Modern 1960s Father

I believe that Troy is as straightforward as a man could be in his time era. It consisted of the man going to work, working all day, coming home to a meal cooked by his wife, and then either having a nice time with his friends, or going home to sleep it all off, and repeat the cycle again. Sure, Tory may go a little overboard with his idea of fun, “I eye all the woman – Hell yeah, I bought her a drink!” (3), but nonetheless, he wants to improve the lives of his children, like any father would. He tried to show his son Cory that the world isn’t made of money, “Naw, it’s just two hundred dollars. See that roof you got over your head at night? Let me tell you something about that roof. It’s been over ten years since that roof was last tarred” (32), which then leads Troy into showing his son that you need to take care of the essentials in life first, before moving on to things that make you feel happy and give you luxury. He then later in the chapter talks to Cory about his job, and how he has heard that Cory is going to stop working and pursue his dream of becoming a professional football player, in which Troy was very displeased. He states, “You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in the A&P or learn how to fix cars to build houses or something, get you a trade. That way you have something can’t nobody take away from you. You go on and learn how to put your hands to some good use.” (35), so that Cory doesn’t end up like Troy in the fact that his dream was diminished because people didn’t want to see him up at home plate, swinging his bat. This is why, for the time era that Troy is in, and the hardships that he has to endure, he is a really good father to have around.

Wilson's Legacy

August Wilsons legacy is that he created a voice for the African- American community by making a play for each decade of the 20^th century. According to Rachel shteir “each play grapples with the insidious effects pf America’s racism on the African- American community, they are at their best not history lessons by lyric explorations of the universal particulars of their characters.” This was a big thing because August Wilson was really the first but the only person to compete a cycle like this and also nobody really the first person to step up for the black community the way he did because before they just kept quiet and did what they had to do to survive.  

Really the reason they gained power or the reason power has a lot to do with this is because his plays were so good that they made to such a popular place (Broadway) where very one can see and understands better of where they come from and stat to have that similar mind set of “how we are treating them is bad.” And maybe start spreading the message around and soon everyone has the same mind set as Wilson did when he was making these plays.  The way that “race” plays apart in this is because for starters it is a play for and about African- Americans and second different races can come watch the and experience the same message that everyone get from watching some of Wilsons play.

 

Thank you for reading.  

Troy's Legacy

Tory Maxson had somewhat of a different legacy for certain people in his family. Cory hated him for the way he raised him. Troy crushed Cory’s dream and passion of playing college football all for something as simple as a job at a local convenience store. He really resented Troy for that. Cory could never understand why Troy would do something like that to him. He didn’t want to be anything like him. “Rose: You just like him. You got him in you good. Cory: Don’t tell me that, Mama.” (Wilson 97).  Cory and Troy never saw eye to eye but Cory did turn out well. He is now a Marine Corporal which is a big accomplishment. That was Tory’s one goal for Cory, to be successful. For Rose and Reynell, Troy was the provider. He took care of them, made sure they had food to eat and a roof over their head. He worked very hard at his garbage man job so that they could have the best life possible. He loved and cared for them. Tory definitely won’t be remembered as a great man in Rose’s eyes after he had an affair with the woman from Florida and had a kid (Raynell) with her. Rose pretty much only stayed with Troy and helped raise Raynell because that was all she knew and had no other options. Troy cheating on her really crushed her because all she wanted was a loving, faithful and happy family. Troy’s action ruined that for her. She stayed with him but nothing was ever the same.

 

What is Legacy?

What is legacy? Legacy means how someone is remembered, and what contributions they made while they were alive.  In the play Fences, Troy Maxson is the main character and his Legacy will always be remembered. Troy was known as a hardworking man that always stood up for what he believed in. From the beginning of the play Troy expressed how he felt with no hesitation. For example, "I ain't worried about them firing me. They gonna fire me cause I asked a question? That's all I did. I went to Mr.Rand and asked him, "Why?" Why you got the white men driving and the colored lifting?" Told him, "What’s the matter, don't I count? You think only white fellows got sense enough to drive a truck." (2) Troy felt like it was unfair that colored men were forced into doing the hard labor work while the white men got to do the easy tasks such as driving so he decided to do something about it and complain. Throughout the play you can tell how much Troy tries pushing his morals and values onto his children and others around him, he does it so much sometimes that someone may take is as being ignorant. Troy’s legacy is passed down onto his kids and his wife as time goes on, especially when he found out he was having a child. Even though he wasn’t in the best situation he still stood up and took action, like a man would. “Rose… I’m standing here with my daughter in my arms. She ain’t but a wee bittie little old thing. She don’t know nothing about grownup’s business. She innocent… and she ain’t got no mama.” (78). No matter how complicated the situation was Troy still faced the consequences. Troy’s choices and actions are what shaped his legacy and left it on others around him. When Troy passes away you can tell the impact he made on everyone around him, even though he didn’t get along with everyone, he still left a footprint in their heart.

Troy's Legacy

Troy’s legacy takes form in the opinion of those close to him, Cory spent eighteen years of his life in Troy’s shadow. “Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk into your flesh. It would wrap around you and lay there until you couldn't tell which one was you anymore.” (Wilson 97) Troy stated that he wanted Cory to be nothing like him but in doing so made Cory more like him, the quote shows how Cory also likes to tell exaggerated stories and in trying to say he isn't like his father but proves that he is. Cory however differs from his Troy because of his treatment of Cory, because Troy had treated Cory the way he did Cory did as much as he could to not be like Troy, because of this he went and joined the military to get out and make a better life for himself. However Cory says “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) which resembles something that I believe Troy might have done, if the situation had arisen. Another way Troy’s legacy is made known is when Cory and Raynell are singing “Blue treed a possum out on a limb, Blue looked at me and I looked at him, Grabbed the possum and put him in a sack.” (Wilson 99) shows that Cory and Raynell will remember Troy, through that song forever. 

Troy's Legacy

I feel that troy left a good legacy to himself and his family. It seemed like Troy set goals not only for himself but for his family, he showed his two sons Lyons and Cory tough love to help better themselves in the real world. Troy was a hardworking man and did what he could to provide for his family to make sure they had a roof over their head, clothes on their back and food on the table. “I don’t know why he don’t go and get him a decent job and take care of that women he got” (Wilson, 19). Troy saying this means he is not directly taking action, but is concerned about his son. Troy had high hopes for his youngest son Cory, wanting him to make something out of himself. Troy went through a tough time in sports, not being able to make it as a black man in baseball. Cory is playing football and Troy does not want him to continue on, “What kind of foolishness is that to let somebody take away your job” (Wilson, 36). Troy wanted his son to get an education so he could move as far as he could from him and be successful in life, unlike how Troy is working hard now. “I don’t want him to be like me! I want him to move as far away from my life as he can get” (Wilson, 39).  Even at the funeral Cory still felt the impression his father had on him. “Everywhere I looked, Troy Maxson was staring back at me… hiding under the bed… in the closet. I’m just saying I’ve got to find a way to get rid of that shadow, mama” (Wilson, 97).

Troy impacted his family by showing he was a hardworking man and did what he could to provide for them. Even though Troy cheated on his wife Rose and had an affair with another woman, he still cared for her and still wanted the best for her. “I aint’s talking about doing Rose no bad turn. I love Rose. She done carried me a long ways and I love and respect her for that” (Wilson, 63).

troy's legacy

   I think Troy’s legacy was to work hard, being a man, and being responsible. I said this is his legacy because that is what I thought was most important to him than anything else, also he gives examples of his life to show these things. For example when troy talks about him leaving his house “Now I thought he was mad cause I ain’t done my work. But I see where he was chasing me off so he could have the gal for himself. When I see what the matter of it was, I lost all fear of my daddy. Right there is where I become a man . . . at age fourteen…  The only thing I knew was the time had come for me to leave my daddy’s house” (Wilson, 52). Troy left behind his legacy through his son Cory. Troy and Cory have conversations within those conversations troy tells Cory things that he should know and learn, for example when troy talks to Cory about why a TV is not as important as keeping a roof over their heads. I know this because at the end of the book rose says that Cory is just like his father. “You just like him. You got him in you good… You Troy Maxson all over again… You can’t be nobody but who you are, Cory. That shadow wasn’t nothing but you growing into yourself… Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn’t . . .  and at the same time he tried to make you into everything he was. (Wilson, 97).