73 pages 2 hours read

August Wilson

Fences

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1986

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Act IIChapter Summaries & Analyses

Act II, Scene 1 Summary

Cory is in the front yard swinging a baseball bat at a ball and attempting to imitate his father. Rose enters from the house, and Cory swears that he is going to stay on the football team. Rose promises to talk to Troy, telling Cory that Troy went to help Gabriel, who was arrested for disturbing the peace. Cory goes inside, and Troy and Bono enter. Troy is complaining about having had to pay $50 to get Gabriel out and that the police only keep arresting Gabriel because they want money. Bono asks Troy why he’s using hard wood instead of something softer like pine to build the fence, and Troy replies that softer wood is only for inside use. Bono mentions that Troy seems to have become very friendly with Alberta, but Troy claims that he is friendly with everyone. Cory enters, and Troy tells him to get to work on the fence. Cory wonders why Rose wants a fence at all, and Bono says that Rose loves Troy and is trying to keep her family there.

Troy sends Cory into the house, and Bono confronts Troy.