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Fences
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Act IChapter Summaries & Analyses
Act I, Scene 1 Summary
The play takes place on the porch and in the yard in front of the Maxson home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Act I opens on a Friday night in 1957. Troy Maxson, who is a large, 53-year-old African-American man, enters with his friend Jim Bono, who is also Black. Troy and Bono have been friends for 30 years. They are still dressed in their work clothing for their jobs as garbage collectors. Friday is payday, and every week the two men sit together to drink and talk. Troy has caused a stir at work by asking why the Black men are only allowed to load garbage into the truck while the White men drive. Their supervisor, Mr. Rand, told Troy to take his issue to the union. Troy went to the union and filed a complaint, and someone from the union was seen speaking to Mr. Rand. Now, Troy has been summoned to the commissioner’s office next Friday. Troy insists that he is not worried about losing his job. Bono and Troy talk about a woman named Alberta, whom all the men are flirting with. Troy bought her a couple of drinks but insists that he hasn’t chased women since he married his wife, Rose.
The two men talk crudely about Alberta’s body, and Rose enters from the house. She is 10 years younger than Troy and does not drink but is present each week during the Friday night drinking ritual. Rose asks if Bono is staying for dinner, but Bono says that his wife is expecting him at home. Troy flirts with his wife and tells Bono that he originally told her that he never wanted to get married, and Rose gave him an ultimatum. Rose corrects Troy’s embellishments as he explains that he thought about it and agreed to marry her. At the beginning of their marriages, both Troy and Bono lived in poorer conditions, and Rose states, “There’s a lot of people don’t know they can do no better than they doing now. That’s just something you got to learn” (14). Troy says that their son, Cory, works at the A&P grocery store, and Troy’s brother, Gabriel, got a job and moved out. Rose adds that Cory was recruited for a college football team, but Troy is dismissive, exclaiming, “The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football” (15).
Troy told Cory not to get involved with the recruiter, but Cory didn’t listen. As a younger man, Troy was an excellent baseball player, but Troy was never able to play in the major leagues because he is Black. Troy insists that he saw plenty of Black men who played better than even Jackie Robinson, the first Black man in the major leagues, and that skin color shouldn’t have stopped them from playing. Troy drinks deeply from the pint bottle they are passing, and Rose warns him that he will drink himself to death. Troy claims that he has already wrestled with death and isn’t afraid. In the summer of 1941, Troy was hospitalized with pneumonia. He claims that Death came to him in a white robe and offered him another year, but Troy insisted that they fight right then and there. After three days, Troy won. Again, Rose challenges Troy’s exaggerations, but Troy swears that he is telling the truth. Additionally, Troy claims that he once spoke to the devil.
Lyons, who is Troy’s 34-year-old son from his previous marriage, enters. Lyons calls himself a musician but is mostly interested in the musician lifestyle rather than playing music. Lyons has come to borrow money from his father and knows that he will have to endure some criticism about his life before Troy agrees. Lyons makes small talk, but Troy knows why he is there specifically on payday. Lyons asks for $10, and Troy refuses. Bono asks Troy about speaking to the devil, and Troy recounts the time he tried to get furniture for their house, but the store refused to give him credit. Troy claims that a well-dressed White man appeared at his door and offered to furnish his house for $10 a month. Troy claims that he has been paying $10 a month for 15 years because he is afraid to stop making payments, but Rose says that Troy is lying.
Lyons asks again for money, asserting that his wife has a job and he will pay his father back. Troy offers to get Lyons a job as a garbage collector, but Lyons feels the job is beneath him. Troy is offended and tells his son again that he can’t afford to give him $10, but Lyons would have his own money if he would get a real job and that he needs to have money to eat. Lyons asserts, “I know I got to eat. But I got to live too. I need something that gonna help me to get out of bed in the morning. Make me feel like I belong to the world” (23). Rose tells Troy to give Lyons the money, but Troy tells Rose that she can give it to him if she wants him to have it. Rose says that she will as soon as Troy hands over his pay. Troy does, and Rose gives Lyons $10. Lyons thanks Rose. When Troy reminds him that he should be thanking him, Lyons promises to repay the money, thanks his father, and leaves. Troy criticizes Lyons, but Rose argues that he’s still young. Bono says goodbye, and as he leaves, Troy embarrasses Rose by talking about how much he loves her and insinuating that he plans to have sex with her all weekend.
Act I, Scene 2 Summary
The following day, Rose is hanging clothes to dry in the yard and singing to herself. Troy enters, and Rose talks about playing the numbers, noting that the only people who win a lot of money seem to be the ones who don’t really need it. Troy is in a bad mood and calls playing the numbers foolish. Rose reminds him that someone named Pope won enough once to open a restaurant, and Troy criticizes Pope bitterly for going out of his way to please White customers while giving poor service to Black customers. Rose tells Troy not to worry about what is happening at work, and Troy insists that he isn’t concerned. Troy asks about Cory’s whereabouts and is annoyed that he isn’t there since he is supposed to help Troy build a fence. Rose tells Troy to go back to sleep or drink some coffee so that he might be in a better mood. Troy’s younger brother, Gabriel, enters. Gabriel was injured in World War II and has a metal plate in his head. He carries around a trumpet and “believes with every fiber of his being that he is the archangel Gabriel” (28).
Gabriel collects fruit and vegetables that have been thrown out and sells them. He sings about his produce. Rose greets him and comments that Troy is angry. Troy reenters and insists that he isn’t angry. Gabriel worries that Troy is mad at him for moving out, but Troy denies it. Gabriel brags about his new living situation and shows off his key. Gabriel tells Troy that he saw Troy’s name in St. Peter’s book—something he has clearly said many times before. Gabriel exits, claiming that he sees some hellhounds and needs to chase them away. Rose worries that Gabriel isn’t eating properly and suggests that he ought to be in a hospital. Troy argues that Gabriel fought in the war and doesn’t deserve to be locked away. Troy seems to feel guilty because Gabriel received $3,000 for his injury and Troy used it to buy the house. Rose reassures Troy that Troy gave Gabriel a home for years and that moving out was Gabriel’s choice. Troy leaves, telling Rose that he is going to the Taylors’ house to listen to the baseball game.
Act I, Scene 3 Summary
Four hours have passed, and Cory, who is 17, enters with his football equipment. Rose informs him that Troy was angry that Cory wasn’t there to help with the fence. Cory argues that Troy just goes to the Taylors’ house every Saturday to listen to the game anyways. Cory goes inside to eat. Troy creeps up behind Rose and grabs her, startling her. Rose asks about the game, but Troy says he doesn’t care about the game and starts kissing her. She pushes him off and Troy calls Cory to come outside. Cory tells his father that he was at football practice, and Troy chastises his son for leaving his chores undone, ordering him to start cutting boards for the fence. Cory does, and they work quietly for a moment. Then Cory asks Troy why he hasn’t bought a television. Troy lectures Cory that the $200 required for a television were needed to re-tar the roof. Cory claims that Troy can afford it, and that he could get the television on credit, but Troy refuses to owe someone money. Then Troy offers to put up a hundred dollars when Cory can match it, and Cory eagerly agrees.
After another long silence, Cory mentions the baseball game. The Pirates won, and Troy grumbles that the Pirates only allow their White players to play regularly and that all professional sports teams are the same. Cory argues, bringing up Hank Aaron and Wes Covington. Troy scoffs and insists that when he was in the Negro league, they had much better players and that Troy is still better than a lot of professional players today. Cory replies that Troy couldn’t hit home runs against current pitchers, and Troy changes the subject to ask about Cory’s job at the A&P. Cory explains that his manager is allowing him to work weekends only until football season ends, which makes Troy angry. Troy tells Cory that there is no point in the recruiter coming to talk to him and that Cory needs to learn a trade instead. Cory explains that football is a way for him to go to college, but Troy insists that Cory must either get his hours back at the A&P or find a new job. Cory pleads that he can’t work every day and play football, but Troy doesn’t care. Finally, Cory agrees.
After a moment, Cory asks his father why he doesn’t like him. Troy exclaims, “Liked you? Who the hell say I got to like you?” (38). Troy goes on a tirade at his son, asserting that he works hard every day to feed and clothe Cory and that he doesn’t do it because he likes him. He does it because Cory is his responsibility. Troy tells Cory to stop being concerned about whether people like him and be concerned about whether he is being treated fairly. He orders Cory to go and get his shifts back at the A&P, and Cory exits. Rose, who has been standing behind the screen door, comments that Cory is just trying to be like his father by excelling at sports. Troy, however, has always wanted Cory to have a life that was different from his, and he never wanted him to play sports at all. Rose tells Troy that Cory has only ever wanted Troy’s approval. Slowly, Troy says that he already works and gives everything to his family and that he has nothing left to give.
Act I, Scene 4 Summary
Two weeks later, Cory is rushing out of the house to go to a football game. Rose tells him to clean up his room first, as he made a mess looking for his spikes, but Cory promises to clean it later and leaves. Rose worries about Troy seeing the mess. Troy and Bono enter with a liquor bottle, but Troy isn’t wearing the same work clothes. Apparently, when Troy went down to the commissioner’s office, he wasn’t fired like everyone had expected. Bono comments that Troy went to see Alberta at the Taylors’ house to tell her his news. Troy calls for Rose and then insists to Bono that he only went there to cash his paycheck and that he has been telling everyone. Rose enters and asks about his meeting with the commissioner, but Troy starts joking and singing to her. Finally, Troy tells Rose that Mr. Rand called him into his office to promote him to be a driver, and Rose is happy for him.
Lyons enters, and Troy expresses annoyance at seeing him again on payday. Rose tells Lyons the good news about Troy’s job. Bono asks if Mr. Rand knows that Troy doesn’t have a driver’s license, and Troy insists that it’s none of his business. Instead of asking for money, Lyons has $10 to pay Troy back. Troy refuses, but Rose takes it. Gabriel enters, talking about Armageddon and battling the devil. Rose offers him food, and Gabriel agrees to take a sandwich. Lyons invites his father to come here him play a gig that night, but Troy says he doesn’t like the type of music Lyons plays. Going into the house, Gabriel comments that Troy is angry at him. Rose explains that Gabriel thinks Troy is mad that Gabriel moved out. Troy insists that he isn’t, but he is clearly upset. Rose tells Troy that she wants him to allow Cory to sign with the recruiter and end the discussion on the subject and exits into the house. Lyons asks about the recruiter, and Troy exclaims that he has just learned that Cory has been lying and quit his job at the A&P. Troy is furious that Cory has disobeyed him. Bono says that he never knew his own father, and Troy wishes that he hadn’t known his either.
Troy delivers a monologue about his abusive father, who had 11 children. He didn’t walked out on his kids, but Troy’s mother left, promising to come back for Troy but never returning. When Troy was 14, his father caught him having sex with his girlfriend, who was 13, and started beating him. Troy realized that his father had only hit him so he could take the girl for himself. Seeing him do this, Troy was suddenly no longer afraid of him. Troy hit his father, and the girl ran away. Troy describes, “[W]hen my daddy turned to face me, I could see why the devil had never come to get him… ’cause he was the devil himself” (50). Troy remembers waking up, having been beaten unconscious by his father, and realizing that he had to leave home. He cut ties with his entire family other than Gabriel.
Troy walked 200 miles to Mobile, and Lyons is incredulous. Rose enters and tells Lyons that his wife, Bonnie, is waiting to be picked up. Troy continues and tells Lyons about meeting Lyons’s mother and getting her pregnant. Desperate for money, Troy tried to rob a man, but the man shot him in the chest, and Troy killed him with a knife. He spent 15 years in prison, which is where he met Bono. When Troy was released, Lyons’s mother had taken Troy and moved on. Troy fell in love with Rose and promised that there would be no more crime, just her and baseball.
Lyons invites Troy to hear him play that night, but Troy refuses, and Lyons leaves to pick up his wife. Cory enters, furious because Troy went to his school and told the coach that he wasn’t allowed to play football anymore. Troy accuses him of lying, and Cory insists that he had told him that the A&P was holding his job until after football season. Troy refuses to listen, calling Cory’s behavior “strike one” and warning him, “Don’t you strike out!” (55).
Act I Analysis
At the end of Act I, Troy’s warning suggests that something serious will happen if Cory “strikes out.” Although Troy left home at the age of 14 and wishes his father dead, he demonstrates that in many ways he learned how to be a father from watching his own. Troy tells Cory that he doesn’t have to like him. He only has to fulfill his responsibility to meet his son’s basic needs, just as Troy’s father stayed and kept a roof over his children’s heads. Troy sees affection toward his son as a luxury, much like the television, even though he demonstrates with Rose that he has the ability to be soft and loving. Although Troy is not physically abusive like his father was, he is determined to control Cory, and as much as Troy insists that he does not want Cory to become like him, Troy bars Cory from his best chance to go to college and have a better life.
As a Black man, Troy has been invalidated his entire life. He describes how he couldn’t find a job or a house when he moved out, how he was refused credit to buy furniture, and most importantly, how his blackness prevented him from playing in the major leagues. At the beginning of the play, Troy has just stood up against the racism that has prevented the Black men at work from advancing to become drivers. This is an act of self-validation. However, Bono reveals in the final scene of the first act that Troy does not have a driver’s license. This fact suggests that Troy has an inflated sense of his own capabilities and will risk everything to prove himself.
When Troy was only 14 years old, his father caught Troy having sex and, rather than allow Troy to become a man, emasculated Troy by beating him and raping his girlfriend. Like his father, Troy does not want to let his own son become a man and make his own decisions about his life. At 17, Cory has an opportunity to play college football, but Troy is unwilling to believe that his own baseball days are behind him, insisting instead that the only reason he cannot play is because he is Black. Therefore, he cannot allow his son to prove him wrong by becoming a successful football player. Troy’s life is centered on his unfulfilled potential. He is ashamed that at age 53, he only owns a home because he used the money Gabriel earned after he was injured in the war. He resents those who have better luck, such as Pope and his restaurant. Troy lives in the past, even refusing to buy a television, because he cannot let go of the fact that his life is probably never going to change.
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