Write a Journal and revise fences paper

Fences Play

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Troy’s funeral is the last scene of the play that brings to conclusion so many aspects of the play. Throughout the whole play, the lives of many characters revolve around Troy. His family lives by the dictations he makes whether they are right or not. This scene stands out because it is the part of the play that shows the reunion of a family that had been broken by the stubborn nature of Troy whereby during the funeral, we see Cory coming back after having been away from home for almost 8years. At the same time, Gabe who had been sent off to a mental hospital by his brother Troy also comes back to attend the funeral

This is an important scene that not only marks a big change in the lives of the characters but also a big change in the lives of people in America. From the setting of the funeral, the funeral took place in the year 1965 a time when there had been a lot of changes on issues of race in the 8 years that had passed. The death of Troy was a mark of the big change that most people especially the colored people had waited on for so long. An estimation of Troy’s age reveals that he was part of the generation that led the migration to the north; a migration that was responsible for the many changes that were to be experienced later.

The funeral signified the end of an era of injustice and the beginning of a new time. In the book, it was an end to a life where a son had to live away from home and a wife, Rose, had to live a life of having to give up her desires just to support her stubborn and unfaithful husband. In steering a new beginning for people, the funeral brought home Cory who had never even met Lyons, his sister. At first, Cory never wanted to attend the funeral because he was still in pain after what his father had done to him ‘…drag Papa with me everywhere I go. I’ve got to say no to him.’ Cory and his sister Lyons had never met and practically knew anything about each other all thanks to Troy. The two then bonded over a song that their father taught them

The singing of the blue that Troy taught his children at the funeral is a mark of sin and redemption. Blues were a type of African American songs that mostly spoke of the troubles of this race. In the case of Troy they showed his sin that was Alberta and his only redemption, his wife, Rose whom he had chosen to ignore. Singing the song at the funeral was not only a boding moment but a true definition of the legacy of Troy. Despite the fact that he had put his family through a lot of pain, he had at least managed to leave his children with a common legacy. Cory realized that despite all his father’s failures, he had loved him as a son and had only wanted Cory to be better than him ‘…Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn’t ….’Troy left something behind that would forever make Cory and his sisters one.

Gabriel’s arrival at the burial is a sign of redemption for Troy. Earlier on in the play, Gabriel had told Troy that his name had been written in his book in heaven. Gabriel tries to blow his trumpet but he does not succeed, and this makes him very sad. The whole essence of playing the trumpet was so that the heaven gates would open and usher Troy into heaven. Gabriel had been cast aside for so long and considered unimportant, but then, in the end, he turns out to the one person that will save Troy’s soul from eternal damnation. Other than being the unexpected redeemer, Gabriel is a sign that family bonds run deep; that even though it was his brother who signed the papers that sent him to an asylum, he still loved him that he came for his final send-off. Most of the other characters did not want to have anything to do with Troy because of all the bad memories that he had left, but Gabriel saw the befallen Troy as his brother. He wished him the best in the afterlife through playing trumpet and performing the dance ritual so that he could be accepted in heaven’…gonna tell St. Peter to open the gates.’

In deed, the death of Troy a man who had impacted the lives of so many was of great significance to all. His death ushered in a new era of siblings getting to finally meet, lost brothers and sons coming back home amongst other changes. We may not always see the death of people as a good thing, but maybe it is needed so as to give room for change.