Fences Study Guide
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- how one's past affects their future - importance of family - The American Dream - personal and cultural history
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Themes
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-fences- literal and figurative- keep people in and keep people out -trains- freedom, new start -The Devil- Troy's struggle wit life, always bringing news of death
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Symbols
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Life-realtes every event in his life to baseball Death- explains his battle with death -the quarrel with Cory -his reason for cheating
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What is baseball a metaphor for?
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A promotion to become a truck driver
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What did Troy ask for from the commissioner?
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Troy's mistress Troy is stuck on her because he feels like himself and is successful around her. Wither her he feels like he can go back to his dream.
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Who is Alberta?
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A fence- wants to build it in order to keep Troy "in"
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What has Rose always wanted for her family?
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-when Troy finds out his father wanted to have sex with his girlfriend - when Cory hits his father
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What are the passages into manhood?
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-Troy and Bono drink gin together -Bono asks Troy about his relationship with Alberta -Lyons asks to borrow money from Troy
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What is the Friday ritual?
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-The family works on chores around the house, working on the fence -Troy gets promoted and it isolates him from the community- he is unable to see family and friends as often
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What is the Saturday ritual? How does this change?
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-Gabe is Troy's brother. -Gabe receives the checks because of his disability- he needs them, and Troy uses i to pay for the house
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Who is Gabe? Why does Troy feel guilty about using Gabe's check?
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Troy cheats on her with Alberta, and Alberta is pregnant with his baby
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What event changes Troy and Rose's marriage?
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-when Cory and Troy have a huge fight, Cory confronts him about the affair and baby, and about using Gabe's money for the house
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What is the climax of the play?
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European immigrants have more social and economic mobility
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How are European immigrants treated differently than the descendants of African slaves?
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Troy was not able to play major league baseball because he was too old by the time they allowed for black players
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What does Bono mean when he says "Times have changed, Troy. You just came along too early?"
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-Rose likes to play and thinks good things can come from it- Pope example -Troy thinks it is a waste of time and hates that Rose does it -Troy is cynical/pessimistic and Rose is a dreamer
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Differences between how Troy and Rose view the lottery
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Football practice
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Where i Cory coming from when he enters for the first time?
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-how to prioritize and taking care of the family, putting his needs before wants
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What is the lesson Troy tries to teach Cory when they talk about TV?
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He is fearful that Cory will get denied playing in the big leagues because he is black, just like what happened to Troy
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Why doesn't Troy want Cory to play football? What is Troy's fear?
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Things are not all good or bad, you have to take both together
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What does Troy mean when he comments "You've gotta take the crooked with the straights."?
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Yes- he provides for him and fulfills a patriarchal duty but does not show love or affection as a father
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Does Troy like Cory?
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He was too old by the time blacks were integrated into the Major Leagues
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What does Rose want Troy to admit about his baseball experience and why he didn't make it to the majors?
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It was important to his father to provide for his family; his sense of duty to them prevented him from leaving
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What was important to Troy's father? Why didn't he leave?
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When he found out that his father wanted to have sex with his girlfriend.
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What even changed his relationship with his father?
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14
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How old was Troy when he left home?
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- He expects his sons to be just as independent as he was at that age - Disrupts his emotional attachment to them
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How did these events affect his relationship with his sons?
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He was disturbing the peace
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Why does Rose say Gabe was arrested?
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He is having a child with another woman
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What news does Troy have for Rose?
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She makes him feel young and alive and can be himself. He feels as though he has and can succeed around her, and he got bored with Rose
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What is Troy's reason for his relationship with Alberta?
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Baseball and strikes
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What metaphor does Troy use for life?
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She becomes more Christian and more involved with the church
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How does the news of Alberta's baby affect what Rose wanted in her life?
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Troy signed for Gabe to be locked up in the hospital and Troy is receiving half of Gabe's check
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What info has Rose learned from Miss Pearl?
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Why he doesn't come home on Fridays
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What information does Rose want from Troy?
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Rose is a mother but not a wife anymore Troy is no longer a husband or a father, only a provider.
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How has their relationship changed?
