Even though Troy does not like his father, his attitude towards his family is the same. When talking about his father, Troy says, “he was trapped and I think he knew it. But I’ll say this for him... he felt a responsibility toward us.” (1.4.105). Troy feels that same way towards his own children. Troy tells Cory, “it’s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you!... I ain’t got to like you” (1.3.107). Troy feels as though he just has to lead his children down the right path. He does not have to show them any emotion or be considerate towards them.
Troy is a little more lenient with Lyons. Troy does not agree with Lyons trying to become a musician. He lectures Lyons on not having a real job or money of his own. Troy tells Lyons he will not give him a dime. He says, “I’ll die and go to hell and play blackjack with the devil before I give you ten dollars.” (1.1.113). However, Troy let him take the money anyway. He still supports Lyons when he needs it.
On the other hand, Troy does not give Cory what he really wants. This is because Cory just wants to play sports, just like Troy did. Troy says that sports didn’t bring him any good. So he doesn’t want Cory involved in sports. When Troy is talking about Cory he says, “I don’t want him to be like me! I want him to move as far away from my life as he can get” (1.3.111). As the play goes on Troy and Cory grow father and father apart. Eventually Troy messes up Cory’s chances of becoming a football player. Cory gets so upset that he tells Troy, “You just an old man” (2.4.78). Meaning that Cory says Troy has made nothing of himself. He is no one special and he has no authority over anyone. Troy is just another old man to him. It escalates so much that Cory moves out and ends up joining the marines.
Troy’s life ends without making things right with his son. At first, Cory does not even want to go to his dad’s funeral. His talks about how he feels towards Troy with his mother. She tells Cory, “Not going to your daddy’s funeral ain’t gonna make you a man” (2.5.72). She also tells Cory that he is a lot like his father, if he likes it or not. The situation was never resolved between the two of them. However, Cory realizes that he needs to resolve it on his own and he ends up going to the funeral.
yeah, I agree Troy doesn't know how to show his affection or love. He raised himself from 14, and is a hardened man. He is however harder on Cory and finally he doesn't take it anymore that's when it escalates to the fight. Even though he didn't end up playing football, he still became a good man. so his dad did what he should have in the end.
ReplyDeleteTroy's abusive father and his stay in prison brewed a sizable volume of anger, which he saw as a significant threat to himself and the people around him, so he probably found an outlet in baseball. He feels more than just a fondness of the sport. He probably sees it as his life's guide. Probably baseball and the language that goes with it became his flack jacket in his perspective of the "real world," as well as in prison. This emotional attachment may be what Rose means when she says, "Your father gave you the best of himself,” this could indicate how tightly he held onto his language, to avoid violence and crime, and to make sure his friends and the members of his family stay intact.
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