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).

Troy final good byes

Troy was a man of many things he was a father, brother, husband and most of all a friend to others. Like most things people relied on him mostly on money and maybe some support here and there. All troy was trying to do was bring home the bacon and most people wouldn’t survive without him. Troy was stretch to the fullest on make sure everything in the house hold was being taken care of.

 “Troy Like you? I go out here every morning….. Bust my butt… putting up with them crackers every day … cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw” (Wilson 38). Even though in this part it may seem that troy is being hard on his boy but only just to get his son to understand its just tough love.

Still troy

“it’s my job. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take care of his family you live in my house ….. Sleep you behind on my bedclothes… fill you belly up with my food… cause you my son. You my flesh and blood not cause I like you! Cause it my duty to take care of you I owe a responsibility to you! Let’s get this straight right here… before it go along any further … I aint got to like you. Mr. Rand don’t give me my money come payday cause he likes me. He gives me cause he owe me. I done give you everything I had to give you. I gave you your life….”(Wilson 38)

 What troy was trying to  have Cory realize is that it I do love you son but I am not going to treat you will your mom does I am going to treat you like a man  and show you and tell you what a man does  you may not like it but you have to hear it.

 As the years go on troy and Cory  relationship kinds of shifts  in a way Cory finally a stands up to his dad  how his way is not the best way  but then he realize it’s for the best that he should leave

“Cory: come on put me out

(Cory swings at troy, who backs across the yard)

What’s the matter? You so bad… put me out” (Wilson 88)

The way troy shape and develop  his legacy that  he made something out of his son.

Troy's Legacy

I believe that Troy’s legacy was really a lesson to Cory because of his work ethic for example, Cory has served in the US Marines for six years now and that takes a lot of work, really pretty much all Troy wanted him to do which was work and not fool around the football. For Lyons Troy really wasn’t around for him when he was growing up so really he didn’t leave much behind for Lyons he made Lyons more of a responsible person. “Thanks for the ten dollars pop I’ll give it back to you”  “there they go telling another lie.”  Troy didn’t think that Lyons was going to pay him back but he did and proved Troy wrong. But another thing that Troy really left behind was himself through Cory, “Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn’t …. And at the same time he tried to make you into everything he was.” So pretty much Cory is just a relaxation for Troy on the inside. Just because he said he didn’t want to go to his funeral, it something Troy would say because Troy really never went and supported something that Cory did like football so Cory has this revenge of if you don’t come to something I want you to come to then I’m not going to what you and your family wants me to go to. Overall Troy’s legacy was left behind though work ethic and you can see that through Cory because he work now and he doesn’t mess around with football anymore. Legacy is really shown through family I believe  

The Impact of Troy's legacy

Troy’s legacy is a hardworking, family man who made mistakes and isn’t ashamed of those mistakes. An example of this is “I can’t just make it go away. It’s done now. I can’t wish the circumstance of the thing. (Wilson68)  this is after the fact Troy has told Rose that he has slept with another women. Also another example is “it’s just …. She gives me a different idea… a different understanding about myself.”(wilson68) troy almost tries to justify his reasoning for sleeping with a different women other than Rose. “When my turn to head out , I was fourteen”(Wilson52) this shows Troy’s independence from such a young age of 14 years old just to up and walk out of his father’s house .  My last example is “It’s my job. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take of his family. You live in my house… sleep in my bedclothes…fill you belly up with my food. Cause you my son. You my flesh and blood not ‘cause I like you! It’s my duty to take care of you”. (wilison38)  

Troy was already set in his ways when it came to living his life. This had an impact on legacy because he wasn’t a great father but he also wasn’t bad, especially when it came to Cory and Lyons he didn’t necessarily say “I love you”. He showed his “love” by providing the bare minimum which I think shaped his legacy to a negative in his children’s eyes. the reason why I think that is because he didn’t allow his children to chase their dreams but  he had slept around with a different women now he has a child outside of his “original family” (Rose, Cory, Lyons)  he was trying to give that child a different choice and life. Also his choices with his wife was one of positive highlights and negative. The positive was that he took care of her and also provided her with and home he remained somewhat faithful. The negative is that he wasn’t a great commutator when it came to his feelings  and he would almost paint himself as a victim in some situations especially when he cheated on rose.  

Hand Me Downs

Troy’s legacy is something we focus on a lot throughout the play. If you don’t analyze it then you would think that maybe Troy didn't care much about his legacy. But with further thinking we can tell that Troy’s legacy is important to him and it’s held in the hands of the family he leaves behind.

Throughout the play we see as Troy pushes his morals and his values onto his children and wife while all along he is going against them himself. Maybe we need to view these morals and values AS Troy’s legacy, rather than his legacy being the path he walked himself.  

In chapter 5 the scene is set as the whole family gathers around Troy’s funeral. Cory is back from the Marines, Gabriel is lucky enough to leave the hospital to visit and Lyons has also stopped by. The female figures in Troy’s life, Rose and Raynell, also find themselves there. All these people has been impacted by Troy in some way. Troy’s pushed his views and values onto these people, even though he didn’t always live them out in his own right. He sought to it that his children learned from his mistakes.

In a way it’s almost chronological how Cory’s problems involve sports while Troy tries to enforce his legacy upon Cory’s athletics by trying to have Cory learn from Troy’s experience. Then Lyon’s problems with borrowing money as paralleled by Troy’s experience with taking money from Gabe.

We see Troy progressively become more and more stern throughout the novel. When it came to these pieces of advice, he began with acting calmly in unacceptance and ended with very direct instructions toward “doing the right thing”.

In the end Troy leaves his legacy on a family with hands over their ears, ignorant to most his pieces of advice. They remember Troy as their dad who wanted to set the right precedents for his children’s success.

Still sometimes words snuck through the fingers of the ignorant family. In Act 2 Scene 5 Lyons reflects about his current time in jail citing Troy for saying “It ain’t so bad. You got to take the crooked with the straights. That’s what Pap used to say” (94).  This statement serves as a monuments to Troy’s legacy and the words he passed down.

In Scene 5 Rose goes on and on about Troy saying “Like I’d been blessed to relive a part of my life. And if the Lord see fit to keep up my strength... I’m gonna do her just like your daddy did you… I’m gonna give her the best of what’s in me” (98).  This quotes directly correlates with how Troy’s Dad’s legacy has been passed down to him and now he has passed his dad’s legacy down to Rose.

Troy left being something in each one of this children. His legacy is the morals and beliefs that he has left behind in his family. 

Legacy

By Brook Fuhlendorf

Troy Maxson's legacy did not impact many, though he left his mark on a few. His legacy was that of a man who was a provider and not one who was emotionally available. Troy left behind his house and everything that he provided. Additionally, he left behind a damaged family. Throughout the play, he laid the foundation for this legacy. Troy worked hard to give his family the bare essentials. Unfortunately, he did not give them what they really needed. He did not give his wife his love and his time. Similarly, he did not give his son the love and tenderness that he desired. Troy said, "Rose, I ain't got time for that. He's alive. He's healthy. He's got to make his own way. I made mine. Ain't nobody gonna hold his hand when he get out there in that world" (Wilson 39). Furthermore, Troy's legacy was molded by his decisions and his actions. He chose to cheat on his wife. He broke his family with this act. It was his decision to crush his son's dreams by not allowing him to play football or receive the scholarship. Troy did not take his best friend's advice, stay true to his wife, or show that he was a loving husband and father. He only revealed that he felt responsible to their physical needs and worked to keep them alive. This is his legacy. Troy Maxson was not a loving husband and father; he was an adulterer and a provider. Troy shaped a sad legacy throughout his pursuit of happiness. He was loved. His family was grateful for what he did do. Sadly, his family did not feel his love in return. Due to his actions, Troy's son did not want to attend his funeral. Cory said, "The whole time I was growing up... living in his house... Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk into your flesh. It could wrap around you and lay there until you couldn't tell which one was you anymore. That shadow digging into your flesh. Trying to crawl in. Trying to live through you. 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). His legacy was not something his son wanted to carry. His legacy remains in those he impacted; some of this legacy is good and some is bad. Nonetheless, this is Troy's legacy.

Don't Strike Out

What is a legacy? A legacy is what someone leaves behind when they are no longer present on earth. While reading through Fences you learn a lot about the idea of a legacy and how a persons actions and personality can effect it. Troys legacy was to put everything that you can into your life to make sure you are secure and satisfied and to never strike out. When reading about Troy in the beginning of the play we start to learn a little about Troys life and how much work he has to put into his life. He faces discrimination in the work place, an abusive father, a mother who abandoned him and getting a women pregnant that wasn't wife. He faced a lot of things that turned him into the man he was. Although some parts of Troy aren't the best and he can show a lot of tough love towards his sons, its all to give them a better future than he did.

I believe that Troy left the biggest impact on Cory. This is because Troy saw a lot of himself in Cory, they both had similar dream of making sports a priority in their lives. This is one of the biggest reasons why Troy was so hard on Cory. Troy wanted to teach Cory everything he could so that he knew how to take care of a family and to have a steady job in life. Although there were things that Troy did wrong in his life he always had the best intentions for Cory. I truly think that Cory realized at the end of the book how much of an impact his dad had on shaping him into the man he is. No matter what the situation was for Troy and Cory, Troy always wanted to make Cory a better man than he was. "Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn't…and at the same time he was trying to make you everything he was. I don’t know if he was right or wrong…but I do know that he meant to do more good than he meant to do harm.” (Wilson 97). This shows that Troy had nothing but good intention for Cory his whole life and that will live on with Cory and shape him to take the good parts of what his dad taught him but also to learn what not to do from his dads actions in the past.

Troy legacy was also shown when the women he got pregnant died giving birth and he was left with the baby. He took on the responsibility of the child and took the baby into him home because she was his daughter and his morals would not let him leave her behind. "Shes my daughter, rose. My own flesh and blood. I can't deny her no more than I can deny them boys"(Wilson 79). He knew in his mind that it would be a huge responsibility in life but he also knew that in his heart he couldn't leave that girl without a family to support her

Overall, I believe that Troy left a very positive legacy into the whole family. Without Troy giving everything he had in life to make sure his family was well feed and secure, they wouldn't be the people they are. Troy made sure to not let the boys be who he was but also make sure the boys had the strong realization of what it means to be a man and step up to the plate when it came down to life is throwing you a fast ball and to not strike out.  

Troy's legacy

A Person takes birth on this earth, lives his life and die. But how he lived his life leaves a clear impact on the lives of the ones with whom he spent his life. Troy lived his life the way he thought was right. His life was full of struggles and those struggles taught him the way to live.
According to him every one has got three strikes in their life and he got all his three strikes. But still he lost at the end. He had nothing at the end but his life experience. His struggles and his life experience is his legacy which he has passed on to his loved ones. His son Lyons thinks the same way as he did. He remember what his father used to tell him and try to live his life that way. He says, “He used to say that when he struck out. I seen him strike out three times in a row…and the next time up he hit the ball over the grandstand” (Wilson 94). Lyons has got his life a bit similar to his father, full of struggles, non-permanent job, and has lost his girl also. But the good thing is that he still has hope just like his father.
But his son Cory didn't learnt what his father used to say. He learnt to live his life from his father’s experience and his mistakes. He is not struggling in his life. He has got a good job is soon going to settle in his life. He has hit home run on his first strike. His father always wanted him to get a job and he made him do so by throwing his son out of his house. As Rose tells Cory, “Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn't” (Wilson 97). Troy succeeded in this thing. Cory is working hard just like his father.

Troy's Legacy

I believe that Troy's legacy would be his kids. Troy did a lot of things to shape his kids even though it may not have been the best way to raise children he still did what he thought was best for them. Especially in Cory’s case, Troy gave him a roof over his head and food but without showing that he liked his kid. Cory asks “How come you ain’t never liked me” and Troy responded with “liked you? Who the hell say I got to like you” what law is there say I got to like you” Wanna stand up in my face and ask a damn fool-ass question like that. Talking about liking somebody. Come here, boy, when I talk to you.”(Wilson 37) this quote shows that even when confronted about not being a loving father he is more concerned with himself and although he does a lot for Cory the way he shaped his boy is still the way he is remembered. Cory ended up joining the Marines and making a better life for himself which I believe is because of how troy treated him while he was alive. Cory grew up to be a better man than his father and that’s ultimately what Troy wanted. Troy also gave to Lyons even though Lyons didn’t grow up with Troy, he still treated him as his own son and gave him money. Troy wanted Lyons to succeed too. He wanted him to get a better job and be a provider which is why he gave him a hard time when Lyons would ask for money. When Lyons asked Troy for money Troy said “I done learn my mistake and learned to do what’s right by it. You still trying to get something for nothing. Life don’t owe you nothing. You owe it to yourself. Ask Bono. He’ll tell you I’m right.”(Wilson 18) so Troy Tried to Tell Lyons about the importance of earning what you get. Even with Raynell he tried to do right by her. He didn’t want her to grow up daddy-less and when her mom died he took responsibility and asked Rose to help. His kids are his legacy because that’s what he put himself into. He put himself into caring for his kids even though he didn’t seem too happy about it. His legacy lives on in his kids. We see it in Cory because he goes into the Marines, we see it in Lyons because he is doing time and he is trying to make a better life for himself and is taking responsibility for his life choices, and even though Raynell is still young we see his impact on her with the song Troy used to sing about the dog.

Troy's Legacy

The legacy that troy left behind was to work hard for what you want and what you deserve. He work hard for what he has and was the one to provide for his family. There was not a time he didn’t provide for his family and he would go the extra mile to help them in whatever they need. Even though he made mistake he made sure that wasn't affecting his family. I believe this because when he tells rose “I always come home, Rose. You know that” (Wilson 73). Its shows that even though she hated him for mistakes he has made, he still showed up to the house and gave everything to them.

Rose was the one who has shaped Troy’s legacy because he would listen and do everything she would ask of him. He respected her so much and knew that she has done lots for the family. She was the one to make sure he felt loved and that he was doing what he was supposed to do and basically kept him on check if she knew he was asking something harsh towards someone or even something that would end up hurting him back for example when she said “Let’s not get off into all that” (Wilson 20). When she tells him to stop talking about Lyon and how he can’t support himself even though his thirty years old, he quits talking about him and lets rose give the money to him.

I believe his legacy was develop when he was on his own. He wanted to become his own person, he didn't have a father to look up to and follow his expectation so he set standards for himself and made sure that the mistake that his father made would never affect him for example when troy says to Cory “Then get the hell out of my face, and get on down to that A&P” (Wilson 38). He wanted to make sure that his son had a better future than having high hopes on football. Towards that end we see that because of troy he doesn't join the football team but rather the marine and he followed his father footstep. Even though he was harsh towards Cory he wanted to make sure he had a good future ahead of him when his father wasn't there.

Towards the end of the story I have notice something that Troy and Cory both create which was that song. Troy ended up teaching Raynell because it was like a tradition for him.

Troys Ultimate Legacy

What will everyone remember now that Troy Maxson is gone? Every action that Troy made through his life leads towards a Legacy that he leaves behind. He leaves behind many positives through his life that leads to him having a positive Legacy. He shaped and taught each of his children to become better individuals and you see that though Cory. He makes Cory, quit playing football for high school and forces him to get his job at the A&P, to show the importance of being a man, responsibility of holding down a job, and getting money. Towards the end of the book we see that in the past couple years Cory had joined the Marines and had became a stronger more mature man because he wanted to prove the he was something more.

Legacy is something that a person leaves behind after they die. Troy will be remembered for all of his hard work, honesty, a father figure, a best friend, and the respect he gave and received. Troy stood up for everything that he believed in and we see that in the beginning of the play when he is telling Rose about the food place that was opened by the black man. “A Negro go in there and can’t get no kind of service. I seen a white fellow come in there and order a bowl of stew. Pope picked all the meat out of the pot for him. Man ain't had nothing but a bowl of meat. Negro come behind him and ain't got nothing but the potatoes and carrots” (Wilson, 23). He doesn't like the fact that a black man owning the food place doesn't help other black men out, he acts just like a white man would. Troy is one of the hardest workers and he provides for his family. You see that through the entire book he is always giving, whether it be money or food even in the end when the family is split. “I do the best I can do. I come in here every Friday. I carry a sack of potatoes and a bucket of lard. You all line up at the door with your hands out. I give you the lint from my pockets. I give you my sweat and my blood. I ain't got no tears. I don’t spent them. We go upstairs in that room at night…and I fall down on you and try to blast a hole into forever. I get up Monday morning…find my lunch on the table. I go out. Make my way. Find my strength to carry me through to next Friday. That’s all I got to give. I can’t give nothing else” (Wilson, 40).
 
In the beginning you can tell that he was leaving a good Legacy but towards the end after he told Rose about Alberta he was labeled as an abusive husband, a cheater, a liar, and also he threw Cory out on the street. His Legacy became tainted because he realized that ultimately he valued his happiness over all others and he didn't care who he had to walk over to obtain happiness. He leaves behind many positive things and also many negative things for his Legacy through out the book. 
 

Final post--Troys legacy

Troy's legacy remained mostly with his family.  Although he did earn a big promotion at work, "Your daddy got a promotion on the rubbish. He's gonna be the first colored driver (Wilson 45)." That was a big part of Troys legacy.  He cared a lot about money and being able to support his family.  He tried to shape his sons in a way that they would be successful.  He always wanted them to be able to support a family of their own.  That is why he pushed Cory so much. He wanted him to succeed and Cory will always remember Troy as the man who ruined his football career.  "The whole time I was growing up...living in his house...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. That shadow digging into your flesh. Trying to crawl in...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 get rid of that shadow, Mama (Wilson 97)." This shows a big part of what Troy has left behind with his son.  This is a bad legacy that Troy bad created.  He wanted Cory to do everything his way because that was the "right way". Cory was scared of his father.  He always will be.  He wants to get away from his dad and his former life as much as possible.  Troy will also always be known as the cheating liar to Rose.  Rose wanted so much more out of life but Troy sucked up a majority of it.  All she wanted to do is be with her husband and be a good wife to him.  "By the time Raynell came into the house, me and your daddy had done lost touch with one another. I didn't want to make my blessing off of nobody's ,misfortune...but I took on to Raynell like was all them babies I had wanted and never had...I'm gonna hive her the best of what's in me (Wilson 98)." This shows that even through Troy left her with his dirty business, she took advantage of the situation and mothered Raynell like her own.  Troy's legacy was his children, and the way he fathered them.  By the end of the book, Troy had lost everyone that was close to him. He made a lasting impact on his family and will always be remembered for the father of Raynell, Cory and Lyons. He was known for his strive to give basic necessities to his family, yet remembered for his lack of emotional support.

Troy's legacy/impact

Troy left behind a poisoned legacy because of his inability to be a good man. One after the other, his friends and family begin to leave him. He was able to turn his family away from him and made it so they all resented him. Cory and Troy had been in an altercation that resulted in Troy fighting Cory and kicking him out.  Cory made it clear he did not respect Troy because he was a bad father, "That's right. You always talking this dumb stuff. Now, why don't you just get out of the way" (Wilson, 86). Everyone doesn't like Troy and that fact is lamented when Cory tells him to get out of the way because of the disrespect it entails, which he had never done before because of the fear that Troy instilled in his family. I also feel like Troy had failed at properly guiding his kids because of his inadequacies at being a parent. The result of this is shown at Troy's funeral when Lyons is talking, "Stick with Uncle Sam and retire early. Ain't nothing out here. I guess Rose told you what happened with me. They got me down in the workhouse. I thought I was being slick cashing other people's checks" (Wilson 94). What Troy had wanted and had kept trying to teach his kids had ultimately failed because of Lyons resulting punishment from stealing money. This was a long time coming because of how he treated each and every one of them throughout the play. They all began to get fed up with Troy and decided they wouldn't be treated the same way they had been before.

A legacy

Troy Maxson was a hardworking man who took responsibility of his actions. Troy developed a  legacy throughout the play. His biggest legacy will be left with his children, both good and bad. Troy truly cared about his kids, and wanted them to be the best they can be. But at times, he could be really tough on them, especially Cory. Cory was even having a hard time going to Troy's funeral. "The whole time I was growing up...living in his house...Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere......Im just saying I've got to find a way to get rid of that shadow, Mama"(Wilson 96-97). Clearly, this isn't that great of a legacy that Troy left with Cory. It is sad that Cory feels this way about his father. Rose argues that Troy "meant to do more good that he meant to do harm" and "your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn't..." I fully agree with this and it is a big part of the legacy he left behind. Troy always meant well, although he messed up quite a bit, he always had good intentions in life. Troy wanted a lot for his children and he would do almost anything for them. He always looked out for their futures and wanted them to be better than he was. I think his children will realize this, and when they grow up and have children of their own they will care for them but at the same time will try to not make the same mistakes that Troy often made. A big part of Troy legacy is the children he left behind and love he had for them, even if it wasn't always clear to see.

Provided by Troy

            Troy’s legacy is different for certain people in his family. Though for the most part, his legacy was a positive one, the legacy of a provider. He was a provider for those in his family like Rose and Raynell who did, in the end, appreciate what he had did to make sure they had what they needed. Even for Cory, who did not see eye to eye with Troy often, was provided the necessities while they were arguing because that’s what Troy believed was his duty as a father. Throughout the book Troy forged a positive legacy as a provider for the family members in his life.

            As a provider Troy brought in the necessities that any human would need like food, water, shelter, and some other things but he was lacking in the area of emotions. It was clear that Troy wanted to shape the legacy of just a provider because all he would do is focus on work to earn the money that he needed. He made this extremely obvious when he said, “It’s my job. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take care of his family” (Wilson 38). The only job that Troy thought he had was to provide for his family. He didn't know anything about a father’s job of bringing emotional stability to the family. It was clear that he had left that legacy of a provider after Rose had told him that he didn't have a woman anymore. Even after Rose had gotten rid of him as a husband Troy provided for her because it was his duty and because she was taking care of his newly born daughter. She acknowledges his legacy as a provider after he died when she said, “I wanted a house that I could sing in. And that’s what your daddy gave me” (Wilson 98). After Rose said this she stated that he might not have always done the right thing but he did his best to take care of them even after they had their falling out. This shows that he truly left a positive legacy as a provider because she talked about him with the utmost respect and even convinced Cory to attend his father's funeral after he had made it clear that he did not wish to go.

            

Troy's Legacy in his Children

A legacy is what we leave behind for others to remember us by. Albert Pine says “what we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” In Fences, I believe that Troy’s legacy is in his children. Troy’s three children all possess different qualities that Troy himself had as well. Cory is a strong and independent man who grew up to serve his country as a Marine. Cory has become successful in the Marines and has earned a high ranking, “Look at you, man. Look at you. Don’t he look good, Rose. Got them Corporal stripes” (Wilson92). Lyons recognizes how well Cory has done for himself, and comments on how Troy knew that Cory had it in him. Cory is a part of Troy’s legacy because he has Troy’s qualities of bravery, and toughness. Throughout the play you could see how tough Troy was and his resilience will be remembered through Cory.

Lyons has more of a free spirit. Lyons is a musician who embodies Troy’s passion. Lyons says he will never stop playing because he says “it still helps me to get out of bed in the morning. As long as it do that I’m gonna be right there playing and trying got make some sense out of it” (Wilson 94). Troy had a passion for baseball and he always regretted that he never got to go further with his career. His passion will be remembered through Lyons who is still trying to pursue his dream and make music with his friends.

                Raynell, Troy’s daughter, is young and innocent. This is shown when her mother asks her why she is outside. “Girl get in here and get dressed. What you doing? Seeing if my garden growed” (Wilson90).  From the small portion of the play that Raynell is in, you can tell that she is a sweet and caring towards her mother and when she meets Cory. Troy was only caring and loving towards Rose. Raynell will be the one to carry on Troy’s legacy of love for Rose, because even when Cory goes back to the Marines, and Lyons to jail, Raynell will be there with Rose.

                Troy’s legacy is in the form of traits that he has instilled in his children. He never accomplished anything huge or contributed something huge to the world, but his children will be there to each carry on a part of Troy. Even though Troy won’t be there, his children will serve as a reminder of him. 

The evolution of Troy's Legacy

Troy was the main character whose decisions changed the lives of many people. His very existence affect these lives and I will say that those effects are his legacy. First of all in the first act Wilson makes the reader know that he is a very hard working family man who does provide for his family. Wilson makes this very apparent on page 40 when Troy says “You all line up at the door with your hands out. I give you the lint from my pockets. I give you my sweat and my blood” (Wilson 40). Wilson is trying to exaggerate the amount of hard work he puts in to provide for his family. It also becomes pretty apparent when he worked hard to get a chance to play professional baseball. As that was shown in act two that his legacy was a selfish man because of what he decided to do and go out and cheat with Alberta and get her pregnant. Wilson makes this very apparent when Troy says “I can laugh out loud…and it feels good. It reaches all the way down to the bottom of my shoes. Rose, I can’t give that up.” (Wilson 69). The way Troy said this it makes it seem that he was the only one who wanted an escape when he didn’t know that Rose as well made some huge sacrifices to be with him. Troy’s last legacy he made or left was Corey because as Rose put it he became just like his father a “man”. Troy raised him how he knew and wanted him to come out like. 

Leaving a legacy

Troy left this legacy behind of being a hard worker and providing for his family the basic necessities. In the beginning of the book we realize early on that Troy works hard for his money when he is not willing to give his older son Lyon money. Troy goes on to say, “What’s the matter, you too good to carry people’s rubbish? Where you think that ten dollars you talking about come from? I’m just supposed to haul people’s rubbish and give my money to you cause you too lazy to work. You too lazy to work and you wanna know why you ain't got what I got” (Wilson 17). Troy is hard working man and unless you live in his house he doesn't easily give out his money, but he is happy to help his son get a job so he can work for what he wants. Later on throughout the play we start to see a change in Troy. His job is eating away at him and coming home is just another reminder of how much he has to work to pay and support his family. Which is why Troy finds an interest in Alberta because she is something different, a change in his lifestyle. Just like when Troy says, “I can sit up in her house and laugh. Do you understand what I’m saying. I can laugh out loud…” (Wilson 69). He gets so caught up in his legacy of working hard that he feels he needs something new like cheating on Rose with someone other woman. In the end it doesn't play out well for Troy. He dies of a heart attack when he was outside swinging the bat. Rose states that Troy, “swung it and stood there with this grin on his face…and then he just fell over” (Wilson 96). This little piece that rose says makes me think that maybe Troy wished he had followed a different path and made his legacy with baseball. 

Troy's legacy

So the final scene of fences what is presented is the lasting effects of Troy's life on his loved ones. Though Troy's relationships with Bono, Rose, and Cory were abandoned and broken in life, they gather together in his honor to pay respect for his death. The most significant representation of Troy's legacy is the conversation between Cory and Raynell “Papa said it was the army. Did you Know Blue?”(99) Raynell experienced Troy's parenting after he and Rose stopped loving each other and after Cory left home. Cory experienced Troy at his worst as a parent and husband. Lyons had very little chance to know Troy as a father at all. Bono and Rose knew Troy in his prime as a ballplayer and witnessed his demise. Cory refuses to go to Troy's funeral even though he made the journey to visit home for the first time in almost eight years. Cory's last memories of the Maxson household were bitter and oppressive which led him to be the person who he is.

Now, however, Cory meets Raynell, who bears witness to a reformed world at the house and represents the changing world of the United States as it evolves into the passionate and emancipating decade of the sixties. Raynell holds no grudge against Troy. Her comments about their father are ordinary. She, like Lyons, Bono and Troy will grow up without one parent, but she will never experience the hurtful coming of age struggle Cory and the older men experienced. Raynell changes the pattern of violence between father and son in the Maxson family. When Cory and Raynell sing Troy's father's song about the dog named Blue together, Cory forgives Troy because he witnesses the love and the lessons that Troy passed on to his children. Cory experiences the song as evidence that Troy's deeds were a consequential from of what Troy knew in life. Troy did what he could with what he had and did his best to give what little he had to his family. Cory was stalled by Troy's mistakes, but will become a better person than his father because of what he learned as a result of Troy's struggle with himself.

The End of Troy

Troy’s legacy was one that was difficult to see, the choices that he made pushed his family in all directions but in the end the people that he was there for turned out alright.  Cory who had dreams of being a football player was stopped by Troy “the white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway” (Williams 35).  He refused to sign the papers and went down and pulled him out of football, but the tough aspects that Troy had and but his son Cory through helped him become a United States Marine.  So now, even though Cory didn’t go through football he is still a better man than his father which is all that Troy wanted in the end.  When he was around his family he affected them for the best unlike Lyons who Troy was not around for, he ended up in jail, “They got me down by the workhouse. I thought I was being slick cashing other people’s checks” (Wilson 94).  The people that were away from Troy when they were growing up ended up in jail, they didn’t receive the guidance and good work ethic, they try to slide through and get cash easy and it landed Lyons in jail.  The one thing that he left behind that impacts the entire family was Raynell, Rose kept her and is continuing to keep her, the entire family loves her as if Rose gave birth to her themselves.  I feel however that she will grow up and become different than Troy.  Rose is overall a more hopeful person and trusting so I feel that she will be more like her adopted mother that her father. But overall Troy left behind a legacy that is filled with both strength and dedication, even though he cheated and had a child with another woman he didn’t run from it, and because of that I believe that is why Rose has kept Raynell.  Overall we are what we are, through the changes in our lives cause a ripple effect and no one can see the effect they will have upon other people until its already there.

Troy's Legacy

My point of view on Troy’s legacy is similar to what I thought it was at the beginning of this play. What I had gathered in the beginning was that Troy didn’t really care about his family, but he was a hardworking man. At the end of the play now I would say his legacy was being a hardworking man, living through tough times, wanting nothing but happiness, and going out of his way to receive that happiness no matter the outcome.

You can see troy is a hardworking man, he kept but job driving the truck, even though it got very lonely and wasn’t all worked up to be as he expected. “It ain’t the same, Bono. It ain’t like working the back of the truck. Ain’t got nobody to talk to… feel like you working by yourself.” (83) This quote shows that even thought is job sucks, he stays with it because he has to support his family and keep his household alive.

I also see troy wanting nothing but happiness, and going out of his way to get that. No matter what might happen in the process of getting it. I’m talking about cheating on his wife, who did nothing but support him when he was in need. Raised his kids, and took care of his household. That woman did everything but he left her to be with someone else. “Then I saw that gal… she firmed up mu backbone.” (70)

Troy left a positive legacy and a negative legacy. Troy’s positive legacy was that he was a hardworking man, he took care of his children and did whatever it took to make sure they didn’t end up on the street. However Troy also left a bad legacy, he was being selfish and going against his wife and family and seeing another woman. No human is perfect and I would say Troy is the perfect example of that, you try hard… but you can’t always get what you want.

Troy's legacy

Troy’s was a father, Brother, Husband, and friend, he had so many people around him that were counting on him. Troy tried very hard to provide for himself and his family, without him a lot of people would be in a different place. Troy gave all he could to the people around him, “Troy:
Woman… I do the best I can do. I come in here every Friday. I carry a sack of potatoes and bucket of lard. You line up at the door with your hands out. I give you the lint from my pockets. I give you my sweat and blood.”(40). Troy Works very hard to make money for the family so he can provide a nice home and food. Throughout the play Troy changes from being a sort of cranky and crappy person to the people around him. He treats people like they don’t matter, Troy thinks all he needs to be happy is money and a job for a steady income.

Troy’s legacy can be interpreted in many different ways, in my opinion I found his legacy to be partly negative and partly positive. By that I mean in the beginning of the book fences Troy is very exhausted all the time and treats the people that he cares the most with disrespect. Towards the end of the play he realizes that the things he has done are starting to effect the people in his life. “a man’s got to do what right for him. I ain’t sorry for nothing I done. It felt right in my heart (to the baby) what you smiling at? Your daddy’s a big man. Got these big hands. But sometimes he’s scared. And right now your daddy’s scared cause we sitting out here and ain’t got no home. Oh, I been homeless before. I ain’t had no little baby with me.”(79). The saying “you don’t miss something until its gone” is very important at this part of the play because he had  family and a home but he made the choice to cheat and the consequences from his actions are coming back to bite him in the butt. Troy had all he needed and now he has nothing no home, no family, and no friends to help him. He hit a very big wall and I feel this is his breaking point, he finally realized that he had the things he wanted, and he just couldn’t see it before. His legacy changed from being a crump to understand what it really means to give and receive when it is needed.

I think Troy ultimately left his legacy behind by the actions he made, for example, when he told rose about what he had been doing and that he now has a baby. He made those decisions for himself and that left him in a tough spot because he had nothing. “Troy: in talking, woman, let me talk. I’m trying to find a way to tell you...I’m gonna be a daddy. I’m gonna be someone’s daddy.”(66). This is wear try went wrong, he told Rose which was the right thing to do but he shouldn’t have been going around with another woman in the first place. He also shows his legacy in a positive way, in one part of the play he’s talking to “death”. “Alright...Mr. Death. See now… I’m gonna tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna take and build me a fence around this yard. See? I’m gonna build me a fence around what belongs to me. Then I want you to stay on the other side” (77). This is where Troy takes his strength back and decides he’s gonna do what he can to get his family back. I feel Troy tried very hard to provide for him family, but he also was a cheating and non-caring person. Both of those things are very important for people to have in order to be happy and give others happiness.

Troy's Legacy

I think that Troy’s legacy is positive. Yes he did make a few mistakes, but he is only human we all make mistakes. For example as he grew up he went around robbing people and eventually got caught and had to do fifteen years in jail. But throughout the book I saw a lot of positives that Troy did. One thing that he did that was a positive was he was the first colored man to drive the garbage truck, which you could infer eventually allowed more colored drives. Troy: “Mr. Rand called me into his office today when I got back from talking to them people down there… he called me in and he told me they was making me a driver.” (Wilson 44) Bono: “Your daddy got a promotion on the rubbish. He’s gonna be the first colored driver.”(Wilson 45). Another part of the book that shows positive from Troy’s impact is the man that Cory became. Lyons, Rose, and Bono were all proud of the man that Cory turned into. “Rose and Cory embrace in a tearful reunion…” Cory: “Don’t cry, Mama. What you crying about?” Rose: “Im just so glad you made it.”(Wilson 92) Lyons was also proud of what Cory has become. (Lyons goes to embrace Cory.) Lyons: “Look at you, man. Look at you. Don’t he look good, Rose. Got them Corporal stripes.” (Wilson 92) and Lyons said something of this sort multiple times. And Bono also said “Yeah, he reminds me of Troy when I first met him.” (Wilson 92) which was when Bono looked up to Troy and idealized him. This shows that Troy’s legacy was positive and impacted a lot of people.

Troys legacy

Troy’s legacy is he is a good man and a father. Throughout the book he is always mean and strict but in the end he is always protecting his things. Everything he owns and is always about spending his money right and is always thinking ahead. “Then the wood rot from all that water and you gonna need a whole new roof. Now, how much you think it cost to get that roof tarred?” (32). He is planning ahead just in case something major happens to them so he doesn’t want to buy useless stuff like a tv. When he was growing up his dad was mean, didn’t let them eat, or anything to really support them. He doesn’t want to be anything near that, so he works hard and does everything to support his family. “Sometimes I wish I hadn’t known my daddy. He ain’t cared nothing about no kids. A kid to him wasn’t nothing” (50).  He wants his son to work so he can an independent man. “I don’t want him to be like me! I want him to move as far away from my life as he can get’ (39).

Also when he went to jail because he robbed people and he tried to rob the wrong person and got hurt. While he was in jail, he thought about is life a lot more. He decided its baseball and his girl. “’ Baby, it’s you and baseball all what count with me”’ (55).  Once he got out, they had a kid and he started to work and be supportive.

Troy's Legacy

I believe Troy’s legacy is of a hardworking man of the mid to early 1900’s. He’s the source of income for the family, and is the one with the street-smarts--which he’s learned after going to jail and going through problems such as discrimination in baseball and racism. He doesn't like to be back talked back to--he’s the man of the house. His legacy has been shaped by Rose because he would listen to Rose no matter what happened, unless it was about his affair with Alberta, because she disagreed with that and he wanted to keep the affair going. the affair made him forget about his responsibilities, Rose was the one that kept Troy in check most of the time so that he wouldn't go back to his old life of robbery. Bono says that Rose would keep troy out of trouble “Rose’ll keep you straight. You get off the track, she’ll straighten you up.” (Wilson 55).  What developed Troy’s legacy? His legacy was developed by his going to jail because he killed a guy when he was trying to rob him so he ended up in jail. He robbed people for food and then later for money and shoes but he ended up going to jail. resorted of robbery and murder and now he’s forgotten about robbing people. he ultimately felt ashamed of it “I’ll tell you the truth. I’m ashamed of it today.” (Wilson 54) after getting out he went on and started playing baseball and met Rose and told her “Baby, it’s you and baseball all what count with me” (Wilson 55). Because Rose wanted to make sure he wouldn't go back to his earlier life. Despite his ups and downs he’s always supported his family through thick and thin. 

Legacy of Troy

Troy’s Legacy

Troy passed away and passed a lot of himself to us and to his family. Troy had three kids each of his kids lived with him in different time with his different personalities. Troy used to be able to hit the ball with his bat and knock it out of the field without having any trouble but in his personal life he constantly missed the ball. Troy did what he thought was right and never listened to people around him which eventually broke his family apart. Cheating on Rose, kicking Cory out of the house and not being there for Lyons, after his death his legacy was a legacy of brining his family back together after breaking it.

Troy’s influence on Cory is a legacy, Troy was very harsh on Cory he stopped and put an obstacle to his dream of playing football, he forced him to work to assure a good life for Cory and every time you go further in the play you will see their relationship gets worse and eventually Cory is kicked out of the house. Cory’s experience with his father was a big thing in his life which will make Cory become a better person than his father because of what he learned in the struggle when he was living with him.

The conversation between Cory and Raynell is a legacy, both of them singing together (page 99-100) showed that Troy planted another seed in Raynell, a new father and a father that was loving which Cory sensed and made him change his mind to go to his father’s funeral” you go in the house and change them shoes like Mama told you so we go to Papa’s funeral”. Troy had a different definition of happiness his happiness is worth his marriage. He cheated on Rose to be happy “I can just be a part  of myself that I ain’t never been.” I think one of Troy’s legacy is leaving a different perspective about happiness.

The Legacy of Troy

Throughout Fences, characters rely on and influence each other. The main character in the play is Troy Maxson. Seeming to directly affect the lives of each character in the story, Troy's legacy has had an extensive impact in this text. The man of the house, father of 3 children, and hard-working breadwinner, Troy's influence on others was undeniable. Troy's legacy was mainly developed through his personality and interaction with friends and family.

Troy himself was known as a stubborn and strong-willed character, actively fighting for what he thought was just. Shown in the beginning of the play, Troy wanted equality in his job "Told him, 'what's the matter, don't I count? You think only white fellows got sense enough to drive a truck. That ain't no paper job! Hell, anybody can drive a truck. How come You got all whites driving and the colored lifting?'"(2). Valuing honor and the principle of things, Troy made decisions based on emotion instead of logic. When questioned by Rose as to why he goes to Bella's instead of the A&P he responded "What sense that make when I got money to go and spend it somewhere else and ignore the person who done right by me? That ain't in the bible" (7). Taking money from his Brother's medical fund made Troy feel guilty and dependent "If my brother didn't have that metal plate in his head . . .  I wouldn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. And I'm fifty-three years old"(28), even though it was the decision that had to be made. Troy's virtue was significant and touched people around him, his adamant personality left an imprint on the people in his life.

Although his unyielding nature had helped him throughout the story, there were also negative consequences. Troy grew up through hardship and adversity, and tried to apply a lot of the lessons he learned to his family. As a teenager, Troy was placed in a harsh situation with his father and leaving home "Sometimes I wish I hadn't known my daddy. He ain't cared nothing about no kids" (50). Albeit he wasn't the most loving father, Troy still cared for Cory and wanted what was best for him. Cory had a promising future in baseball and even got recruited, but Troy was not happy with the prospect of his son repeating a failed sports career. Troy has gone through the struggle of being a black man playing baseball, knowing that your chance can easily be snatched from you. "You a bigger fool than I thought . . . to let somebody take away your job so you can play some football. Where you gonna get your money to take out your girlfriend and whatnot? What kind of foolishness is that to let somebody take away your job?" (36), Troy's stubborn personality led Cory to leave(forcefully) football and get his job back. Cory was remarkably influenced by his father. Feeling as if he was dragging his dad around even at the time of the funeral. "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" (97).

Troy leaves a hypocritical feeling of responsibility and practicality in his family, going off and living in his own head and doing what he wants. His friends and family progressively lose trust in Troy, due to his affair and adverse personality. Despite being concerned for his family, Troy doesn't understand the problems they are going through. Rose even goes on to say "What about me? When's my time to enjoy life?" (74), after asking about Troy not being home, this shows his one-minded nature and the unfavorable impact left on his wife. However, Rose knew that Troy had good intentions and did not mean wrong to his family "I don't know if he was right or wrong . . . But I do know he meant to do more good than he meant to do harm" (97). Troy left a touching legacy on his friends and family through his intention, but got caught up as a tragic-hero who left negative attributes after his death.


In spite of being a character of many ups and downs, Troy's everlasting impression on his friends and family is a valuable one. His toughness on Cory led him to be a corporal of the Marines and make something out of himself. His friendship with Bono was eternal, never changing and as good as ever. His devotion to his wife withered throughout the story, but she knew that at the end of the day he was a worthy husband. A legacy that was damaged but not tarnished, Troy left a positive impact on the people that mattered in his life

What makes us happy

For the characters in "Fences", happiness does not come easily. For example, Troy is doing anything to be happy so he can continue along with his day. While it may not be agreeable for some people to cheat on your wife, that is the bleak reality for this characters. Troy finds a sliver of happiness in the woman other than Rose and he tries to explain what this all means, "Then I saw that gal... she firmed up my backbone. And I got to thinking that if I tried... I just might be able to steal second. Do you understand after eighteen years I wanted to steal second" (Wilson 70). That is Troy's version of happiness and that is not the same for everyone. There are a lot of people that had otherwise found their slice of happiness in other things. Rose for example had already found happiness despite hard times, "I been standing with you! I been right here with you, Troy. I got a life too. I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in the same spot with you..." (Wilson 70). I think the reality of happiness depends on the person and what their situation is like, I think it just differs for people and the reality can be much different depending on the person.

Troy's Legacy

     What will we remember from Troy Maxson? His legacy is defined through his actions. After reading throughout the whole play Fences, I believe that Troy’s legacy he left behind had more positive than negative. I will explain the positive attributes Troy left behind. Troy starts out in the beginning of the play kind of fooling around with another girl but they down play that until the end. There are parts of the play that explain how he is trying to be the best father that he can be and provide his children with what he never had. A legacy is what someone leaves behind when they are no longer present on earth. I believe that Troy will be remembered for all of his handwork, honesty, a father figure, a best friend, and the respect he gave and received. Troy faced a lot of controversies in this play such as an abusive father, a mother who abandoned him, a wife who is demanding, an unexpected child from another woman, inequality in the work place, and disrespect from his children at times. He stood up for what he believed in. For example, “A Negro go in there and can’t get no kind of service. I seen a white fellow come in there and order a bowl of stew. Pope picked all the meat out of the pot for him. Man ain't had nothing but a bowl of meat. Negro come behind him and ain't got nothing but the potatoes and carrots” (Wilson, 23). Troy doesn't respect this idea because he works just as hard, if not harder for all his money and everything he owns. Troy is one of the most hardworking men and he will leave that behind as well. His children will get to grow up and remember that they had a lot more than they thought. . “I do the best I can do. I come in here every Friday. I carry a sack of potatoes and a bucket of lard. You all line up at the door with your hands out. I give you the lint from my pockets. I give you my sweat and my blood. I ain't got no tears. I don’t spent them. We go upstairs in that room at night…and I fall down on you and try to blast a hole into forever. I get up Monday morning…find my lunch on the table. I go out. Make my way. Find my strength to carry me through to next Friday. That’s all I got to give. I can’t give nothing else” (Wilson, 40). Troy gave it his all in everything that he did. To answer the question in one sentence as to what Troy’s legacy is, I would say Troy’s legacy is to do what you love, and the rest will come. He did what he wanted, he believed in what he wanted, and he acted how he wanted. He was very strategic with his money because they had a scarce amount. For example, when Cory wanted to buy a TV with money he didn't have, Troy brought up the fact that their roof hasn't been redone in a while. “Two hundred and sixty-four dollars...cash money. While you thinking about a TV, I got to be thinking about the roof...and whatever else go wrong around here. Now if you had two hundred dollars, what would you do…fix the roof or buy a TV?” “I’d buy a TV. Then when the roof started to leak…when it needed fixing…I’d fix it.” “Where you gonna get the money from? You done spent it for a TV. You gonna sit up and watch the water run all over your brand new TV” (Wilson, 32). This is a lesson he taught his son. Money needs to be managed. You can infer that Troy would love to have a TV but instead he has to think logically. Another legacy he left behind as that no matter what the consequence is, you must own up to your problems. He came forward and told Rose that he had been sleeping with another girl and got her pregnant. Although it was a bad situation, he came forth and showed responsibility for his action. Troy’s legacy he left behind is that no matter what the circumstance is, pursue what you want, manage your money, work hard to get what you don’t have, and self-happiness is important.

     Troy tries to teach his children to work because during this time period, no matter how hard they try, work is something they can’t take from African Americans. They may get treated like they’re less important but at the end of the day, they will have a reliable source of income. Troy wants to have Cory go back and get his job at the A&P. Also he tries to persuade Lyons to get a job. He offers to work at the rubbish with himself because he needs to make his own money.

Another thing that Troy teaches his kids is responsibility. “It’s my job. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man got to take care of his family. You live in my house...sleep you behind on my bedclothes…fill you belly up with my food…cause you my son. You my flesh and blood. Not ‘cause I like you! Cause it’s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you!” (Wilson, 38). This is when Cory asked why Troy doesn't like him. You can tell that he does like him, he just wants to teach him what is best. He wants Cory to succeed and have more than he ever had, and never go through what he went through. “I don’t want him to be like me! I want him to move as far away from my life as he can get. You the only decent thing that ever happened to me. I wish him that. But I don’t wish him a thing else from my life” (Wilson, 39). Troy always put everyone before himself. He would go to work, pay the bills, provide love to Rose, lend money to Lyons, support Cory and give him a place to stay, and kept Gabriel from going to a mental institute. He was a good father even though he didn't have a good father. That shows a lot about his character and how he wants to be remembered. He didn't do it for the glory, or the fame. He did it because he knew what it felt like to be abandoned, abused, forgotten, and on his own.

     In Act 1, Scene 4 there was a conversation between Bono, Troy, and Lyons. It was about how their father’s treated them and how they never wanted their kids to be treated that way. “Sometimes I wish I hadn't known my daddy. He ain't cared nothing about no kids. A kid to him wasn't nothing. All he wanted was for you to learn how to walk so he could start you to working. When it come time for eating…he ate first. If there was anything left over, that’s what you got. Many would sit down and eat two chickens and give you the win” (Wilson, 50). Troy tried to disconnect himself from every characteristic his father possessed. Troy left at a young age because he was abandoned by his father mentally and one time he was left in the field beaten and left to die. When he came through he went on his way with nothing and had to make something of it. Telling Lyons this story will be something that is never going to be forgotten. “That’s a heavy story, Pop. I didn’t know you left home when you was fourteen” (Wilson, 53). At the end of the conversation Rose pops into the scene and Troy says, “I’m telling Lyons how good he go it. He don’t know nothing about this I’m talking” (Wilson, 54). This just goes to show that Troy looks out for his children and wants the best for them. Troy leaves behind that he wants ownership of everything and nothing stands in his way. He talks to “death” a few times and all the times that he did he would say “it’s between you and me now” (Wilson, 89).

     Troy starts out in the beginning of the play as a loyal husband to Rose. He looks to keep her happy, he pays the bills, he comes home and eats the home cooked meal prepared by her and then goes up to sleep with her. In the very last scene, Cory tries to tell his Mom that he will not be attending his father’s funeral and she says, “You can’t be nobody by who you are, Cory. That shadow wasn't nothing but you growing into yourself. You either got to grow into it or cut it down to fit you. But that’s all you got to make life with. That’s all you got to measure yourself against the world out there. Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn't…and at the same time he tried to make you everything he was. I don’t know if he was right or wrong…but I do know he meant to do more good than harm. He wasn't always right. Sometimes when he touched he bruised. And sometimes when he took me in his arms he cut. When I first met your daddy I thought…he’s the man I can lay down with and make a baby. That’s the first thing I thought when I seen him. I was thirty years old and had done seen my share of men. But when he walked up to me and said, “I can dance a waltz that’ll make you dizzy,” I thought, Rose Lee, here is a man that you can open yourself up to and be filled with bursting. Here is a man that can fill all them empty spaces and been tipping around the edges of. One of them empty spaces was being somebody’s mother. I married your daddy and settled down to cooking his supper and keeping clean sheets on the bed. When your daddy walked through the house he was so big he filled it up. That was my first mistake. Not to make him leave some room for me. For my part in the matter. But at that time I wanted that. I wanted a house that I could sing in and that’s what your daddy gave me. I didn't know to keep up his strength I had to give pieces of mine. I did that. I took on his life as mine and mixed up the pieces so that you couldn't hardly tell which was mine anymore. By the time Raynell came into the house, me and your daddy had done lost touch with one another. I didn't want to make my blessing off of nobody’s misfortune…but I took on Raynell like she was all them babies I had wanted and never had. Like I’d been blessed to relive a part of my life. And if the Lord see it fit to keep u- my strength. I’m gonna do her just like your daddy did you…I’m gonna give her the best of what’s in me” (Wilson, 98). This couldn't be a more perfect example as to what Troy was like. Within this long quote it is saying how Troy gave more than he received, and regardless of what he wanted, he put Rose first. He provided for the family, gave them laughter, happiness, and a worry free life. You couldn't tell that times were rough for Troy because he was the mold of the family who kept it running smoothly. He left a strong legacy on the family and that is to be the man you wish to see in the mirror. Don’t live a life you don’t want to, don’t try to do too much, but enjoy the life you live because in the end, that is all you will ever get. 

Modern day Tragic Hero.

Troy Maxson. To some, it is but a name. On the other hand to most, he was a modern day tragic hero who just couldn’t hit the mark. Troy left behind an interesting legacy, which is composed of a Fatherly figure, a lover, a brother, a friend, and a liar. Troy is dissatisfied with his life. He's unhappy that his pro baseball dreams were stopped by racial discrimination. He feels trapped and unfulfilled in his job as a garbage man. His son constantly disappoints him by not seeing the value of work. And even though he loves his wife, Troy finds a new love in another woman's arms. But first, let’s rewind. Troy had a clean fresh start when he married Rose. For once everything was going right in his life.

He had a son, Cory, and he tried to do everything he could to be the best possible father for him. Since Troy had a rough time growing up with this mother who wasn’t around, in addition to his abusive father who took care of 5 sons, Troy didn’t have what some people would call the best childhood. Troy had this sense of duty to be a father to his family. Troy seems to think that a father's only real duty is to provide food and shelter. He doesn't think it's important for a father to show love to his son. He also doesn't feel his duties to his wife include fidelity. Troy has an affair, but doesn't believe it's necessarily wrong. He's provided for his wife and loves her, but his love now includes someone else. Troy never apologizes for anything he does in the play. It could be that this is why the other characters respect him by the end. Though they were all disappointed by the things he did, Troy always did what he thought was right. You could say then that Troy never once betrayed himself.  Though Troy fulfills his own idea of his duties to his family, others may question this. What do you think? What does a father and husband owe his family?

Troys legacy

Troy left behind quite a lot when he went. Some ways good, some bad. First and most notably, he left his motherless daughter behind, who rose decided to take in on the child’s behalf. This was from Troy who committed to Alberta, who died during the conception. “Rose: Alberta died having the baby. Troy: died… you say she’s dead? Albert’s dead? (Wilson, 76). It’s a healthy child that was Troy’s’ last creation. It carries on something from him in a good way. But it was also proof of him not being fair to his family. In the first few scenes we see how he is teaching responsibility and how he is being a father. It develops when Troy starts to contradict himself with his teachings. He makes Cory, his youngest son, quit playing football for high school and forces him to get his job at the A&P, to show the importance of being a man, responsibility of holding down a job and money. But then Troy goes behind Rose’s back and cheats on her with another woman. “I’m talking, woman, let me talk. I’m trying to find a way to tell you… I’m gonna be a daddy. I’m gonna be somebody’s daddy (Wilson, 66). In what way does Troy demonstrate his teachings of being a man and responsibility when he is off having kids with someone else?

            In the end I feel that he left a shaken household and a healing family from his inability to understand others dreams. His legacy I think is in a few different areas. Cory, his son, a Marine who doesn’t know what could have been with football because of Troy. But also, has grown to be a good man and is engaged and obviously doing something to better himself. Which was because of Troy. Lyons, his older son, who says he is musician but did time for cashing other people checks. Rose and Raynell, a great wife that stood thick and thin who was hurt in the end and left with a baby girl that isn’t even hers. Raynell, a little girl bared from Troy and now mother and fatherless. I think she stands as a character as sort of the final chance for Troy, he messed up with just about everything else before he died. I believe that Wilson leaves us to thing that she will strive on and be the only one who can be better in life and actually pursue something, without the obstacle of Troy in the way.