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.