explicitly forbade blacks, but practiced a de facto segregation. Before the black enrollment boom of the late 1960s, some schools, such as Kenyon, began to investigate the possibilities of recruiting qualified black students. There were sparse scatterings of solitary black students beginning to integrate all white campuses. Contributing factors included the Great Migration, the economic gains of World War II, military desegregation, and the Brown v. Board of education case. These all brought hope to black Americans regarding their children's education.

History of Black Education, www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Amerstud/blackhistoryatkenyon/Individual%20Pages/History%20of%20Black%20Education.htm.

Troy has much pride except when it comes to his education because he is unable to read which is probably a defining thing for him. Cory wants to get signed at a college but I think troy doesn't want Cory to be smarter than him possibly.

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Gabriel is used by August Wilson as a constant reminder of the themes of mortality and good vs. evil that exist in the play. Gabriel is always preoccupied and obsessed with his own immortality and spiritual destiny. He consistently mentions the final day of judgement, which relates to the ultimate death of Troy. He even tells Troy that he has seen his name in St. Peter's book of judgement, and declares that he has entered the gates of heaven on the day of his funeral.

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Not all black Christians located their religious lives in black denominations. Some African Americans found spiritual homes in predominantly white churches, including Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, and Episcopal denominations, drawn by family ties, theological appeal, or style of worship. For many who had been enslaved in regions with large Roman Catholic populations, Catholicism was the dominant culture that shaped their religious lives. A consideration of the regional contexts of religion in the South directs attention to the geographic, environmental, demographic, economic, social, and cultural factors of religious development. Spatial and social places mattered. Commonalities existed across social barriers but experiences varied depending on whether you were a Mississippi Delta man or an Upcountry woman, black or white, rich or poor, Southern Baptist or African Methodist Episcopal, Episcopalian or Pentecostal
Wilson, and Charles R. “Religion and the US South.” Sevaa, 1 Jan. 1970, southernspaces.org/2004/overview-religion-and-us-south.

Troy isn't seen to be visiting church during the play but rose does. This may be because of his pride or his inability to read. Then there is Gabe who truly believes in the religion which is most likely Christianity. It is interesting at the end that Troy ends up in heaven despite his mis treatment of others

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Troy seems to use the fence as a protection for his loved ones and belongings. He uses it to separate himself from death, as well as a way to separate Cory's belongings from his own- "They'll be on the other side of that fence!"

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The fence serves as a symbol of segregation , as well as the subconscious inclination toward building a fortress where a black 'inside' can set itself off/ protect itself from the white dominated world around it. On one hand, the fence serves as evidence of the creation of ethnic insularity from neighborhood to neighborhood, and on the other, it is a monument to the overarching social division effected by white economic and political power
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Rose seems to want the fence not to keep things she dislikes out, but to hold the things she loves inside of it. It shows Rose's desire for closeness with her family and makes the fact that Troy is cheating on her all the more painful.

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The fence seems to show a symbolic barrier for many characters, but also symbolizes Troy's neglect for his family early in the text-  he neglects to build it, instead spending all his time at "Taylor's" which we assume by the end is actually Alberta's. His neglect for his family is shown through his neglect for making the fence.

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Troy's struggle with "Mr. Death" and "the 🤬" create another side to his character besides the hard working father who doesn't believe in dreams.

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Troy does not grow up with many educational opportunities. He leaves home at an early age, gives up on his baseball dreams (due to racism in the league), lives off of stealing, goes to jail, and never learns to read. Due to the unfairness of his life, Troy believes there is no point in trying to pursue educational opportunities even though there are more opportunities for his son. Troy decides (for his son) that perusing football and college is less important than maintaining a minimum wage blue collar job.

-Wes

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In the 1950's, the majority of American families conformed to the traditional nuclear familial structure. Many families were made up of a father whose responsibility was to provide for the family financially and a mother whose role involved taking care of her children, cooking, and cleaning.  The nuclear family living in a suburban neighborhood was the ideal of the time, and there was great societal pressure to conform to this ideal. In the play, this glorification of the nuclear family is conveyed through the Maxson family's lifestyle choices. They live in a suburban area, and though they do not conform to the traditional nuclear family, they try to appear as if they do (issues.abc-clio.com).

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Rose is a very stereotypical housewife. She is expected to feed everyone that comes through her home. She generally more submissive in terms of her relationship with Troy despite how she may feel about his treatment of Cory. It is very evident that the typical patriarchal structure of the time is still in place despite Rose's apparent intelligence. She even ends up taking Raynell in despite the circumstances of her birth. (Jenna)

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Families in the 1950s were expected to stay together, whether they were happy or sad. Troy seems to go against these conventions since he has a son from a past marriage, and eventually in the movie goes on to leave Rose for a while and try to find himself.
-Daniel

“1950s Family Life.” Fifities Web, fiftiesweb.com/pop/info-family/.

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At the end of the book when Cory returns home, his little sister tells him that Troy always referred to his room as "Cory's room" even though Cory left 6 years earlier. This demonstrates that while Troy and his son had their differences, Troy still loved his kid and felt responsibility toward him.

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After World War II, popular culture and media reinforced domesticity ideals for white, middle class women. It was the expectation that these women remained in the home and raise children and complete housework. African American women, as well as those of a lower socioeconomic standing, were not portrayed in the media as being housewifes and mothers. For these women, the expectation was that they were not necessarily responsible for the same responsibilities as the white, middle class women.  Many African American women, out of financial necessity, were actually forced to obtain work outside of the home. This is important to note because Rose actually fulfills the role as a housewife and mother, where other African American women were not able to fulfill this traditional role.

(https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-8/apush-1950s-america/a/women-in-the-1950s)

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Troy's relationship deteriorated with his sons due to his personal responsibility to provide for them. He didn't feel any freedom for himself, which gradually eroded his marriage.

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Troy felt pressure and responsibility throughout the movie/text to provide for everyone in his family and/or of his blood.

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Troy's adamancy of the importance of hard work instead of college and education shows his emotion towards personal responsibility. He tells Cory that, as a man, his job is to provide for his family. He needs to think of their needs first and foremost. Troy also discusses with Cory that because of his race, he needs to focus on perfecting a trade instead of going to college, because finding a job in the future is so slim for him. Troy's feeling towards personal responsibility trumps any hope for his son's success in college with football.

Patrick, Leslie. “African Americans and Civil Rights in Pennsylvania”. Pennsylvania Heritage,

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-heritage/african-americans-civil-righ

ts-pennsylvania.html, 2010.

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Rose and Troy have a typical relationship when it comes to Troy having all the power. Rose was a housewife which was very common, but it was more common for wife women then black because many black women had to join the labor force. Even though Rose has her own opinions, and expresses them, Troy makes all the decisions even if she disagrees, like when it comes to Cory. If a women did not have a job, her job was marriage and to keep away from divorce which is seen when Rose stays with Troy even when he cheats on her.

Yi, Xiaohan. “The Role of African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement.” Senator Sam Ervin and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Wordpress, ervin062.web.unc.edu/legal-and-cultural-analysis/role-african-american-women-civil-rights-movement/.

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Um... so it's complicated. Troy's dad was abusive and overall horrible so Troy left and had a kid then went to jail then had another kid. He felt that the way to provide for his family was to maintain a minimum/ low wage blue collar job to support. This worked out for him. He did feed his kids and provide shelter, something his father didn't do. SO when he forced his son to quit football it wasn't because he was hateful or jealous really, I think he lacked understanding of cultural changes and lacked imagination because his dreams were unfairly crushed. He tried to give his son what helped him support his family, a minimum wage job and a good work ethic. This wasn't what was best for him because he probably could have played football and gone to college, but Troy refused to understand or believe that.
-Wes