A Not So Beautiful Mind

I do not like Troy Maxson. I think what he did to Cory regarding his football career was awful and I don’t blame Cory for his behavior towards his father after that. Also, I do not like the way he treats Rose. He talks to her as if she is an object and that her only purpose in life is to cook him food, raise his kids, and sleep with him. However, I can understand why Troy acts the way he does. But just because I understand why does not mean I have to like him. I believe Troy’s issues date all the way back to his relationship with his mother and father (surprise surprise). It is quite obvious that Troy’s own parenting issues stem from the ones his father had. Because Troy was forced to work his entire childhood, that is why he places so much emphasis on Cory working too, “A kid to him wasn’t nothing. All he wanted was for you to learn how to walk so he could start you working” (2022). He thinks that is how you treat your children because that is how he was treated and he does not know any better. Still, I feel like since Troy was treated in such an awful manner you would think he would never want his son to go through that. I guess in some ways Troy is being a better father than his own ever was. I mean we do not hear of any instances where Troy attempts to violate a girl Cory is after and then absolutely pulverize Cory. Still, I think what he did to Cory with regards to his football career was awful and I had to stop reading for a second. Just because Troy’s baseball career never took off does not mean Cory can’t follow his own dreams.

I think part of the reason why Troy prevents Cory from playing football in college is because maybe a part of him is jealous of Cory. I mean Troy only got to play in the Negro Leagues, never in college or any other kind of professional level. Maybe Troy has the “Well it didn’t work out for me so why should it work out for him” mindset. Yes it’s unfair, but it’s also unfair that Troy’s father beat him and his mother skipped town, but it still happened. I think the fact that Troy never really grew up with a mother figure really affected how he treated Rose and women in general. He never saw how a good husband takes care of his wife and remains faithful to her because his deadbeat dad never treated Troy’s mother that way. Like father like son. It is just once of those unfortunate situations since Cory and Rose did nothing wrong and all they do it get treated badly by Troy. But at what point is it Troy acting because he is just mean and because he just doesn’t know better? And if it is the latter, is that an appropriate excuse for what he did to Rose and Cory? The world may never know.

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