Fences

You're probably familiar with The Cosby Show and its depiction of a black family and their experiences with changing times, new generations and raising children. But this doesn't quite match the experiences of a black family living during the 1950s in the play Fences. The Cosby Show humorously told the story of the loving Cliff Huxtable as he raised his children facing nothing like Fences' Troy Maxson, who is cold to his children and cheats on his wife. Fences was written by August Wilson in 1983 as the sixth play in Wilson's ten-part Pittsburg Cycle. It tells the story fifty-three year old Troy Maxson and his family and friends as they try to accomplish the ideal "American Dream" in a society of changing times. Many may find Troy a britter, grumpy, and unlikeable old black man that is blind to change. But as you read this play, you begin to understand Troy and why he is stuck in his ways and find him to be one of the most likeable characters of them all. Fences is a heartfelt play that captures the reader in its unexpected drama, that isn't at all shown in The Cosby Show!

Simply click on either photo of August Wilson (above or below) to learn more about the author or click on the photos of the Fences book cover (upper right) or Fences poster (lower right) to learn more about the play. Below is the childhood home of August Wilson, which was declared a historic landmark by the State of Pennsylvania, May 30, 2007. My name is *Yolandra Brown* and I hope you enjoy my site just as much as I did making it!!!!		“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” “All you need in the world is love and laughter. That's all anybody needs. To have love in one hand and laughter in the other.” -August Wilson A poster that represents three key aspects of the play Fences; a baseball, a fence, and the main character Troy Maxson. *FENCES* by Rev. Rebecca Guile Hudson He's aware of the yard he lives in -- aware of the fences that define his constant existence He feels his life is missing from the world outside those fences -- He's very afraid of what lies beyond them, feels very safe, having such a perimeter contain his life -- and yet, just yet, when roaring lightning cracks storms into his skies, all he can think of, all he's impelled towards, from the very deep in-side-out of his soul is to panic & bolt, cause himself even bodily harm just to find a way out, find a way to dig free, to leave those fences behind -- to run amuck, un-entrapped, seeking freedom from fear in the very places that he sees as offering no safety, no familiarity Then, when he calms down, when he's done with his run, the sole object burning in his primitive mind is to seek again the warmth and comfort of familiarity and safety, and he returns to his yard, settles back down within his fences, and pretends to himself that he'll never -- No, he'll never do that scary thing ever again and then, as if to prove it to himself, to convince himself he really means it this time he enters into the house yarded by those fences and goes to sleep, goes unconscious, and dreams of freedom inside the walls of the house inside the yard, in the center of the fences that circumscribe his world.