The Legacy of a Common Man

We see the legacy of a common man who has created someone of great power and stature. It is more in what he left behind than his actual life he had. We can see that as a person, Troy lives a common life during that time; being discriminated against for being colored while trying to help his family to live in a house along with helping his friend Bono. we can also see the strictness Troy used on his youngest son Cory to be a better man, so Troy can leave him as his legacy. We can see the strictness Troy used on his son Cory had made Cory into a strong adult who has picked the best path for him that his dad wanted him to take. this is first seen in scene 4 of act 1 when troy reprimand Cory for quitting his job to play football when he wants to see Cory with a steady job to support his family. We can also see this in scene four of act 2 when troy is telling Cory to leave the house and Troy says “you go on and be a man and forget this house.” He is trying to get Cory to live for himself and not have to worry about the family. When Troy dies, he leaves behind someone Troy wanted to be but never could for his family. Rose mentions this in the last scene of act 2 of Fences where Rose is talking to her son Cory and says “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.”  showing that Troy meant everything to be helpful to his son, so Cory can bee a better person than his father who ended up cheating on his wife and drinking everyday. this culminates together to Cory, who has become Troys greatest legacy after his death.