What hierarchies exist in our own families?

Floating topic

What hierarchies exist in our own families?

Before l read fences, I had a relatively close-minded approach to the first unit question, I thought that in our families their exists an emotional hierarchy. Although this answer is not exactly wrong, it not yet a complete answer - and that's where Fences comes into play. Fences broadened my horizons in a way that l could not have expected. Throughout the movie and its numerous acts, It has become clear to me that simply saying that emotion is a hierarchy in our families is not enough. Fences has taught me something through the dynamic between Troy and Corey that no other text has done so far. Fences has taught me that in every single family, there exists a common hierarchy, that hierarchy being the hierarchy of power/authority present in all family dynamics.

Fences By August Wilson

"You’re gonna have to use it! You wanna draw that bat back on me . . . you’re gonna have to use it. . . . You’re gonna have to kill me! You wanna draw that bat back on me. You’re gonna have to kill me. . . . Come on! Come on!"

The words "You’re gonna have to kill me. . . Come on!" show how powerful Troy is, and must feel, compared to Corey. This is seen through the quote by how Troy is essentially daring Corey to strike him with the baseball bat. Troy's power over Corey is so overwhelming that Corey subsequently freezes up after hearing Troy yell this at him and gives up on standing up to his father.

The feeling of power radiating from Troy in this scene, answers the first unit question, "What hierarchies exist in our own families" by showing through Troy's relationship with Corey, How in our families, there is a common hierarchy of authority or power. Troy shows this by how the immense authority and pressure he places on Corey stoped him (Corey) from being able to hit his father with the baseball bat.

Before l heard this quote, I was listening to the movie to try to pick up on how Troy's character got worse and worse throughout the movie. It wasn't until I came across this quote that I was able to truly see how much of a massive change in character Troy has had - from kind, lovable, charming family man - to telling his son that if he has to guts to stand up to him with a bat, then he should be prepared to have to kill him. This quote opened my eyes to what a... quite frankly horrible person Troy has morphed into as the story progressed. This all connects back to the hierarchy of power noted beforehand because of how it's shown that as the story progresses and Troy losses more and more power over his family, the more unhinged and aggressive he becomes out of desperation to hold onto his feeling of power that Troy thinks that he is owed from his family.

"The whole time I was growing up . . . living in his house . . . Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk into your flesh. It would wrap around you and lay there until you couldn’t tell which one was you anymore. That shadow digging in your flesh. Trying to crawl in."

The phrase "Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk into your flesh.", conveys the profound effect Troy's authority and power in his family hierarchy has had on Corey. This is seen through feeling of sadness felt through Corey as he says this phrase. Through this phrase, we see how Troy's overwhelming authority suffocated those around him.

Corey's feelings of sadness and resentment resulting from Troy's power over him answers the first unit question, "What hierarchies exist in our own families" by demonstrating how in our families, their is often a constant pressure from those who have authority, this manifests as a hierarchy based on power. Furthermore, it shows how those who contain the power in a family, are often those with the direct ability to either positively or negatively affect other members of the family.

Before l came across this quote, I was watching the movie to better understand why the relationship between Troy and Corey seems so tense, but this quote answered that question, Their relationship is so full of tension and turmoil because of the difference in power between father and son. Not physical power, but the difference in influence or authority between Corey and his father Troy.

"What law is there say I got to like you? Wanna stand up in my face and ask a damn fool-ass question like that. Talking about liking somebody. . . . I go out of here every morning . . . bust my butt . . . putting up with them crackers every day . . . cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw. . . . It’s my job."

The phrase "You about the biggest fool I ever saw. . . . It’s my job.", shows how Troy has an intense feeling of responsibility. Troy shows this feeling of responsibility by explaining to Cory (his son) that although he may disagree with Cory on most topics, he will continue to provide for Cory and his family because he feels as if it is his responsibility to do so.

Troy's feelings of responsibility is read across the movie as him displaying his authority over his family to make sure that they are headed down what he thinks to be the right path. Essentially, Troy uses his authority over the rest of his family to control their actions. This answers the unit question of "what hierarchies exist in our families" by showing how many families have a hierarchy of authority/power.

Before I heard this quote, I was watching the movie to analyze Troy's feelings and why he acts the way he does, but this quote taught me to instead watch the text for how Troy interacts with others and what feelings are associated with these interactions. Furthermore, this quote is very thought-provoking as it is the first real instance we see of Troy using his authority and power to put down others - and therefore has a profound impact on the how the reader perceives Troy and the movie in general.