A Play Summary: 'Fences' by August Wilson

Spoiler warning!

You may go back if you don't want to lose the excitement of reading the story.

Fences focuses on Troy Maxson, a 53-year-old man, the head of Maxson family who struggles to provide his family a good living. He was, once, a baseball player in his younger years, having spent his time practicing in prison for an accidental murder he’d committed during a robbery. When he was playing baseball, colored people had not yet been acknowledged by the society, so Troy was unable to make a good living just with playing baseball.

This story begins on Friday, the payday, with Troy Maxson and Jim Bono drinking in the terrace of Troy’s house. They are talking about why their boss, Mr. Rand got the white men driving the truck, while the colored people picking up the garbage.

Rose comes in. She talks to troy about Cory’s recruitment by a collage football team. Troy doesn’t like that Cory is recruited, because he thinks that football can’t help Cory’s life in the future. They start debating whether the recruitment can be useful or not. Troy starts a long talk about his dark past with baseball and death. 

Then, Lyons, Troy’s son from his previous marriage, comes to borrow some money from Troy. Troy doesn’t want to lend his money to Lyons, but he insists. Rose feels sorry for Lyons, she asks him to give Lyons some money to borrow. Finally, Troy unwillingly gives permission for Rose to lend his money to Lyons.

Cory and Troy work on the fence. Cory tells his father that he has given away his job to follow the football league practice after school. Troy is mad at Cory when he says that he has given his job because of the practice. Cory begs Troy for his permission, says that he will still do his work with fence on weekends, but Troy still refuses. 

He orders Cory to find another job, because football will not make a good living in the future. Troy still can’t forget his bad past about baseball and he does not want Cory to feel that too. Rose who comes after Cory went in to the house, tells that Cory can be better with football, because time has change.

On the next act which takes place on Friday, Troy has been assigned by Mr. Rand as the first colored truck driver in the company. After that Bono and Troy start talking about their childhood, when Troy run from his home in the south and moving to the north. Cory comes home, mad. He is mad after he found out that Troy told the couch that Cory will not play in the football league.

The next morning, Cory is still mad at Troy and he says that he will not quitting the team, even though Troy forbid him to play football. Then Bono comes to the house, suspecting that Troy is cheating on Rose with a Tallahassee girl, Alberta. Troy denies that he is cheating on Rose, but Bono has seen Troy talking and laughing with her. After lecturing Troy that Rose is the best wife in the world for him, Bono leaves. 

Rose comes in to ask Troy about what’s happening with Gabriel. Troy says that Gabriel was arrested by the police because he was howling at some kids who were teasing him. Troy says that he was already released by the judge after Troy gave the judge fifty dollars. Troy confesses to Rose that he will be somebody’s father. Rose is mad and this conversation leads them into a big fight. 

Six month later, Troy says that Alberta is in hospital and he is going to see her there. Rose accusing Troy that Gabriel has been taken to the asylum with his permission. Troy denies that. He says that he was given a paper by the government and he just signed that paper because he couldn’t read. 

Rose gets a call from the hospital saying that Alberta had the baby girl, but died delivering the child. Troy challenges the death to come after he finishes building the fences in the front of this house. Troy brings home his baby girl, Raynell, Rose agree to take care the child, but refuses to be Troy’s wife.

Two months later, Lyons comes to give the money which borrowed from Troy. Troy isn’t at home, Rose asks him to put the money on the table. Troy comes home not long after Lyons left. Bono passes the house and takes a visit for a while because he rarely sees Troy in the company. Cory is going out to the yard, but Troy is sitting in the middle of the way. Cory just passes him, without saying excuses. This matter leads them into a big fight. Cory says that Troy doesn’t count around the house anymore. Because of that, Troy attacks Cory and kicks him out of the house.

Eight years later, seven years Raynell plays on the garden. Troy has died. Cory returns home from the Marines to attend Troy’s funeral. Lyons and Bono also come to attend the funeral. Cory refuses to attend Troy’s funeral. Rose lectures him that it is not good to not to attend his father funeral. Not attending Troy’s funeral because of his grudge against Troy doesn’t make him a man. Raynell and Cory sing Troy’s song together. Gabriel turns up, dancing. He says, “ That’s the way that goes!”