Break down the emotional walls

March 2020 was the most influential change in our lives. It wasn’t easy to hear about a pandemic, better yet an indefinite amount of time in quarantine. But to put it quite frankly, I learned the most about myself then. Hours on end, stuck alone, engrossed in emotions; the lack of change fences me within the confines of my home, pondering over who I really am. It makes me neurotic at times, but perhaps that’s simply part of my personality invoking such a coping mechanism toward the pandemic. What intrigues me is this confluence of physical and psychological, given the social contexts. In the play Fences, both the physical and psychological limitations presented after climactic action exemplify how solitude evokes suppressed feelings against societal norms—often leading to epiphanies in identity.

The way in which characters in Fences experience catharsis is similar to Greek tragedy. As defined by Aristotle, tragedy is “in the form of action, not of narrative,” and the “incidents arousing pity and fear” are accomplished with “catharsis of such emotions.” In consideration of Fences, Weber from The Southern Review perceives the play as one written in the intersection of Greek tragedy and blues culture, showcasing domestic life in the 50s for African-Americans. Through analysis of Troy and Rose’s individual reaction to climactic problems, we can further understand how catharsis is portrayed in literary structure and is affected by psychology, sociology, and gender. 

To describe literary stories, Kurt Vonnegut creates graphs with the x-axis as time and the y-axis as fortune. These graphs work in tandem with plot structure, and are best explained through their most common form: man-in-hole. Man-in-hole is where all seems well in the exposition and rising action, but peaks and slowly falls as tension arises throughout the latter portion of the rising action and compilation. At the lowest point (or mathematically, the minimum), the main character faces the most trouble—the climax. Slowly, the graph rises again as the story enters its falling action. But what’s noteworthy is that there are no specified labels for high and low points, nor is there a designated stop. The magnitude to which characters meet and react to each peak in the story is essential in defining their traits.

Caption: altered Man-in-Hole story arc to show varying exit points

Fences follows a structure similar to man-in-hole. To understand how characters recover from their lowest point, the best example is binary opposites Troy and Rose. What emphasizes their opposition is their reaction toward fence building. At first, in the “good fortune” side of Vonnegut’s visualization, Troy views the fences as an unnecessary hassle. His attitude is still positive, but his stubbornness causes his tragic fall, sloping downward on the story shape curve. Stubbornness is his hamartia; it’s what causes him to persist in problems that have changed in the current timeframe. From baseball to Cory’s recruitment, Troy rejects any idea of newness. He doesn’t work diligently on the fence because locking him in not only meant being away from Alberta, but also away from his hopes of breaking racial barriers. In contrast to Rose, who believes the fences keep her loved ones together, Troy depends on society to feed his pride. Ultimately, amid the racial prejudice blocking his past and his children’s perceived future, the affair was the only thing that made him happy. It’s logical, then, that the emotions he buried under his arrogance and drive were all freed during catharsis. 

Troy’s catharsis, specifically, occurred after hearing about Alberta’s death. Surrounded by the dark atmosphere and lightning, Troy cannot hold in his anger anymore, yelling at Rose to “give [him] some room to breathe” and battling Mr. Death outside (Wilson 2024). He asserts to Mr. Death that he will build a fence—contrary to what he had believed before. Mistreated as a child and as an adult, this was a reaction to his failures. Nothing went his way: family, baseball, work…none. Alberta could even be perceived as a coping mechanism to the racial prejudice he faced as a young adult; yet, society didn’t keep her alive. Nonetheless, though it appears Troy’s life is worsening and provoking pity like what Aristotle said about catharsis, I see an upward slope in Vonnegut’s graph on fortune. Tearing down the walls of vulnerability, catharsis released all of Troy’s suppressed emotions, leading him to his true self. In the Frontiers of Psychology journal, researchers Naor and Mayseless define solo experiences as a time for people “to observe and explore the self with greater freedom of expression.” Troy can keep trying to fulfill his pride, such as raising a child better than his father, speaking out against racism in truck drivers, and following his heart, but his lack of empathy will always cause a problem and hurt those around him. From his friendship with Bono to his four familial relationships, none lasted. However, acknowledging that flaw of choosing selfish desires over others’ wishes and advice upon the purging of emotions allows Troy to realize his incapability, letting Death take over him. Troy’s catharsis is an effect of his circumstances, certainly not reaching “good fortune,” but a better understanding of his identity. Ironic enough, his last encounter prior to death was with Cory, where they induced physical violence and Troy kicked Cory out of the house—the same circumstance that initiated Troy’s journey to independence (luckily, Rose reaffirms Cory at the funeral to forgive Troy and learn from his struggle). This sense of full circle is inspired by Greek tragedy, where “the end [of a tragedy] is the chief thing of all” (Aristotle).

Caption: Big Five Traits

What makes Fences unique is how personal it is. We sympathize with Rose as she spills her suppressed feelings through an analogy; a seed full of  “feelings, wants and needs, dreams” stuck on rock-hard soil finally burst open from the climax of Troy’s unforgivable actions (Wilson 2021). But since both characters have now confessed their genuine feelings and desires, this catharsis is beneficial. Although the outcome could’ve been avoided, it’s interesting to see how both react upon hearing such a life-changing event (the announcement of Troy’s adultery for Rose and Alberta’s death for Troy). In the study “Coping Efforts in Daily Life,” researchers David et al. evaluate how perceived problem severity and Big Five traits (extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism) affect coping efforts in daily events. Since Rose and Troy are binary opposites, an analysis on their personality can provide new insight on the psychology of their action, proving the “flawed humanity” aspect of Wilson’s plays (Weber). The most notable findings David et al. conclude are the ones about “severe and less controllable events.” In such events, the researchers claim that “stressor severity was positively associated with [emotion-focused coping efforts such as] catharsis and religion” (David et al.). Considering the surprise of both climactic events in Fences, the classification of stressor severity would definitely yield itself toward the higher side. Although Troy and Rose had similarly cathartic moments, Rose coped with the stressor through religion and Troy secluded himself with death. The external spiritual forces of Jesus and Mr. Death provide the characters with a safe place to pour out their emotions, a place where no one is watching. As David et al. delve deeper into the Big Five traits, they notice that more neurotic and open individuals rely on catharsis while the opposing side relies more on religion and redefinition. The former can be described as Troy due to his curious and aggressive behavior, whereas the latter can be described as Rose because of her calm and cautious temperament. Not only do the study’s findings put theory behind each character’s reaction, but it also emphasizes their opposition in character. One final conclusion that David et al. make is how agreeableness is negatively correlated with perceived severity. Agreeableness includes empathy, and as aforementioned, Troy isn’t one to easily empathize. Weber even characterizes Troy as “a tyrant who refuses to toss his son a bone of affection even when he openly pleads for one.” Upon assessing this relationship between empathy and problem severity, it is evident that Troy’s lack of empathy causes him to overlook the severity of events, such as the multitude of times Bono warns Troy about the risks of infidelity. Seeing the results of the psychological study in comparison to Fences, personality plays a role in how people react toward problems, but it is not the sole factor.

While personality is an intrapersonal matter, social norms are interpersonal matters that affect individual identity. For example, in Drama Criticism, Elam examines the role of women in August Wilson’s portrayal of the African-American community. The women present conform to gender norms, and this subservience is significant in their reaction to life’s challenges. While discussing such a topic, Elam also notes that the male characters can only find their interpretation of freedom through interactions with women. The structure present in Fences exemplifies this idea; in the rising action, obvious tension exists within the couple, in which Rose depends on the check for Troy’s dedication to the family, and after the climax, the tension is broken. Though readers feel sympathy for Rose as she responds to Troy in her dramatic monologue, an influential moment for gender critics is when Rose explains that her fate was her “choice”; it was “what life offered [her] in the way of being a woman” (Wilson 2033). To exit the psychological fences constructed around gender, Rose enters spirituality—a coping strategy of religion defined by David et al. The independence and leadership Rose takes in a place outside the household showcases her empowering actions against female gender norms. Especially considering the Maxson family’s race and socioeconomic status, divorce wasn’t the easy way out. For Rose, following her wishes herself instead of relying on Troy was just one action she took to overcome the challenges occurring at home. This methodology follows “action-insight,” a process coined by founder of psychodrama Jacob Moreno (Tauvon). In Moreno’s time concept, psychodrama involves learning from the “past, present, and [perceived] future” experiences, as demonstrated through catharsis, but focusing on what can be done in the present (Tauvon). By releasing her emotions in catharsis, Rose initiated the process of self-discovery. She acknowledges the social constructs causing her mistakes, but vows to “give [Raynell] the best of what’s in [her]” (Wilson 2033). Just as Troy tried to surpass the societal limitations imposed on him, Rose will now make choices that empower Raynell in a society built under systemic bias. On this note, Cory does the same: respecting and reflecting upon what his father had done for him in such a society. Although Troy appeared as uncaring, he expressed his efforts in building a life better than what he had as a child. He attempted to uphold the strength of a patriarch but succumbed to both toxic masculinity and the pressures of being the main source of income in a household with low socioeconomic status. Because of the complexity between personality and social context, no person nor family is going to face a challenge the same as another. 

Revisiting Vonnegut’s man-in-hole story arc, it is evident that Rose and Troy do end up coming out of the “hole,” just ending in different positions. Because of the way Fences is structured, the play still “recognizes [Troy] as a character who triumphs over the debilitating effects of racism” and is given a “tragic end in spirituality” (Weber). Although he ended in misfortune and low morale, he left the “hole” with a better understanding of his true self. Times have changed, and as everything he once loved left him, his confrontation with death brings his flaws to light. While catharsis in an action-based comedic tragedy like Fences uncovers new insights on identity, the reaction to those new insights varies person-to-person. The variance in reactions is heavily dependent on personality and social context, as demonstrated in these past months. From healthcare to education, the pandemic has emphasized the social privilege present in our society. What I experience may not pertain to others, and what others experience may not pertain to me. But ultimately, this is why empathy prevails. Through introspection, we can find our core values, then understand others—filling the gaps in our society and making this world a better place.

Works Cited

Aristotle. “Poetics.” Translated by S. H. Butcher, The Internet Classics Archive, Massachusetts 

            Institute of Technology, 2009, http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.1.1.html. Accessed 11 Jan 

            2020.

David, James P., et al. “Coping Efforts in Daily Life: Role of Big Five Traits and Problem Appraisals.” 

            Journal of Personality, vol. 67, no. 2, Apr. 1999, pp. 265–294. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/1467-       

            6494.00056. Accessed 08 Jan. 2020.

Elam, Harry J., Jr. "The Woman Question." Drama Criticism, edited by Thomas J. Schoenberg and 

            Lawrence J. Trudeau, vol. 31, Gale, 2008. Gale Literature Resource Center, 

            link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1420082402/LitRC. Originally published in The Past as Present in the 

            Drama of August Wilson, University of Michigan Press, 2004, pp. 88-126. Accessed 07 Jan. 2020.

Naor, Lia, and Ofra Mayseless. “The Wilderness Solo Experience: A Unique Practice of Silence and 

            Solitude for Personal Growth.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 11, Sept. 2020. 

            doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.547067. Accessed 08 Jan. 2020.

Tauvon, Lars. “A Comparison of Psychoanalytic and Psychodramatic Theory from a 

            Psychodramatist’s Perspective.” Counselling Psychology Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 4, Dec. 2001, pp. 

            331–355. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/09515070110092316. Accessed 06 Jan. 2020.

Vonnegut, Kurt. “Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories.” YouTube, 30 Oct. 2010, 

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP3c1h8v2ZQ. Accessed 12 Jan. 2020.

Weber, Myles. "Rescuing the Tragic Bully in August Wilson's Fences." The Southern Review, vol. 50, 

            no. 4, 2014, p. 648+. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A387231916/

            LitRC. Accessed 07 Jan. 2020.

Wilson, August. “Fences.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature, by Michael Meyer, 9th ed., Bedford / 

            St. Martin's, 2011, pp. 1988–2035. 

**ps: stream drivers license by olivia rodrigo. full of emotion - cathartic.**