Fences
Explain, in your words, why Troy says the monologue below and what he means.
In this conversation between father and son, Cory unearths Troy's deep seeded emotions toward his family. Through he does love his family, and his tenderness and concern are on display in other scenes. Troy has come to a point in his life where he finally becomes broken by the responsibility of caring for them. Responsibility in Troy's world, is the most noble calling of a man. This responsibility, however has caused Troy to become bitter man. He cannot "like" his son because of his own desire that Cory not become like him.
"I can't taste nothing no more," What does Troy mean?
Troy means that his life is pretty much over. e has his son and his wife. There is not anything else that could hurt him.
Of what does Bono accuse Troy of? And with whom?
Bono accused Troy of having a affair with Alberta.
How did Troy and Bono meet and become friends?
Bono and Troy meet and became friends in jail.
What do we see again when Cory and Raynell sing a song that Troy as well as his father used to sing? (Thematic idea)
It suggests that Troy is in heaven and that the gates opened up for him.
Why does Cory attack Troy? Instead of hitting Cory what does Troy say to him?
Cory feels that Troy doesn't matter anymore, disrespects him and calls him out of the house. To get away from the house.
What has Cory become?
Cory is a marine
Who is Gabriel? What could his name symbolize?
Gabriel is Troy's brother. Gabriel name symbolizes "Man of God". Gabe goes around and tells everybody to get ready for the judgement.
What does Troy tell Death?
He challenges Death to come and get him after he builds a fence. Troy dares Death to confront him "man to man" still confident that he could win.
What do we learn about Cory at the start of Scene IV?
He graduated high school and looking for a job.
What does Troy profess when he returns from the hospital?
He is keeping his daughter, Raynell.
Why was Lyons sent to prison?
He was cashing other people's checks.
Explain the story of Pope and how it is significant
His criticism of Pope further emphasizes Troy's commitment to racial justice-by picking out Pope as an example of a black person catering to white power, Troy demonstrates his unwillingness to let everyday acts of inequality pass him by.
What is the setting of the play -time and place?
In the 1950s, in a small alley in a big-city neighborhood.
How is the fence, which is on stage the entire time, a symbol?
The fence is a symbol of what Rose wanted to kept out and what she wanted to keep in.
What is thematic idea of the Sins of the Father? What is it shown?
This is shown when Rose takes in Raynell, the sins of the Father means that a child should not be punished for his or her father's sins.
Why does Rose play the lottery?
Rose plays the lottery hoping that she will win to make a little extra money.
What happened to Alberta?
She died having the baby.
"This child got a mother. But you a womanless man." What does that line show about Rose's development as a character? How has she changed?
She will take care of the baby but no longer be Troy's wife. She is strong minded and decisive. She is no longer submissive.
What did Troy tell Coach Zellman? How does this relate to the theme of sins of the father?
That Cory needed to work. Sins of the Father causes an emotional barrier between father and son.
What is meant by "Death ain't nothing but a fastball on the outside corner"?
That death is just a easy thing to defeat.
"Some people build fences to keep people out ... and other people build fences to keep people in." What's the symbolic explanation?
The symbolic of the quote is Rose tried to keep Troy in it didn't work he wen out and had a affair.
What is Troy and Bono's weekly ritual?
They get their paycheck on Friday and would drink a pint of gin.
Characterize Troy. Include the family in the description and their relationships.
Troy is hardworking man, but he is hard on his children. Rose and Troy have a loving relationship. Lyons is troy's oldest son and their relationship is overall good;however, he comes and visits on Friday and asking for money. Gabriel and Troy's relationship is troy takes care of Gabe because of his disability. Cory and Tory had a rough relationship: they never really saw eye to eye on anything. Raynell and Troy's relationship is also caring.
What sport does Cory play? What does Troy think about him playing this sport and why?
Cory plays football. Troy thinks that Cory should focus on working instead of playing football.
Provide an overview of Troy's relationship with his father.
Manhood, to Troy, meant separating from his father because of conflict and abuse. The one attribute Troy respected and probably inherited was a sense of responsibility. Troy's father provided for eleven children, and Troy too became the sole breadwinner for his family.
Why does Rose want the fence built? What's Troy's answer?
Rose loves her family and wants to keep them safe and close to her love. Bono implies that Troy should respect Rose's love and be loyal to her love instead of pushing her and Cory away from him.
Rose agrees to take care of Alberta's baby ... why?
The child is innocent and one should blame a child for the parent's sins
Bono provides an irony to the above question- what is it?
The irony of what Bano said is that Troy doesn't even have his license even though he is fighting to be able to drive the truck.
Why was Gabe arrested?
The police said he was disturbing the peace.
What does Rose mean when she says she "got eighteen years of my life invested in you"?
They have been together for 18 years and she sacrificed and devoted her life to him.
What does Troy confess to Rose
Troy confesses that he had an affair and Alberta was pregnant.
Why does Troy refuse to sign with the recruiter? What conflict in the story does this bring up again?
Troy didn't sign with the recruiter because he didn't believe that times have changed and that Cory would not get to play; however, he would have. Troy was still bitter about not getting a oppurnity to play baseball. The conflict is Troy vs Cory or Troy still not accepting that he did not get to play and times have changed.
How is Troy conflicted about Gabriel's situation?
Troy is conflicted about Gabriel's situation because he fought for his country and came back and nothing could fix his neurological problems. Troy also feels guilty overusing Gabriel's money to pay for his, and his empathy for Gabriel's condition and right to live freely after his sacrifices in the war.
What did Troy mean when he wrestled with Death for three days? How is this an example of Troy as a raconteur?
Troy meant when he said that he wrestled with death when he had pneumonia. He nearly died from it.
What news does Troy receive when called to the commissioner's office?
Troy receive news from the commissioner's office that he could drive the garbage truck.
What is Troy's reason for having the affair? How does it relate to the theme of family in the play?
Troy said the reason for the affair was a way of escaping his responsibilities. It relates to them topic of the family -instability.
What's the one thing Troy wants above anything else?
Troy wanted to be able to not have to take Gabriel's money. He wished the best for his children because he didn't want them to turn out like him.
The world forlorn could describe Troy. Explain how.
Troy was abandoned. Rose called him a womanless man and his son left. Troy is alone is his house.
Why wouldn't Troy give Lyon's the money personally?
Troy wouldn't give Lyons $10 dollars because he doesn't want Lyons to end up like he did-going to prison. He thinks that Lyons is down there gambling when he said that that is where his band plays.
What was Troy doing when he died?
We see they were both affected by their father.
What's "the walking blues"?
means African Americans men had a sense of dissatisfaction with life and moved around a lot never staying in one place too long denying children a father.