Fences by August Wilson

Act 1
Agenda
1. Watch Act 1 (Scene 1-4 Fences)
2. Discussion Questions
3. Check in with Allusions Chart
4. Homework: Finish Reading Fences Act 1 (Scenes 3 and 4) for
Wednesday 3/13
Individual Task:
Instructions and Guidelines
Choose 1 Question from Each of the Following 2 Discussion Question
Slides to respond to in writing. Your responses must include quotes
and examples from the text to support your answers and each
response should be a minimum of 1 paragraph in length. You will
submit your responses via the assignment link in Canvas.

* You should have two paragraphs, one that addresses a discussion

question from Act 1 Scenes 1&2 and one that address a discussion
question from Act 1 Scenes 3&4.
Discussion Questions Act 1 (Scene 1 & 2)
Questions Act 1: Questions Act 2
1. How does Troy seem to view women? Provide an 1. What is Rose’s view of a fence? What does this
example. reveal about her?
2. What is Troy so bitter about when it comes to 2. Describe Gabriel in detail. What kind of person is
baseball? What does he blame for the loss of his he? How does he act? Why?
dream? (provide quote to support your answer)
3.. How does Troy feel about what has happened to
3. What does Troy mean when he says he “wrestled Gabriel?
with death”? What does this tell you about Troy as a
character?
Discussion Questions Act 1 (Scene 3 &4)
Questions Scene 3:
1) What do you think of Troy telling Cory, “Who
the hell say I gotta like you? What law is there to
say I gotta like you?” What kind of father is he?
Why do you think he feels the way he does?
2) Read Troy’s monologue on in Act 3. What are
his views on responsibility? Give evidence from
the text to support your answer.
3) How do Troy and Rose differ in their views on
Cory?
Questions Scene 4:
1. Describe Troy’s father and the relationship he
had with his family. What effect did this have on
Troy? (use quote to support your answer).
2. How does the conflict between Troy and Cory
intensify at the end of this scene? Who do you agree
with and why?
3. Explain how Troy uses baseball as a metaphor.
What is he trying to say to Cory
Questions to ask when Reading Dramas

Source: Norton Introduction to Literature 6

 Allusions in Fences:
Allusion Research How does it connect to Fences
Troy -Setting of the Trojan War

-Ancient city in what is now

Turkey

-Destroyed and rebuilt several

times over 4000 years

-9 arch. layers

Trojan Horse - A giant Wooden Horse

that the Greeks left
outside the gates of Troy
as a peace offering during
the Trojan War
- The people of Troy took
the horse in only to be
invaded at night by the
Greeks who were hiding
within the horse
 Allusions in Fences:
Allusion Research How does it connect to Fences

Archangel Gabriel Messenger of God

Used a horn

Patron saint of
Messengers

Announced the birth of

Jesus Christ

Mason-Dixon Line Served as a division

point of the North and
South during the Civil
War

The line between “free

and slaves states”

Bordered PA, MD,

Delaware, and West VA
 Allusions in Fences:
Allusion Research How does it connect to Fences

St. Peter An apostle of Jesus Christ

Crucified of Roma

Featured in New
Testament

Gatekeeper of Heaven-
“Keys to the Kingdom”

Jackie Robinson First Black player

integrated in the MLB

Played for the Brooklyn

Dodgers

Faced a great deal of

criticism
Homework:

• Finish Reading Fences Act 2, Scenes 1-3 in preparation for class on

Monday, March 18th.
• Complete the Discussion Question Assignment for Act 1 by Sunday,
3/17 at 11:59.