Troy, on the other hand, is quintessentially unsupportive, and for some, it can be frustrating to read or watch on stage without understanding the true psychological drive behind Troy’s reasoning.Ĭarl Jung furthered what is termed neo-Freudian psychology as a student and, as some call him, a successor of Sigmund Freud. Corey has been offered a scholarship to play football in college, and Rose nurtures this ambition, seeing it as an opportunity to, at the very least, go to college and further his education if not also ultimately play for the NFL.
He is influenced by the shifting discourse in America at the time, and he, therefore, is committed to the dream of pursuing a professional career in football, which is rapidly eclipsing baseball as the American pastime. Troy’s son, Corey Maxson, is very much a product of August Wilson’s generation. Lives for African Americans were changing because they were able to dream the same dreams as their White counterparts and pursue those dreams (i.e. The discourse in the era of Fences is mid-shift, changing from one that not only segregated Blacks and Whites on a subaltern level but also segregated their ambitions as well. New Historicism is a lens of literary criticism that defines the term, discourses, as “ways of seeing and talking about the world” (Dobie 181). No doubt, August Wilson was of a generation thoroughly influenced by the change of discourse that Robinson effected in the latter half of the twentieth century. Robinson represents both in the story and in reality a successful challenge to traditional norms and, more importantly, historic change. Troy represents a Black archetype, but Jackie Robinson serves as a sort of unseen character in the story due to the many references throughout the play to his abilities and the barriers he broke. Now, Troy proves to be a character predisposed toward hyperbole, but this remains a relatable statement for many African Americans alive today who, perhaps as children, heard these sentiments bandied about with much fervor at the time. Hell, I know some teams Jackie Robinson couldn’t even make!” (Wilson i.i). Troy represents that perspective and even says outright at one point, “I done seen a hundred niggers play better than Jackie Robinson. He, therefore, represents a common criticism of Jackie Robinson in the Black community that, despite the barriers Robinson broke, he was hardly the best Black player that could have broken them down. He was something of a baseball star in the Negro Leagues, but he was barred from playing in the Major Leagues, first because he was Black and subsequently because he was too old by the time integration began. Troy has settled into a rhythm of life that hinges on a very grim outlook, but he prefers it because he has endured too many upsets in life thus far. Troy works as a garbage collector for the Sanitation Department to provide for his wife, Rose, and his teenage son, Corey.
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