Divisions created by constructed fencesSay no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayBy definition, the structure of a fence is considered a barrier that controls access to or prevents escape from an area specific. In August Wilson's Fences, this definition means that much broader boundaries are set in each character's interpersonal relationships. The idea of ​​fences being built defines most of the play's central conflicts from a metaphorical point of view. The extremely unhealthy social enclosures that Troy Maxson's character forms between his family and friends will eventually push them all away, leaving him the sole object of isolation. The only literal fence in the story is the one that Troy's wife, Rose, wants him to build around their yard. . Troy has very little commitment to building the fence, as does his lack of commitment to his wife and marriage. Instead of working on this project, he goes out and cheats on his wife. The intentional barrier constructed by this affair is explained by Troy: “…It gives me a different idea…a different understanding of myself. I can get out of this house and get away from the pressures and the problems...be a different man” (Wilson 1316). He sees his affair as a way to escape, when in reality it only solidifies the rift between him and his wife. Ironically, the very idea of ​​building a fence in the yard can be seen as Rose's attempt to keep her family together. Bono, Troy's friend, who is the only person initially aware of the affair, tries to explain this to Troy who doesn't understand: "Some people build fences to keep people out... and others build fences to keep people inside. Rose wants to hold on to you all. She loves you” (1312). The fence in the yard was not considered a completed project until after Troy's mistress died in childbirth with their daughter Raynell. This is an important reflection on who Troy is as a person, as he only decides to commit to this simple task for his wife once his other options are out of the way. This affair was a control he had over himself, completely excluding him from the family obligations to which he should have been committed from the start. At that point, his wife wants nothing more to do with him in terms of marriage. Rose communicates that she will help raise the baby but that as a result of her actions, he is now “a man without a wife” (1321). Troy has conflicted relationships with his sons, Lyons and Cory, throughout the play. The reasoning behind each dynamic is different but both are unhealthy and turbulent because of Troy. His eldest son, Lyons, from a previous marriage, can be seen as a business relationship on the surface. The only time they interact is on payday, when Lyons comes to borrow money from his father. There's negative tension between the two over this loan routine because Lyons is a musician and Troy thinks he should get a decent job. Offering to find him a place at his own workplace to haul trash, Lyons told his father, “I don’t want to haul anyone’s trash.” I don’t want to push anyone’s clock” (1292). This upsets Troy because obviously hauling trash wasn't his ideal career either, but he has to make money somehow, so he tells Lyon, "Hence do you think where these ten dollars you speak of come from? I'm supposed to haul away people's trash and give you my money because you're too lazyto work” (1292). Troy attributes his son's lack of work ethic to the way his mother had to raise him. Lyons informs his formerly absent father that: “If you wanted to change me, you should have been there when I was growing up” (1292). Throughout Lyon's childhood, a prison yard fence kept his father from being in his life and it is the basis for all of their personal conflicts with each other. He missed 30 years of his son's life because of the prison fence and it is for this reason that their relationship is strained beyond repair. Troy's relationship with his youngest son Cory is much more volatile than his with Lyons. Cory is a high school football star, and Troy, once athletic, doesn't like it. Troy had to forgo turning professional due to his age and race at the peak of his skills. This creates a bitterness in Troy that he has chosen to pass on to his son since his birth, as he explains: “I decided 17 years ago that this boy was not going to get involved in any sport. Not after what they did to me in sport” (1302). Rose campaigns to allow Cory to pursue his football aspirations and tries to explain to Troy: “Times have changed since you were young Troy. People change. The world is changing around you and you can't even see it” (1303). The problem is that Troy doesn't want to see him. He says he doesn't want his son to go through what he went through, but ultimately he's jealous that Cory has these opportunities that he himself never had. As a result, he tries to control everything surrounding Cory's life to try to stop him from becoming more than Troy ever could. After forcing Cory to quit the team, Cory begins reading the lines about his father's behavior towards him and says, "'Just because you didn't stand a chance! You’re just afraid that I’m better than you” (1311). This is the first blow to Troy after hearing this blow to his inflamed ego. This is a pivotal moment because it signifies the continuation of the downward spiral of their relationship. A few months later, when the whole affair came to light, the divide between father and son was definitively established after a physical altercation. After telling Cory to get out of his house, a symbolic dialogue is exchanged. Cory tells his father, “Tell mom I'll come back and get my stuff,” and Troy responds coldly, “They'll be on the other side of that fence” (1325). This symbolizes not only the wall built between them thus far, but also the ensuing eternal divide between them. While Troy destroys his relationships with his family, he still has his friend Bono by his side. They met in prison and bonded over that experience. However, Bono is the first person to discover that Troy is having extramarital affairs, which creates distance between the longtime friends. Bono expresses his concerns about Troy's questionable decisions as he tries to enlighten him with, "I remember when you met Rose... That was the first time I knew you had common sense." I said... My man Troy knows what he's doing... I'ma follow this nigger... he might take me somewhere... I learned a lot about life from watching you ...Rose, a good woman, Troy” (1312-13). Bono, up until now, has idealized Troy as a great guy, someone he admires and respects. All of this is essentially lost when Troy destroys his family, the main reason Bono based this respect for him on. He no longer comes home to visit Troy and, rarely, their communication is short and has clearly evolved from a better friendship to just an acquaintance, or even even that. Troy points this out on one of the occasions and states: "You are not.