IndexThe father-son relationship in FencesTroy and his father's relationshipTroy and Cory's relationship in FencesLyon and his father (Troy)ConclusionWorks CitedThe father-son relationship in Fences “Fences” by August Wilson is one of the plays that can be used as a good example to show the theme of the relationship between father and son. The work is a masterpiece by August Wilson. There are three seemingly complex and perplexing father-son relationships. It can be observed that the relationships that exist between Troy and Cory, Troy and his father, and Troy and Lyon do not flourish out of love. In all these relationships, children try to escape the restrictions imposed by their fathers. At the end of the show, the sons find themselves between a rock and a hard place as their fathers seem to have an unbreakable bond with their children that makes it difficult for them to escape a fate similar to that of their father. To analyze the relationship between Troy and Cory in Fences, this essay will evaluate the relationship between fathers and sons in the play, as well as the effects of this relationship on the characters' lives. Literary elements such as characters, theme, and conflict will also be evaluated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "Fences" has various characters. Troy Maxson is the main character of the novel. He is the father of Cory Maxison and Lyons Maxison. Rose Maxison is Troy's wife and Cory and Lyons' mother. Troy has a long-time best friend known as Bono. The two met a long time ago in prison, when they were young. Gabriel is Troy's brother. He is her only other brother. He was wounded in World War II, so he has a metal plate on his head. Troy's father also appeared on the show. He is said to be very evil. He ended up treating his family so ruthlessly that the family had to run away from him. Characters like Troy, Cory and Lyons always chase the dream of breaking ties with their fathers. However, fathers seem to hold on to the tie so tightly that their sons cannot break it. This results in conflicts and bad relationships between the parties. Troy once ran away from his father due to his evil nature. However, the way Troy was treated seems to have affected him so much that he ended up treating his children and family the same way. Just like their father, Cory and Lyons were unable to achieve their dreams, so they ended up being failures just like their father. Troy and his father's relationship One of the most important themes in the play Fences is the father and son relationship. The bond between Troy and his father was far more complex than anyone would have ever imagined. Troy has been greatly influenced by his relationship with his father, the way he behaves towards his children is a perfect mirror of the way he related to his father. Troy says that “sometimes I wish I hadn't known my father. He didn't care about childlessness. (…) But I say this for him…he felt a responsibility towards us”. Troy was fourteen years old when he was forced to become a man and leave the confines of his father's home. However, Troy is hypocritical because he tries to behave towards his children, like Cory, the same way his father behaved towards him, despite speaking so negatively about his father. Troy recounts how he and his mother abandoned their father because they "could not bear the evil that possessed their father." Troy's recognition of his father's flaws, but his failure to recognize the similarities between the two, foreshadow similar consequences. Ultimately, with Cory and Rose leaving him. The relationship between Troy and his father is affected by the times, because Troy's father grew up in1800 after the abolition of slavery, and the fact that he grew up in that environment ultimately influenced how he painted his children and how he showed affection for them. The relationship between Troy and Cory is more bitter and strained than between Troy and his father. Troy's combative attitude comes from his past. He blames discrimination for keeping him from realizing his dream of playing baseball in the big leagues, and he can't let go of that bitterness. Cory resembles the change that is occurring in the late 1950s, which Troy regrets believing in. Cory is given opportunities that his father was denied, which is mostly the root cause of Troy's resentment towards Cory. Cory breaks the cycle of the broken relationship between father and son by returning home for his father's funeral. Troy never returned to his father after he left. The relationship between Troy and his father was much more complicated than anyone would have ever imagined. Troy, however, is so affected by this relationship that the way he acts towards his children perfectly reflects the way he related to this father when he was young. Troy says that “sometimes I wish I hadn't known my father. He doesn't care about childlessness. (…) But I tell you this…he felt a responsibility towards us”. (Wilson, I, IV, p50). As Troy recounts his life with his father, he talks about a time when he tried to run away from home when he was young. However, Troy is hypocritical as he tries to act towards his children as his father tried to act towards him despite speaking about his father in a degrading manner. It is evident that Troy and his mother left their father because they “could not bear that wickedness” that their father possessed (Wilson, I, IV, p51). The similarity of Troy's actions to those of her father foreshadows similar consequences. As a result Cory and Rose eventually leave him. Troy and Cory's Relationship in Fences The dream that Cory had in his life is shattered by his father Troy as he forbids it. This makes the relationship between the two very edgy. Cory tries to escape the intent his father had, but this bears no fruit as his father's presence in his life seems permanent. As Troy tries to refer to his son, he states, “I don't want him to be like me! I want him to get as far away from my life as possible. (Wilson, I, ii, p39). Troy is always bitter, which creates a strained relationship between him and his son. This, however, is a result of the life Troy had lived in the past. Troy is always bitter because racism didn't allow him to realize his dream. When his son Cory follows in his footsteps in sports, Troy does not allow his son to pursue this dream as he fears that whatever happened to him will happen to his son. He wants his son not to face the racism he faced in his time, but at the same time he acts jealous and overprotective. According to Lochman, John and Karen, just like any other parent, his intentions were quite genuine, but his methods were extreme. He wants to dictate his son's life by shaping him rather than letting him explore the possibilities. Troy doesn't want to accept the possibility that racism has been erased and fears that his son will face the same thing. Cory wants so badly to escape the path his father followed, but it's ironic that he ends up following in his father's footsteps. At one point, Cory tells his father that "just because you didn't have a chance, you're just afraid that I'll become better than you, that's all." (Wilson, I, IV, p58). This strained relationship continued until Cory could no longer pursue his dream of becoming a baseball player. He ends up becoming a Marine Corpsman, which makes him as disillusioned as his father. Lyon and his father.