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The 1950's play in the The Pittsburgh Plays of the Century Cycle; the central play in this seminal work. Fences seems to me in so many ways, a mirror, an answer, to Death of a Salesman. Troy Maxson and his sons and his father and his brother have been failed by history, by time, by this Republic. They fight with Death, with History, with God, and they lose, but they heave the next generation forward one hit, one base at a time.
I do want to read the entire The Century Cycle by August Wilson. ...more
I do want to read the entire The Century Cycle by August Wilson. ...more
This is the first play (other than Shakespear) that I have read. And, the Shakespeare was not read so much as used as a play book for following a Shakespearian play I was watching. Fences was a delightful surprise to me. You see, I did not really choose it. I took it because I thought the one I wanted was not long enough. Then, when I started to read the introductory information, I found that James Earl Jones had played Troy in New Haven, CT. James Earl Jones is an actor that I have admired for
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3.5***
Troy Maxson is a strong man. He has survived a hard childhood and time spent without direction or purpose to become a responsible family man. He went through a time in American history where being proud and black meant facing obstacles that might crush a lesser man. But in the late 1950s things are beginning to change, and Troy Maxson is unsure how to behave in a world that frightens and angers him. What he learned so well in raising himself leaves him with a rigid sense of obligation, but ...more
Troy Maxson is a strong man. He has survived a hard childhood and time spent without direction or purpose to become a responsible family man. He went through a time in American history where being proud and black meant facing obstacles that might crush a lesser man. But in the late 1950s things are beginning to change, and Troy Maxson is unsure how to behave in a world that frightens and angers him. What he learned so well in raising himself leaves him with a rigid sense of obligation, but ...more
Haven't seen the movie, but it was easy for me to imagine James Earl a Jones in the main role of Troy Maxson. It is a short play, but not a quick read with the many issues raised. It revealed a descriptive picture of the challenges of that time and for this family and man in particular. Recommend.
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how could something so powerful be packed into so few pages?
Read for Black History Month. I saw the movie a while ago. Reading the play is just like it. I feel his wife has the patience of Job. For the most part, I just felt annoyed with all the banter and complaining. i believe Black America has really improved their situation in life since the time in which this play is set.
This was ok. Not one of my favorites...
Aug 11, 2010
Eve B.
marked it as to-read
Aug 23, 2014
Jaclyn
added it
Sep 01, 2015
Katt Hansen
marked it as to-read
Dec 11, 2017
Jim Townsend
marked it as to-read
Oct 01, 2023
Karigan
marked it as to-read
