Fences

It would be stupid of me to say that I have never built up fences around myself or around others. I don't think there is a person who has never done this at some point in our lives - we like to be comfortable, and psychological fences indicate our comfort zone. When we exclude people because they aren't in our circle of friends, we have built a fence keeping our friends in and the other person out. This is a fact of life, an inevitable consequence of human social interaction.
Fences was an interesting play for me. I didn't really know what to think about it after I had finished. I guess I was kinda expecting some sort of change in Troy, but that never really happened. I think it is interesting how Troy is the central character, yet the play is not so much about him as how his life affects everyone else's around him. I was able to see a little into his character, although I hated how he was unwilling to change. Yet, I think that's an integral part of the play - that there are people who are unwilling to change their ways, and that these people hinder more than help those around them without even realizing so. I think this is in part a warning to the audience, to show what can happen when we let our own personal universe intrude and try to control those of other people.
Troy effectively quashed both Cory and Rose's dreams and ambitions, but thought he was doing good. He's an incredibly stubborn character and can be intensely frustrating, but at the center is a man who really means well and does actually care about the people around him. Troy built fences around himself and those close to him; and like the hard wood he used to build Rose's yard fence, the fences he forged with those close to him were strong. Sometimes, they were too strong for those around him to escape from, such as in the case of Rose and (until he found the strength within himself) Cory. This is another important message of the play - that the fences we build affect everyone around us.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the play; I feel that it presents its message of fencing things in well, and I really like the fact that there are so many levels to this play, that an analysis of it could take a long time. For me, this is a mark of a good play.