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
I agree with you talking about Troy's intentions still being good with Rose, even though he has an affair with Alberta. He knows that he's making a problem for himself and is trying to straighten it out, shown when he was talking to Bono "Yeah, I hear what you saying, Bono. I been trying to figure a way to work it out" (63).
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