Through the events in August Wilson's Fences, Troy Maxson represents the notion of passing along learned behavior similar to the way one passes along a family name. The idea that children learn behavior from adults, mimic their behavior, and eventually become a person similar in character and action is evident in Cory's behavior towards Troy at the end of the play.
Assignment- In a well- structured paragraph/ page include the following:
1. What BEHAVIOR have you learned from an adult that you want to pass on to the next generation?
2. Why do you want to pass along the traditional BEHAVIOR?
3. How does your example compare/ contrast from Troy?
4. What do you think Wilson is trying to say through these characters and events?
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As a growing person, from my experiences, my parents taught me to have manners towards other people. If I misbehave to someone or somebody, they’d want me to fix that problem. Acting nice and treating them nicely makes me as a person a better person. If I had children, I wouldn’t want my children to misbehave towards other and make them a negative influence. Seeing people not care about others hurts me in a way because I rather not be the next Troy. Troy shows negative influences to Corey, Troy is the problem that causes Corey to go bonkers. Wilson shows a rising action to the story and in scene four, it rose to the climax that Corey couldn’t bare with it anymore.
During my childhood and up until present my parents have taught me many things. However, I think the most important thing they have taught me is to accept others for who they are. Ever since I was born, I have had diversity in my life. In my family, I have a retarded aunt with a syndrome called Cri Du Chat. I have learned many things from this experience. One is to except everyone, do not judge others, and be thankful for the things you have. I want my kids to be exposed to people like Marianne it is any eye opening experience and really shows you a different look on life. You could say I have a unique family but I think it gives more opportunities and different ways to view life. Troy gave his son a bad image to look up to. He negatively affects his family and other people around him. I believe Troy only acts the way he does because he does not know any better. You really only know what your parents teach you and Troy actually turned out okay for what his father put him through. Wilson is trying to express that parents have a bigger affect on their children then most people think.
My parents have taught me many very important things but the one that I will defiantly pass down to my kids and hopefully to my grandkids is respect. My parents have taught me to respect everyone no matter their race, religion, or beliefs etc. I would like to pass on this behavior because it helps you become a well rounded individual. It opens you up to many new friendships by being able to accept all different types of religions and races. It also might find people more dates and marriages. My example is nothing like the behavior that Troy is passing on. His behavior that he is passing on ( not allowing sons to succeed and abusing them) is very horrible and will only hinder the child's success as a human being. The behavior that I will pass down will help my children and my grandchildren fit in to society better. I think that Wilson is trying to say that if you are abused as a kid it can dominate your present life. Troy was abused as a kid and so he feels like he should abuse his son because he has all of this built up aggression. This is similar to an abused dog. When you scare an abused dog it cowers because it was so affected by its abusive past. That is what Wilson is trying to show us through these characters and events.
-Alex Worcester
Growing up, I have learned many things. The most important thing my parents have told me is to always think about things before I speak. Unfortunately, sometimes I do not do this and sound very stupid. This is exactly why I would want to enforce this rule to my children; to save them the embarrassment. Troy often says a lot of things he shouldn't, for example letting his wife know he has a child with another woman when things are going great with her. Wilson is trying to demonstrate life lessons through his literature to help out his readers.
I was brought up with respect (just a little bit, R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me). none of that abusing shit. life's been easy and that's how i will make it for my children. i'll give them a roof, a bed, respect, food, love, play, great literature, and music. my parents help me to be ready for the trivial and trials that come with maturity and adulthood. so back too it i will be the exact opposite of troy, i will move out for college not at 14 after my father rapes a friend of mine, but when my parents kick me out into the real world at 18.
My parents have shown me many respectable behaviors but the one that I believe stands out the most in my personality would be to never give up. Never giving up can apply to anything that life can offer and that is why passing this trait on from generation to generations something very valuable. Passing along an important characteristic is important because a trait of this caliber shapes your entire personality and someone who never gives up is always greatly admired. Troy actually could be characterized as never giving up for he is a man that only settles for what he wants and that sometimes takes a lot of perseverance. August Wilson sends many messages through his book, Fences but through these particular events he reveals that no matter how parents treat their kids there definition of love that they give to their child will be passed from generation to generation.
Growing up, my parents taught me about a level of politeness and attitude in different environments. Yes, I may act like myself in my own home but when I am in public or at a friends house I should act differently, and I learned this. If I have children I would like to pass this behavior down. It is a good behavior and should be used. Passing down of behaviors can relate to Troy Maxson. He was passed down a violent behavior by his father and now he is passing this behavior down to his son Cory. So far Cory is following his fathers footsteps. Through these characters in the novel, Fences, Wilson is trying to show the reader natural human behavior. He is showing how people should be treating their family and friends. Through the character of Troy Maxson, he shows what happens when you treat the people you love poorly.
My parents were quite suitable teachers, but they teach basics which are most important. Discipline is important but too much of it can be dangerous. I think the parent's job is to protect the child and provide some mental stability. They shouldn't be punished or spoiled too much, while providing a balance based on behavior. In either case, they'll grow up with issues. Presents are usually rewards while a good reason should be given for punishments. However, clearly Troy is using abuse with apathy. Wilson is probably saying that many children were mistreated through this.
Although I have only lived for 15 years, I feel as though I have already learned many things from life and from my parents, especially my mother. My mother is an extremely proud person, but one thing that she has taught me is to bestow kindness onto others. She taught me that everyone is human; we all have our weaknesses no matter how invincible we may seem to others. I learned that when you cause other pain through a punch, or an insult, you cause yourself twice the pain because of your actions. Kindness not only gives you happiness, but also helps someone else whether it be through a smile, or a conversation, or just someone to listen to them. My example compares with Troy's because Troy does not think of others first. He thinks for himself only, and because of his anger he is blinded from how much he hurts the people around him. He did not care that he hurt Rose or kept Corey from his dreams because all he could see was his own pain and losses. Wilson is trying to say that our parents shape who we are no matter what, but they do not make us the people that we are, we make that decision for ourselves.
Fitret Yitayew
One behavior that I have learned from my parents is to always think before you act. This way mistakes can be avoided. One behavior that I want to pass on to generation is that cooler heads always prevail. Don’t make a decision in the heat of the moment that can affect the rest of your life. My examples are positive examples, well the example from Troy effects people in a negative way. Wilson is trying to say that you cannot always fault people for their flaws because they were raised a certain way and it has shaped who they are. August Wilson is trying to convey the theme of the environment shaping the man.
My parents have showed me many things that are important. the most important idea my parents taught me was to be hardworking. This behavior is important because if you are not hard working then you will just be a slacker in life and wont amount to much. i would want my children and grandchildren to amount to something and get a good job. If you were a hardworking individual then you will be respected. I would want to have my children respected by society and by being hardworking then it will make them respected. Troy wants Cory to be hardworking but feels Cory is living in a dream world. Wilson is trying to say that the way your parents act will effect how u act towards others.
Developing throughout my life, my family and i myself have inherited the habit of being opinionated about issues when talked about. I think i would want to pass down this tradition to my kids, because i do not want my kids to settle for just one person's thoughts and ideas on issues but to question it and voice their own opinions and ideas about the issues being discussed or talked about at hand. My example contrasted against Troy's because Troy had inherited and was passed down a bad and uninfluenced custom from his dad down to his family and kids. It had him left alone and made him dug up his own grave of loneliness and self doubt. My behavior that ill passes on would be much more self filling, and it shows a well rounded human being. I think throughout the events August Wilson is trying to get across to us that the past is unforgiving and it can never be changed or removed from a traumatized person who has suffered from ones wrong doing when they were younger. So this all lead to the caring down of traditions whether is good or bad.
I have learned to use sarcasm to tease people. I don’t really know why, but this is the one thing that sticks out to me when thinking about inherited behaviors. It is not so much because I want the next generation to be sarcastic, it is just that I know that occasional sarcasm has become habitual for me, and it probably always will be. It is a behavior that I picked up from my dad, because that is how he acts sometimes. It was passed on through the generation. So I know that as I spend time with the next generation, I will pass on this trait to them. This is not an awful thing to pass on, but it bears some similarity to Troy Maxson’s inheritance of violent and controlling tendencies, in that it is not really a positive thing. Not everything we pass on to the next generation will be a good thing. August Wilson addresses this in Fences. He shows how both positive and negative traits from parents are passed on. For instance, Troy passes on a good work ethic and strong athleticism to his son Corey, but also some of his character flaws such as his anger at society.
A behavior such as finding the right path and following it is one I hold to my heart deeply. It was given to me by my father, and I cherish this trait because, throughout life I will need it and use it and along with that it is something which will put me in the right direction. It is a trait which I see as a very positive learning process and a very strong mental focus. His teachings of this behavior will let me find the right people to talk to and make the right decisions. To pass this along to my children would be phenomenal for them to mature the same way I did. I am going in the right direction because of this behavior until today, so why shouldn't they have this same advantage of my father's upbringing to me? Troy and I differ because his father, yet being responsible for him, left him in a state of emotional instability, which as an adult, left him very alone and scared. My father on the other hand stands by me through all of my endeavors which is why I don't need to feel any of the emotions that Troy had. Through the characters and events of the playwright Fences, August Wilson tells us that one traits inherited from parents, most likely, they are bound to be passed down through tradition.
The passing down of traditions through the generations is sometimes a wonderful thing, but also it can ruin the lives of the recipients. In Fences, by August Wilson, Troy Maxon passes down some unfortunate traditions to his son Cory. Cory reluctantly becomes part of a new generation of violence. Luckily, I have been able to learn good behaviors from the adults in my life. Respect is one of the most important values in life. During the many years that I have been alive, my parents have always taught me to respect others. Obviously there are some people in my life that I do not like at all, but most people still deserve respect. After seeing how helpful it has been for me to have respect for others, I feel that I would also like to pass this same behavior down to future generations. At this time in my life, I am already old enough to start passing down this tradition, but once I am older, my words and actions will have even more of an affect. The difference between what I want to pass down, and what Troy passed down, is quite easily seen. Troy's ways of violence can onlyn hurt those around him, while my ways of respect can have a possitive affect. I think that that is just what August Wilson wants to teach us too. In creating such a vivid contrast between Troy MAxon's world and most of our own worlds, Wilson allows us to see the wrong in certain situations.
The behavior I have learned from my parents is the hwat I want to pass off the future generations. This includes saying like " if you have too much fun in School, you will not have as much fun when your older." Also I have things like to stay calm and not give in, there is no point in getting too tense. I want to pass on this behavior because it was taught to me and it worked because I do not get in much trouble, I am well liked, and I have a positive attitude. Those are all key things to being successful in life. The story of Fences resembles tradition but not humane tradition. The behaviors that I learned were almost instinctive from my parents. Troy seemingly could not escape the pain that his father put him through and that he was never exposed to good parenting as a father. Troy tries to use these techniques that his father used because its instinctive and he does not know any better. August Wilson is showing the corrupt society, a black mans life in the 1900's, and the variety of abuse in this world all through one man, in one play.
Through my dad I have inherited a strong work ethic. The importance of doing well in what i'm doing and to work through all hardships. A good work ethic is essential to getting a profitable job and having a prosperous life I want to pass this trait on to my kids so they can be as successful as my father. Troy in the novel fences inherited negative traits like abusive behavior from his father. My dad however passed on good traits to me that will have a positive effect on my life.
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