Fences: Act 1 Scene 1 Characters and Events
What is the ritual of Friday nights for Troy and Bono?
(aka "payday") On Friday Nights, the two men engage in a ritual of talking and drinking.
On the day the play begins, what does Troy confront his boss about?
About why black men weren't allowed to drive trucks.
According to Bono, how does Troy's relationship with Alberta differ from the others?
According to Bono, Troy's relationship with Alberta is different from others. Troy is supposedly eyeing this girl.
How would you describe Troy and Rose's relationship at the end of Scene One?
At the end of Scene 1, Troy and Rose's relationship is uneasy. Troy wants to make love to her and loves her so much that he's run out of ways of loving her. But, Rose does not feel the same.
Where does Cory work?
At the supermarket
What sport does Bono say Troy excelled at?
Baseball
Why does Troy say that he's not impressed that Cory's being scouted by a football recruiter?
Because there's no money to be made by black men playing sports.
What does Bono mean when he tells Troy: "Times have changed, Troy. You just come along too early"?
Bono means that Troy was born too early, at a time where they didn't allow blacks to play in the Major Leagues. But now, after Jackie Robinson came into the League, times have changed and more blacks have a better chance to play in sports with the whites.
When Rose appears in Act 1, why does Bono say he doesn't want to stay for dinner?
Bono says he has to get home to his woman.
What does Bono say about Alberta?
Bono says that Troy has been spending a lot of time with her.
Who is Cory? And what do we learn about him (where he works and what he wants to do with his life)?
Cory is Troy's youngest son, he works down at the A&P, and he wants to be recruited by a college football team and hopes to play in the NFL.
What is the significance of Troy's story about the devil?
First, it mirrors his relationship with Rose in that he wanted the furniture so badly, that he compromised himself financially. In the same way that he wanted Rose so badly, he compromised his own powerful sexual appetites, which are mentioned in his conversation with Bono and revealed to be still very present when Troy's affair with Alberta results in her pregnancy. Second, the story of the devil represents how Troy compromised his ambitions of playing baseball to earn a living. Again, this foreshadows Troy's actions when he insists that Cory do the same thing.
Where does the money come from that Rose gives Lyons?
From Troy's pay
On the day the play begins, what did the boss do when he caught Troy and Bono's co-worker doing something wrong?
He did nothing.
What does Bono say about his first home in response to Rose and Tony talking about their home?
He says it was lousy and he doesn't know why he stayed there as long as he did.
Who is Lyons? Describe his relationship with his father, Troy?
Lyons is Troy's 34 year old son from an earlier marriag. His relationship with his father is not pleasant because, Lyons asks for money or $10, usually every friday because he can't make it on his own.
What does Troy say that he has to do because he is afraid of the devil?
Pay off some furniture
Who is Rose and how is her relationship with Troy described?
Rose is Troy's wife, and her relationship with troy is described by this: Rose is ten years younger than Troy, She recognizes Troy's spirit as a fine and illuminating one and she either ignores or forgives his faults.
Who physically gives Lyons the ten dollars he asks for? Why?
Rose physically gives Lyons the ten dollars because, Troy won't give it to him
What prompts Troy to tell a long story about how he saw Death in person?
Rose tells Troy he's going to drink himself to death.
What is the significance of Rose saying,"There's a lot of people don't know they can do no better than they doing now"?
Rose's comment that some people don't know that they can better themselves, foreshadows Troy's actions in keeping Cory from pursuing his dreams.
What does Rose say about the possibility of improving one's life?
She says that some people don't know that improving their lives is possible.
When Lyons shows up, what does Troy correctly think he wants?
That Lyons wants to borrow money/$10
What do Rose and Bono say about Troy's long stories?
That they are different every time
Instead of going back inside as Troy asks her to, what story does Rose (with Troy's help) tell Bono?
They tell Bono about how Rose talked Troy into marrying her.
Tony and Bono get together on the Friday night on which Fences begins. What is their reason for doing so?
To drink beer and talk.
According to Troy, why doesn't he have any extra money?
Troy doesn't have any extra money because, Gabe moved to Miss Pearl's and Troy has to pay for his rent.
Describe Troy and compare him to Bono?
Troy is 53 years old, he is a large man with thick heavy hands, and he uses his largeness to make his choices in life. Bono on the other hand is Troy's loyal follower who is 30 years old. Bono looks up to Troy's honesty, capacity for hard work, and his strength, which he himself wishes to emulate.
What does Troy say about the fact that Lyons wants to be a musician?
Troy says Lyons needs to earn a living so he can keep playing.
Why does Troy tell Rose to go back inside?
Troy says he and Bono are talking man talk.
What does Troy say about his faithfulness to Rose?
Troy says he has been faithful to Rose.
What does Troy say about Alberta?
Troy says that Alberta is sexy, but he hasn't been with her.
Why does Troy shop at Bella's (a grocery store owned by a single person) rather than shopping at the A&P
Troy shop's at Bella's because he is treated right over there, when he wants to buy a loaf of bread, Bella allows him to pay her back the money he didn't have when he came into buy the loaf of bread.
What is Troy's response to Rose's argument that times have changed?
Troy takes a long drink of beer
What does Troy want Cory to learn in order to make a living?
Troy wants Cory to learn how to fix cars or something else, where he can make a living.
What does Troy say that he wants to see change when he went to see his boss or the union?
Troy wants the union to change the job description, where everybody has a chance to drive the truck.
What does Troy do for a living?
Troy's career is a garbage collector on the back of a garbage truck.
Earlier in the day, what had one of Troy and Bono's co-workers been caught doing?
Trying to steal a watermelon.
What do we learn about Troy and Bono from the story of the man "hiding" the watermelon from Mr. Rand?
We learn that Troy and Bono are garbage collectors who work on the back of trucks and are all upset about the differences in job duties that Mr. Rand institutes.
What do we learn about Troy from the conversation he has with Bono about Alberta?
We learn that Troy is known for chasing women and he has a wife named Rose.
What argument do Rose, Troy, and Bono have about grocery stores?
Whether you should shop where you get a good deal or where they know you.
