Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Research paper - Essay Example The difference here is that the Fences represents an African-American family while the Death of a Salesman is a story of the middle class American Caucasian of the 1940s. The story of Death of a Salesman centres around the disillusioned Willy Loman’s inability to stay focused on things and is replete with flashbacks. Willy’s family is struggling to survive and Biff, the son is unemployed and constantly fighting with Willy. There is a constant failure in jobs. The flashbacks reveal that Biffs career was jeopardized in high school when Biff finds his father having an affair. Eventually Biff accepts himself for what he is, but his father is unable to come to terms with failure and kills himself. Fences though written in was written in 1986 portrays a family of the fifties. It is a play that portrays the life of an African-American family living in a difficult period when Africans were being segregated. Byungho Han (2001) describes the setting of the play thus: â€Å"The setting of Fences intends to reveal their dreams of happiness, and subsequent sense of loss, and frustration in the fifties of America.†Ã‚   This play tells the life of a middle-aged African American, Troy Maxson, who struggles to raise his son, keep his family together in an ever changing society. Laura Hitchcock while comparing him with Willy Loman says, â€Å"Like Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Troy Maxson is one of the most recognizable anti-heroes of the American stage. Hes monstrous, honourable, and a huge charismatic presence in the life of his family†. He has survived a brutal childhood and a prison term and works as a garbage man. Troys son, Cory, wants to play football and get a college scholarship. Troy believes that the whites will not allow his son to play. He also feels that football will interfere with Cory’s job at a grocery store. He makes Cory leave football for his job as he wants Cory to become