“A play is written to be seen and heard,” said students of Marilyn Patton’s English-Writing 1C class. A few days earlier, the students attended a tear-jerking, standing ovation performance of “Fences” in Palo Alto last weekend, after reading the play as an assignment.
The 1987 Pulitizer Prize winner for drama, August Wilson, sets “Fences” in an African-American urban neighborhood, on the front porch and yard of an ancient two-story brick house.
The main character, Troy Maxon, is a garbage collector and former prison inmate, who has taken great pride in keeping his family together and providing for them. Troy’s rebellion and frustration set the tone for the play as he struggles for fairness in a society which seems to offer none. In his struggle, he builds fences between himself and family.
“Fences” examines the minutiae of patriarchy through a father-son conflict between Troy, 53, and his teenage son, Cory. The drama of the play builds around a developing crisis that hinges on the disclosure of crucial and traumatic incidents in the father’s past and present.
Language Arts professor and playwright, Eugene Pichon, making a guest appearance at Patton’s class explained that “Troy is [still] a good man.” This is evidenced when tears fall from Troy’s face, symbolizing a possibility that perhaps Troy does not want to banish his son. Troy also wrestles with the idea of death and claims that he sees death as nothing but a fastball, something he can handle. The baseball metaphor is used in relation to death throughout the play.
After seeing the play, said student Jenny Fu, “I understand the story in a deeper sense that I could never get by only reading it.
