World Literature Book Review Example

Fences by August Wilson

Everybody has his or her inner secrets and thoughts that are concealed thoroughly. Sometimes people are so hurt by their childish fears and complexes that they can turn their lives into complete mess. The play “Fences” written by August Wilson shows inner conflicts of its protagonists and makes clear the fact that they are better to be dealt with than left to destroy one's lives.
Troy Maxon is the main hero of the play. He bears a deep grudge against society he lives in. Now he is a driver and has a family but this way of living is not what he might have had in his life. When he was younger he played a baseball and proved to be good at it. However, the color barrier prevented him from becoming a baseball star. Then he made a mistake and spent some years in prison. These events had a major influence on the character and personality of Troy. Thoughts of being different, defective or unworthy made him hard-hearted and unhappy. Being a victim of generation with limited opportunities, he thinks that blacks can not achieve something great in life. He also prevent his younger son from playing football basing on his own fears and memories. He believes he can protect Cory's feelings because he himself went through this humiliation and unfairness forgetting that life has already changed. So has the society. There is also hidden conflict between Troy and his wife Rose when the truth of his affair with other woman is revealed. Rose adopted a baby girl Raynell after her mother's death as her own thus demonstrating her strength and dignity and emphasizing Troy's weekness.

Works Cited

Wilson, August. “Fences.” Massachusetts Institute of Technology. PDF file. ‹http://web.mit.edu/wpick/output.pdf›.