S Y NO P S I S OF THE PLAY ACT 1
T
he play opens at the house of Troy Maxson in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, PA. Troy and his best friend, Bono, discuss why the Black employees are not allowed to drive the garbage trucks and can only lift the garbage. Troy asks Bono, “Don’t I count?”
book and will be responsible for opening the gates to Heaven on Judgment Day. Rose asks Troy when he will finish building the fence for their yard, but Troy says he will work on the fence after he goes to the bar to watch baseball. When Cory comes home from football practice, Troy reprimands Cory for going to football practice instead of doing his chores. While Cory and Troy work on the fence, the two argue because Troy will not agree to sign the permission papers for Cory to play college football. Troy says that Cory must work at the A&P supermarket instead of going to football practice. Troy tells Rose he is giving his family everything he can, but Rose doesn’t think it is enough.
Troy’s wife Rose joins them and mentions that their son Cory has been recruited by a college football team. Troy does not like the idea of Cory playing football in college because he feels nothing good will come out of it. His own disappointment with baseball makes Troy feel that sports will also be a disappointment to Cory. Troy suggests Cory learn a trade instead. Lyons, Troy’s older son, shows up at the house and asks Troy for ten dollars. This is a ritual the two often perform. Troy scolds Lyons for his lifestyle as a Jazz musician and refuses to give him any money. Then, Rose convinces Troy to give Lyons the money.
Troy is given a promotion that will make him the first Black garbage truck driver in the city. Lyons and Bono tease Troy because he does not know how to drive and he cannot read. Cory comes home enraged after finding out that Troy went to his high school football coach and told him that Cory may not play on the team anymore. Cory confronts Troy, telling him that Troy is holding him back from his dreams because Troy is afraid that Cory will be better than Troy. Troy warns Cory that his defiance is a strike against him and he better not “strike out.”
The next day, Troy’s spirited veteran brother, Gabriel, shows up. Gabe has recently moved into his own place at Miss Pearl’s and out of Troy’s home. Troy does not approve of this living arrangement, believing that Miss Pearl is only after Gabe’s disability money from the government. Gabriel says that he has seen St. Peter’s
ACT 2
C
ory tells Rose that he isn’t quitting the football team, and Rose agrees to talk to Troy when he comes home from bailing Gabriel out of jail for causing a disturbance. Bono and Troy work on the fence together – struggling with the wood. Cory joins them and cuts through the wood easily. Cory and Troy do not understand why Rose wants a fence built. Bono explains to them that Rose loves her family and wants to keep them safe and close. Bono tells them “some people build fences to keep people out… and other people build fences to keep people in.”
When Cory goes into the house, Bono confronts Troy about his relationship with a woman named Alberta. Troy admits to Bono that he is having an affair with her, and Bono tells him to stop then leaves. Troy tells Rose there is a hearing in three weeks for Gabe to determine whether or not he should be recommitted to an asylum. As they argue over what to do about Gabe, Troy reveals a painful truth to Rose: he is having a child with another woman. Rose says she cannot believe that Troy has treated her like this after she has been so loyal to him for so long. Troy
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