In the play Fences by August Wilson, Troy Maxson is the protagonist and can be described as a meticulous, fun, and reliable character. Rose Maxson is Troy's youngest wife and is described as loyal, loving towards her children and husband, and with an iron will. Troy and Rose have been together for eighteen years and enjoy a marriage that even the most cheerful people would envy; they can count on each other, they share jokes and laughs, and they have worked hard together to earn what they have. Although their marriage seems well-built and joyful, this image of happiness soon diminishes when Rose Maxson discovers a secret event that her husband has kept from her. The audience or reader can see that there has been an emotional and physical transformation in the couple and their relationship after the undisclosed information about Troy's affair and expected child was revealed. The main indication of the couple's feelings towards each other is their body language and the scene. directions of the room. Throughout the first act, Troy and Rose Maxson are depicted as a loving, fun-loving and enthusiastic couple who enjoy spending time together at the end of a long day. One Friday evening, while Troy and his prison buddy Bono are hanging out in the yard after work, Rose decides to join their conversation against Troy's sarcastic wishes: "It's a man's conversation." I have something to tell you later. You know what kind of speech I'm talking about. Go ahead and powder it. (Wilson, 525). This line indicates the playfulness and intimacy between the Maxson couple as well as the close friendship they share with Bono. A second act of liveliness in Maxson's relationship is when Troy sneaks up and grabs Rose from behind while she is hanging clothes...... middle of paper ...... romantic relationship with a house without love to fill. he. Troy died lonely and Rose had to raise his illegitimate daughter; which was the only thing that gave him hope. Works CitedBloom, Harold. “List of characters in the fences.” Bloom's principal playwrights: August Wilson. 2002. 34-35. Literary Reference Center (EBSCO). Internet. July 20, 2010. Metzger, Sheri. “An Essay on Fences.” Drama for students. Detroit: gale. Gale Literary Resources. Internet. July 20, 2010. Shannon, Sandra G. "The Ground I Stand on: August Wilson's View of African American Women." » Contemporary literary criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Flight. 222. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Gale Library Resources. Internet. July 20, 2010. Wilson, August. “Fences” The Seagull Reader: plays. Ed. Joseph Kelly. 2nd ed. New York: WW Norton & Company. 2008. 372 – 88. Print.