Characters Fences

Who says: "You ain't never gave me nothing! You ain't never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you."

• Cory

• Lyons

• Raynell

• Rose

Answer explanation

This is one of the few moments when Cory is able to tell Troy how he really feels. Why is Troy so dead-set against Cory playing football and living the life he wants?

Who says: "You can't visit the sins of the father upon the child."

• Rose

• Troy

• Cory

• Bono

Answer explanation

Rose is speaking of Raynell here after Alberta's death. Rose shows grace and compassion in raising Troy's illegitimate daughter.

Who is Troy talking to when 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!"

• Cory

• Rose

• Bono

• Gabe

Answer explanation

Troy makes terrible decisions as a parent, but he seems to want the best for his kids... he's just misguided in what that might be.

Who said: "You got to take the crookeds with the straights. That's what Papa used to say."

• Troy

• Cory

• Lyons

• Gabe

Answer explanation

Lyons says this to Cory the day of Troy's funeral. What does Lyons help Cory understand about his dad here?

Who said: "I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams ... buried them inside you."

• Rose

• Troy

• Gabe

• Lyons

Answer explanation

Here Rose explains her frustrations with Troy and her marriage. She feels like Troy's needs and dreams always come before her own.

Who says, "One time in my life I've got to say no."

• Bono

• Troy

• Rose

• Cory

Answer explanation

Cory says this to his mother explaining why he won't go to his dad's funeral. He was never able to successfully stand up to his dad. Is Cory justified in the anger he feels toward Troy?

Who said: "Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold on to you all. She loves you."

• Bono

• Lyons

• Gabe

• Cory

Answer explanation

The fence is a symbol of Troy and Rose's fragile relationship.

Who says: "You ready, Troy. I'm gonna tell St. Peter to open the gates."

• Gabe

• Bono

• Rose

• Lyons

Answer explanation

Troy didn't always do right by his brother, Gabe. But Gabe understood that Troy was ultimately a good person, just one warped by the traumatic experiences of his past.

Who says: “The whole time I was growing up...living in this house...he was like a shadow that followed you everywhere...It would wrap around you and lay there until you couldn't tell which one was you anymore.”

• Lyons

• Rose

• Cory

• Gabe

Answer explanation

Cory voices resentment about how overbearing his father was. Cory was eventually kicked out of the house and joined the Marines.

Who says the following (and...who is being spoken to): "I wanted a house that I could sing in. And that's what [he] gave me. I didn't know to keep up his strength I had to give up little pieces of mine...It was my choice. It was my life and I didn't have to live it like that. But that's what life offered me..."

• Rose talking to Cory

• Rose talking to Raynell

• Cory talking to Rose

• Cory talking to Bono

Answer explanation

Here Rose explains her complicated reasons for making a life with Troy.