Student Question
How do the characterizations in Wilson's Fences reflect the resolution?
Quick answer:
The characterizations in Wilson's play highlight the resolution by illustrating themes of incompleteness and hope. Troy is portrayed as incomplete due to his lack of inner peace, which stems from personal grievances, social injustices, and existential struggles. In contrast, Cory's journey reflects a resolution as he gains understanding and peace by rejecting his father's path and embracing hope for the future. These character arcs underscore Wilson's themes of fulfillment and generational hope.
I think that Wilson is able to use the characterizations in the drama to help illuminate the power of the themes featured. For Troy's characterization, Wilson has been able to construct a character that is fundamentally incomplete. He is incomplete because of the lack of peace in his life. Whether he is consistently focused on the personal wrongs done to him, the social injustices that are evident, or even the metaphysical war he has with death, Troy is incomplete because he has failed to find some peace. For Wilson, this feeds into the theme that individuals in the modern setting must be able to find a foundational level of fulfillment in order to effectively deal with all the challenges of the modern setting. This can be found in Cory, who understands clearly that he should not be like his father. While Cory battles with Troy, he is brought back by his father's death and the singing of his favorite song is a moment where he has found peace. This is where Cory possesses a sense of hope for the future, a theme that Wilson is able to impart to the younger characters in the drama. Through both characterizations, Wilson's themes become more illuminated and clearer.
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