Discussion 3 – Fences and the Civil Rights Movement

Choose ONE (and only ONE) of the following three topics and discuss them in 3-5 paragraphs.

1) How do History and Art intersect? How can the deep study of a playscript like Fences inform your understanding of the Civil Rights Movement?

2) Just as in Lion King the intercultural conflict (the point at which there is friction between cultures or within cultures) in Fences is inter-generational (conflict between generations and how each one perceives their culture). Write about what you think is the main conflict between Troy and his son Cory and if it is a conflict that is universal to most cultures.

3) The title of the play, the physical action on stage, and the set design all concern themselves with the motif of “fences”. How is the concept of “fence” used as a symbol in the play? Name and discuss three examples from the play where “fence” is mentioned as a symbol.