Show:
Black in the day (1950's)
Life's Fences
Historical Allusions
Speaker Said What?
Miscellaneous
100
In the beginning of the story, why does Brownie think Troy is going to get the black garbage collectors fired? What does this show us about the black man's place in 1950's society?
Brownie thinks they will be fired because Troy asked why Mr. Rand only let whites drive the trash trucks. This shows us that blacks were afraid to question the injustice they faced.
100
What "fences" does Troy encounter in his life? List 3.
Troy is "fenced" from the major leagues, from driving trash trucks, and is "fenced" in jail.
100
How can you compare Lead Belly to Troy? (3)
They both sing the blues, they both went to jail for murder, and they both are not afraid to point out the injustice they faced at the hands of whites.
100
Name the speaker and why the passage is important. "There ought not never have been no time called too early."
Troy says this while he angrily discusses not being able to play in the major leagues.
100
What is the term for Gabe's entrance in the scene when Troy is telling Rose about Alberta gal?
Comic Relief.
200
Besides marrying Troy, what lifestyle options does Rose have? What does this show us about a black females role in the 1950's?
Rose can have a future of abusive men, partying, attending church, or being alone. This shows us that women, especially black women, had limited opportunities and were greatly dependent on men.
200
List 3 "fences" Rose has encountered in her life?
As a woman Rose was "fenced" from independence, Troy is a fence that restricts her from doing what she wants, and Troy's infidelity fences her in the role of mother for someone else's child.
200
How can you compare Troy to Malcolm X?
They both lived a life of crime, they both went to jail, and they both where rehabilitated in prison (education and baseball).
200
Name speaker and importance. "Better get ready for the Judgment"
Gabe says this and it shows his mental handicap.
200
How does Troy feel about Cory playing football?
Troy thinks he is protecting his son by not letting him get recruited. He is serving as a fence, restricting his son from success.
300
What happens to Gabe in WWII? What does this show us about African-Americans in the 1950's?
Gabe suffers a serious head injury and becomes handicapped. This shows us that even though blacks were not treated equally, the government still expected them to sacrifice their lives.
300
List 2 "fences" Gabriel encountered.
Gabe's mental handicap is a fence and Troy is a fence when he signs him into the hospital.
300
How can you compare Troy to Uncle Remus?
Just like Uncle Remus, Troy is a story teller who exaggerates stories to interest the audience.
300
Speaker and importance. "Don't you come by my house Monday morning talking about time to go to work...'cause I'm still gonna be stroking".
Troy says this and it shows he is not embarrassed to talk openly about his sexuality.
300
What happens to the family at the end of the play?
Though the individuals are still strong, the family has seemed to fall apart after Troy's infidelity. Rose is a single mother raising another person's child, Gabe is in the hospital, Lyons is in prison, and Cory will soon be fighting in the Vietnam War.
400
How does Lyons support himself in the beginning of the play? What part of African-American society does he represent?
Lyons is a musician and he represents this subculture at the time. Lyons is hanging around "rogues" who do not take traditional jobs, and this unsure income often leads these people to indulge in a life of crime.
400
List 2 of Lyons' "fences".
Lyons is fenced in prison and not having Troy present as a child is a fence.
400
What are the Watts Riots? How is this incident important to the play?
They were riots by African-Americans in Los Angeles where millions of dollars of property was destroyed. Troy dies the same year that they occur and even though white leaders were now preaching social equality, the riots show us that this injustice still persisted.
400
Speaker and importance. "And you know I never wanted no half nothing in my family. My whole family is half."
Rose says this and it shows her disappointment that Troy was unable to stay loyal to her and because of this he basically destroyed his family.
400
Raynell does not know Cory, but the two half-siblings still unite in singing the same song. What does this show us?
This shows us that Troy's influence was strong, and even though they have different mothers, the two siblings still have a powerful connection.
500
Why didn't Troy make it to the major leagues? What does this show us about being a talented African-American male at this time?
Troy does not make it to the major leagues because "he came too early", meaning the league was still segregated while he was in his prime. This shows us that it did not matter how talented you were, if you were black it was nearly impossible to obtain success.
500
List 2 "fences" faced by the playwright August Wilson.
He had a white father who abandoned him and he had to educate himself after his teacher accused him of plagiarism.
500
What is the Great Society and why is this important in the play?
The Great Society is a concept developed by LBJ which created social welfare programs said to be designed to combat social injustice. This is important because this would dramatically alter the Maxson family.
500
Speaker and importance. "Some people build fences to keep people out...and other people build fences to keep people in."
Bono says this and it's important because Rose wanted a fence to keep in the family she loves.
500
What does the following poem mean and what theme from the play does it address? "When the sins of our fathers visit us We do not have to play host. We can banish them with forgiveness As God, in His Largeness and Laws."
We do not have to repeat the same mistakes as our fathers and to do so we must forgive the sins of our fathers. Troy has tried not to repeat his father's mistakes, but one slip up caused him to do so. Now it is up to Cory and Lyons to forgive Troy, or they might end up doing the same.