Fences Act One

what issue does Troy address at work? What is the significance of his inquiry?

- black employees are not allowed to drive the garbage trucks, they can only lift the trash - blacks were treated unequal

What does Troy do after he leaves his father? What trouble does he get into and how does it affect his life?

After Troy leaves his father, he goes to Mobile and meets Lyon's mother and proceeded to have Lyon. Troy begins his habit of robbing, and ends up killing someone and getting arrested for fifteen years. Due to his arrest, Troy was unable to play baseball and he lost a lot of time with his child, unable to raise him during his childhood. This experience taught Troy to never steal again, as life in prison was traumatic enough.

hat is Rose singing about in the opening of Scene Two? How do the lyrics of this song connect with the title of this play?

Rose is singing about Jesus protecting her. The lyrics of this song connects with the title of this play because Rose desires protection, in which the fences allow protection along the house that can provide a safe environment for her family.

What does the commissioner's office offer Troy?

The commissioner's office offers Troy the job to drive the garbage truck.

Rose believes that time has changed since Troy played baseball. What are the changes that Rose points out?

-there are more colored people playing baseball and football - colored people are being paid and are becoming as famous as white players.

Who is Gabriel? What is unique about him? How did he get this way?

Gabriel is Troy's brother. Gabriel has a metal plate in his head from being injured in World War II, making him a unique character.

Why does Gabriel think Troy is mad at him? What are Troy's feelings for Gabriel?

Gabriel thinks Troy is mad at him because he moved out of the house, yet Troy does not seem to care much for the situation and is only bitter at the fact that he is moving out to start his home with a woman.

Rose says to Troy "... you ain't right this morning?" What does she think is wrong with Troy? Why?

Rose believes that Troy did not get enough sleep, and she also referred to him waking up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. Rose thinks that Troy is stressed about what happened at his work the day before, and she can assume this as Troy is continuously complaining and making comments with annoyance.

Describe the first conversation between Cory and Troy while they mend the fence. What do they talk about? State both of their opinions. What compromise do they agree upon?

The first conversation between Cory and Troy is about how Cory left the house without doing his chores or helping with the fence. Cory also mentions the fact that the family should purchase a TV, yet Troy felt it was necessary to work on the roof first. Their compromise was that if Cory comes up with one hundred dollars, then Troy will match him with the other half.

What does Troy believe the 1950s has to offer the black man?

Troy believes that black men are still treated poorly in the 1950s, and white men are handed everything while black men have to work day and night for a small paycheck.

Summarize Troy's impressions of his father and the traumatic confrontation between the two men.

Troy believes that his own father is the devil, for all of the harsh and scarring conditions that he put his son through. Troy was trapped under his father's wishes, and the traumatic confrontation was when his father raped his own 'girlfriend', then proceeded to beat his own son until he passed out.

Why does Troy say he doesn't want Cory to be like him? What past personal experience does Troy reveal?

Troy does not want Cory to be like him because Troy wasted half of his life on a sport that never accomplished anything. Troy reveals that Troy was given an opportunity to play baseball, yet he was rejected due to the color of his skin.

What does Troy do at the end of Act One that mirrors his own father's treatment of him?

Troy goes to Cory's football coach behind Cory's back to tell him that he is no longer able to play for the team anymore because of the A&P job. Troy's father could be reflected in this scene as Troy made the decision for Cory without talking to him and getting his opinion and view, with the knowledge that Cory was going to be devastated about this situation.

Why is Troy opposed to Cory's involvement in sports? What personal experiences does Troy give for his oppostion?

Troy is opposed to Cory's involvement in sports because he believes that there is only a slim chance that his son could actually make it with decent money in the sports industry. Troy gives his own experience for an example, when he quit sports due to his mindset of colored people being treated with inequality in sports.

What does Troy say to Cory when Cory asks him if his father liked him or not? What does Troy's answer reveal about his character?

Troy tells Cory that he shouldn't have to like his own son if he doesn't want to. Troy believes that his role as a father is to only provide food and shelter, not love. This reveals that Troy is a "tough love" father figure, who does not feel the need to express his feelings for his son through love and parental affection.

What does Troy tell Rose is foolish to do? Why? What examples does he give?

Troy tells Rose that playing the lottery is foolish because there are too many combinations of numbers and that the right combination is nearly impossible to retrieve. He believes that the lottery is a waste of time and money.

How has Troy benefited from Gabriel's condition? How does Troy feel about this?

Troy was benefited from Gabriel's condition because Troy was given $3000 for his brother's condition and put it down for their house.

Lyon says to his father, "You and me is two different people." Why does he say this? What is different about this father and son?

Troy was scolding Lyon for being lazy and poor as he did not have a "real" job as a musician. Lyon told his father that there is a difference between them, because they were both raised differently and have opposite views of how one should live their life based on career and financing. Lyon was also raised by his mother, in which he did not have the father figure of Troy during his childhood. Troy was not able to tell Lyon how to live his life when he was raised by his mother, so Lyon believes he shouldn't have a say now either.

What does Troy mean when he tells Cory, "All them teams the same," referring to the Pirate Baseball team?

What Troy means by that statement is that black men have to try twice as hard as white men to get on sports teams, yet they are still not being played out on the field.

Bono questions that he didn't know he could "do no better than having an outhouse". What does his statement reveal about the expectations of black people during the 1950s?

how mistreated black people were during the 1950s, and how they automatically had lower standards than everyone else due to the skin color -the mention of an outhouse rather than a bathroom is a point that proves how black people were expected to live in a poorer lifestyle than whites.