Fences by Austin Wilson
Fences is a story by Austin Wilson entangled with various conflicts adjoining an African American family living in Pennsylvania in 1957. In the text, the focus of conflict is purported to be the head of the family and the main character Maxson Troy. The outstanding conflict used in the text to bring forward other elements of the story is Troy’s conflict versus the family. Maxson Troy’s conflicts emerged from his son Lyons who was from the previous relationship, Bono, his closest friend, Rose, his wife and their son Cory. Each conflict from these family members that arise in the text plays a major role in creating the structure of Troy’s family and also lending a hand in addressing the external and internal conflicts played out by the characters in the story. How Troy Maxson conflict versus family was used by the author to further the story has been discussed below.
Form the text, Maxson Troy is living in a cohort where there are inadequate chances for African American individuals. Despite the limited opportunities, Maxson Troy believes that struggle is the only mechanism to survive and the only way to do it to support the family. In the text, Maxson Troy’s conflicts arise when he tries to impose his believes and views on the family members and demands them to view the world through his perspective. This act is according to the narrative by me…. which states that problems are generated by the client’s wider view on cultural discourse and stories.
In the story, from the first encounter, the relationship between Lyons and Maxson Troy is adversely stressed due to the variance in outlook adopted by the two characters. The difference in outlook is brought out by the fact that Maxson Troy and Lyons were brought up in two different generations. Maxson Troy was brought up in a generation where the African Americans were treated poorly when compared to the Native Americans. On the other hand, Lyons as brought up in a generation where there is a lot of chances for African Americans. Also, Lyons is musically struggling with his belief that his music gives him a sense of fitting. Further, the gap between the father-son relationship is widened by Maxson Troy believing that Lyons optimism is blindness and thus creating a barrier in his relationship with his son to an extend of pushing him away.
Also, I have a strong belief that the stained relationship between Maxson Troy and Lyons arise from the underlying fact that Maxson Troy was incarcerated for the first fifteen years of Lyons life. Maxson Troy imprisonment led to Lyon mentioning in the text that Maxson Troy did not take part in raising him. The attitude developed by Maxson Troy towards his son is adversely out of protection and thus the reason why Lyons does not want to reconnect with his dad, Maxson Troy.
The other aspect of Maxson Troy conflict verses family is brought out in the text when Maxson Troy gets out of the prison and meets Rose who later became his wife. As the story unveils in the text, Rose displays and outstanding character of comparison and understanding to Maxson Troy and other characters in the story. Rose puts her faith, time and efforts in ensuring that Maxson Troy and their son Cory are doing well. However, her efforts are stunted upon Maxson Troy revealing to her that he has sired a son by the name Raynell with her secret lover, Alberta. After Maxson Troy revealing the secret to his wife, their relationship instantly changed to a distant to almost a point of emotional cut-off. The fading relationship between Maxson Troy and his wife Rose is in accordance with me….. Claiming that two people in a relationship goes through circles of distance and closeness.
Despite Maxson Troy explaining his secret affair with Alberta occurring because he wanted to escape anxiety and stress that had govern his life, Rose stand for herself and realizes the time that she had wasted living with Maxson Troy. The conflict between Maxson Troy and Rosa is enhance when Alberta, Raynell mother dies and Maxson Troy insist Rose to adopt Raynell as her own. The birth of Raynell weakened the relationship between Maxson Troy and Rosa leading to emotional cut off. Despite the threatened relationship, Rosa gathers her strength amidst the conflict and develops a strong bond with Raynell. In the story, Rosa finds her real self again by giving up her strength for Maxson Troy to recollect his strength.