To Build a Home: Troy Maxon Keilani Pham College

In August Wilson’s Fences, Troy Maxson is a man of many flaws. He is human, and like any other human, his experiences throughout life have influenced his decisions and his outlook on life. If we were to have no context on Troy’s life, we would see him as a father who kept his son from pursuing a career in sports, a greedy brother who takes advantage of Gabriel’s disability benefits, and a lying, cheating husband. Although Troy Maxson’s actions have negatively impacted the lives of his family and the people he cares about, he still shines through as a tragic hero. When we think tragic hero, that’s not to compare him to superman, but rather, describe him as a character who has the intentions to carry out good deeds, but allows their flaws, conflicts, and inner struggles to keep them from their fulfilling their goals. This is no justification, but a clarification that even though Troy Maxson is not a perfect person, he seeks to better himself for his loved ones. We as readers watch as Troy does his best to protect his family in the only way he knows how, but ultimately allows himself to become tempted by his inner struggles and causes his own demise.

A major conflict in Fences is how Troy shoots down Cory’s potential career in...