Fences: Dad's Better Half is Mom



The final installation in my “Fences” series highlights none other than Rose Maxson played by Viola Davis.  Her performance was so stellar she made history becoming the first black woman in history to win an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony award.  Her performance was stellar.  As Rose Maxon, Davis was the epitome of strength, poise, and grace.  She was the glue that kept her family together.  Rose married Troy, a sanitation worker after he was released from prison.   Troy had a child from a previous marriage and was frustrated due to the way his life turned out.  I remember a scene in the movie that jarred me.  Troy was saying how he gave everything he had and he didn’t have anything left to give.  He said he had been in the same place in life for 18 years and Rose said I’ve been here with you.  Wow!  Anyone that has faced challenges knows what an asset it is to have someone in your corner.
Rose found a way to become a buffer between Troy and Cory while being a bridge between Troy and Lyon’s.  While she was managing the relationships between the men in her life she cooked, cleaned, and managed the household finances.  She was superwoman in the flesh.  Back in those days, women found a way to hold the family together by all means necessary.  I say this because it seems no matter what the man was faced with outside the home when he returned to his safe haven his woman gave him the courage and strength to face the next day.
While Rose was busy making sure the home was intact Troy did the unthinkable.  He had a child with a woman and to make matters worse due to unforeseen circumstances he brought his outside child home and asked Rose to raise her.  After what I’m sure was continual internal conflict Rose turned a cold shoulder to Troy, yet she accepted his daughter into her home.  Even after Troy's death Rose kept their family together and upheld his name.


If I learned anything from this film it was how dilemmas of the man impact the family on a generational level.  It was confirmed there aren’t manuals teaching boys to become men and men to become fathers.  Therefore it’s imperative to do the best we can while learning along the way.  Finally, if you have a good woman that is willing to weather the storms of life with you and treat you with dignity and respect honor her.  

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