GABE: Hey, Rose. It's time. It's time to tell St. Peter to open the gates. Troy, you ready? You ready, Troy. I'm gonna tell St. Peter to open the gates. You get ready now. (Gabriel, with great fanfare, braces himself to blow. The trumpet is without a mouthpiece. He puts the end of it into his mouth and blows with great force, like a man who has been waiting some twenty-odd years for this single moment. No sound comes out of the trumpet. He braces himself and blows again with the same result. A third time he blows. There is a weight of impossible description that falls away and leaves him bare and exposed to a frightful realization. It is a trauma that a sane and normal mind would be unable to withstand. He begins to dance. A slow, strange dance, eerie and life-giving. A dance of atavistic signature and ritual. LYONS attempts to embrace him. GABRIEL pushes LYONS away. He begins to howl in what is an attempt at song, or perhaps a song turning back into itself in an attempt at speech. He finishes his dance and the gates of heaven stand open as wide as God's closet. ) That's the way that go!
Based on your reading of this play, what might be the
"frightful realization" that Gabe is exposed to? Why do you think so?
Post Deadline: March 27, midnight
"frightful realization" that Gabe is exposed to? Why do you think so?
Post Deadline: March 27, midnight
25 comments:
Jason Liao
I believe the frightful realization Gabe receives is that Troy was not as pure and saint-like as he perceived. Gabe is certain that Troy will go to heaven throughout the book and seems to admire him. However, at the end, I believe that Gabe starts to understand that the Troy he knew was different from the real Troy that was. To have someone you admire turn out to be fake is devastating. It would feel as though you've been following a lie.
I believe that Gabe finally realized that he was not the angel Gabriel. Since the accident, he believed that he was this angel, and he waited all this time to blow his trumpet and nothing happen. It could also be that he realized that he was pretty much a nobody like the rest of his family and that his life was not what he hoped. This in itself can be frightening.
Raven Smith
The realization that might have occured was Gaberial learning that he no longer had this burden of Troy being mad at him. Gaberial could finally trigger those emotions through his dance. Gaberial knew that he could finally be happy again and not have to worry. He might have also realized that St. Peter would not be the one who let Troy throuh the gates but God himself. This is what I think Gaberial realized.
I agree with Jennifer L. completely. The frightful realization is that Gabe is not the famous angle, Gabriel. He had been hurt so badly in the war accident, that be considered himself dead. He already believed that he was with St. Peter, judging anyone that would soon join him in heaven. When Gabe blew his trumpet and nothing came out, he discovered that he was not a superhuman. Gabe was finally freed from enduring the anger he bought upon Troy. He felt that he was on an equal basis with Troy now. Troy was not the wonderful man that he assumed him to be.
I think the "frightul realization" is that Gabriel isn't really one of God's confidants or angels. He a regular person and not as important as he wants to be. I think Gabriel wants to be the guardian, and now that he realizes that he isn't, it's frightening. This frightens him, because he can't really say where Troy is going to end up after death.
LEVINE: INTERESTING SO FAR. Remember, please, to explain your reasons for thinking as you do.
It's interesting, the idea that maybe he realizes he isn't an angel -- but if that's true, what do you do with the idea that Gabe's realization "is a trauma that a sane and normal mind would be unable to withstand." How does this line impact your ideas?
And THEN, and only then, does he begin "to dance. A slow, strange dance, eerie and life-giving.
Same question: how does this stage action help you understand what the realization might be?
Priscilla:
I think the "Frightful realization" that came upon Gabe is the fact that he lost, his brother, a friend that he held dear to his heart. His brother really meant a lot to him. When you look at the amount of times he asked his brother was he mad at him, it shows how much Gabe tried to please his brother. He did not want his brother to be sad or disappointed. Since we understand that this "is a trauma that a sane and normal mind would be unable to withstand," one conclusion could be he lost his best friend.
I agree with Jennifer and Jami. Gabriel's "frightful realization" may be that he is not the angel Gabriel. He may come to realize that he didn't really have much power or a big position among Troy and the family as well as one of God's angels or helpers. His accident in the war could have paralyzed him to the point where he really didn't much of an idea of what was going on, but in the end his faith in himself as an angel may have opened his eyes and mind a little more.
Breeanna Greska
I don't really agree with anything anyone has said so far. I honestly don't believe that Gabriel realized he WASN'T an angel. First of all, "it is a trauma that a sane and normal mind would be unable to withstand." Some of you are arguing that he realized he isn't superhuman, and the ideas you have him coming to realize are those that a sane person WOULD withstand. Also, I pay closest attention to the very last stage direction and line. "He finishes his dance and the gates of heaven stand open as wide as God's closet. That's the way that go!" I believe that Gabe realized that perhaps trying to make something of an inanimate object wouldn't work, and that he would have to give pieces of himself to make the gates open. And with his dance and cries, they do. It's kind of like symbolism to all of the other obstacles in the play...as many tactics as it takes, if you fight for it, you'll get it. I personally, feel that Gabriel is like an angel. With his love, his hope, and the beauty he brings with his dance and cries, the gates open. Beautiful...
I believe that Gabriel had suddenly felt the full impact of his older brother's death. He says, " Troy you ready." From this we see that Gabriel is greatly concerned that his brother makes it to heaven. But when "no sound comes out" of the trumpet, he gains a bit of knowledge. He understands fully that his brother is dead. Also, he "pushes Lyons away" when he tries to embrace him. One could make the assumption that he was feeling the way one feels when mourning: Sad, angry etc. I also believe his dance was him expressing his feelings toward his brothers death.
Lori Moody
I think that Gabe had realized that Troy wasn't going to go to heaven. He blew the horn, but he couldn't. It seemed as if Troy had made a decision not to go, because the gate stands wide open, but we don't see him enter it. I agree with everyone's response that pertains to Troy somehow not getting into heaven.
The Frightful realization, I believe is when Gabe is certain that Troy will go to heaven. I think that the sound of the trumpet is a symbol of his death. No sound comes out of that trumpet. I think it shows that Troy isn't really an angel. As a result that he makes a choice of not going into heaven.
Sergio Zavala
I believe the
"frightful realization" that Gabe is exposed to is that his prediction about seeing Troy's name in St. Peter's book of names was true. Although the gate did not open when he blew into the horn, that had no mouthpiece, he began to do a random dance, and realized that he, himself, had delivered Troy up to heaven. I also believe that Gabe realized that he predicted Troy's salvation from this world by giving away a little bit of himself. He lost his brother, whom he thought was always mad at him, and offered his grief and compassion towards him, proving to be an angel.
I believe that Gabe's "frightful realization," was that his brother is no longer there and he is no longer mad at him. Throughout the whole story he felt that Troy was upset because he moved out. Now that the gate has opened up for Troy he is now free of burden. It is some sort of relief for Gabe knowing that his brother able to walk through the Gates.
Oliver
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When the words "Gabe," "gates of heaven," and "St peter" appeared, I looked online at how there was an reference to the bible. It turns out that there is an archangel named Gabriel. He/She/It (do angels have genders?!) holds a trumpet and acts as a communicator between the Heaven and Earth. Archangel Gabriel talked to Virgin Mary about her child-to-be. Thus to Fences, Gabriel was trying to communicate with Heaven to open their gates for Troy. Then when he couldn't sound his trumpet, this was his "frightful realization" that Troy might not go to Heaven. Oh Noes! It's the "archangel Gabriel" here, how can the angel lose his/her/its ultimate power?! Gabriel needed to tell St. Peter to open the gates! Worst of all, how will Troy go to heaven now?!
This is definitely a frightful realization that Gabe lost his powers.
But no, he wasn't going to quit there. He moved on and decided to dance his way instead of blowing the trumpet. He was still the "Archangel Gabriel" so he did the dance slow and howled- whatever needed to imitate the action of blowing the trumpet. In the end,
the gates opened, but not completely open. It was only to the extent of a closet's door, which isn't big compared to other could have been bigger, nicer looking doors (or gates). But still, it was enough for Troy to go in and "that's the way that go!"
I'm in agreement with Jami & Jennifer. Gabe finally realizes that he's not what he believes him self to be. Especially when he tried to copy or mock actions of an angle & they failed; The ineffective attempt only assures Gabe of his identity and gives him an equivalent status as Troy. The frightful realization seems to be that Gabe is not who he portrays himself to be; At the same time, this could be all in his head, in which he is actually who he wants himself to be.
I think that the frightful relaxation is that gGbe is not the angel. I believe this because Gabe was waiting on troy to go to heaven and then when troy died he was sort of exstatic, so he tried to blow his horn and nothing happened. He noticed that it was an illusion and he was not who he thought he was.
Laura C.
I believe the frightful realization that Gabriel receives is that he realizes that Troy wasn't the good person that he always believed him to be. When he tries to blow in his trumpet this moment reveals Troys true colors and this confuses Gabriel. Even though this was an obstacle for Gabriel he used dancing as another way to help his brother get into heaven. As the last lines reveal Gabriels idea worked and opened the gates of Heaven. It was as if Gabriel was born to help Troy live a better life as if any angel would.
GABE REALIZES THAT GETTING INTO HEAVEN WON'T BE AS EASY AS HE HAD PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. HE BELIEVED
THAT BLOWING THE HORN WAS THE ONLY KEY IN TO HEAVEN AND HE REALIZES THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DO MORE TO
ACHIEVE WHAT HE FEELS HE WAS PUT ON THE EARTH TO DO. WHEN GABE SAYS " Troy, you ready? You ready, Troy. I'm gonna tell St. Peter to open the gates. You get ready now."
HE REALIZES THAT TROY DOESN'T BELONG IN HEAVEN AND IN ORDER TO SAVE HIS BROTHER HE WOULD HAVE TO SACRIFICE A PART OF HIMSELF TO SAVE TROY.
Gabe's frightful realization is that heaven does not seem ready to except Troy. We see that although the gates of heaven open, we never know whether Troy actually goes in. Throughout the play Troy always took care of Gabe even when Gabe got his own place. Despite the good that we may do it doesn't mean that redemption will be ours. God may forgive but in the end it is always our choice of whether we will accept that forgiveness. Gabe sees that Troy maybe doesn't want to go through with it and it is alright with him. "Thats the way that go!"
Isaias Hernandez.
Maria M:
I believe that the frightful realization that Gabe is exposed to is that Troy really isnt going to heaven. Earlier in the play, Gabe tells Troy that he is SURE hes going to heaven because he saw his name in the book. However, he is now starting to realize that maybe Troy wasnt the good man he though he was. The cheating and lying could have changed his mind and he is now realizing it.
To my understanding, "the frightful realizaton", is when a person wakes up and sees reality as it is. We blind ourselves so that we won't have to see the negative truth of our family/life so that we could have someone/something to look up too. Gabe puts his brother high. He had hope that Troy is going to be successful. He beleived with the phrase, "the gates of heaven stand open," which is understood that his brother literally has the chance to enter heaven. Also for simply having gates or doors open,this symbolizes opportunities available for Troy. Gabe strongly beleives in him. Although, when Gabe gets to reality and sees facts, he notices that after so long, he cannot blow on his trumpet. He notices that peices of the puzles does not connect to create the perfect image of Troy that he had always beleived in. When a person realizes that one of their main motivations was nothing but a lie, the person just simply stops and thinks or creates a wonderful place in their mind where everything is perfect. A place where you could think positive and dance freely. I think that Gabe ended up forcing himself to not hate his brother even though he feels hurt for Troy not being the person he really thought of him being.
I believe the frightful realization that Gabe gets is that Troy is actually gone from his life and he really don't have that person to come to his rescue anymore. I also believe that it could also be that he came to a realization that he is not a real angle when he tries to blow his horn and nothing happened the first time.
jamie i.
ok, so from the information we get in the play, we know that Gabe was left a little "crazy" after he had come back from the war, crazy in that he thought himself to be the angel Gabriel.
"he carries an old trumpet tied around his waist and believes with every fiber of his bieng that he is the Archangel Gabriel'(pg 24).
The first time we see Gabe, he is talking to Troy and Rose, telling them that he has seen Troy's name in St.Peter's book. He also mentions that he is trying to save up to by a new horn "so St. Peter can hear me when it's time to open the gates" (pg 27). Despite that to everyone else who is "normal," Gabe may seem crazy, i feel that he trully believes that he is the archangel Gabriel and he takes it seriously. Its not like he's pretending to be something he's not as a joke, no, he believes he is what he is sincerely, and i feel he does what he does with good intentions, the intentions of pure good and kindess, the intentions of a angel. And the fact that he mentions his wish of wanting to save up for a new trumpet, brings about his wish to see his brother in heaven. He wants to make sure that St Peter will hear him when its time to open the gates, he wants the best for his brother and family in general. This makes him seem as perhaps the most pure character in the book, this effect is emphazised in the very last scene. When he realizes that the trumpet makes no sound, he comes to realization. Yet he blows into the trumpet three times, and "like a man who has been waiting soem twenty-odd years for this single moment," he is not ready to just give up. The twenty-odd years are his brother's life, Gabe had been waiting for this exact and "single" moment, like that was his sole mission, to see that his brother gets into heaven. So at his realization that the trumpet does not work, his 'gate-opener' dance symbolizes his determination to accomplish what he set out to do. His dance becomes his alternative, he knows he has to tell St. Peter one way or another, the trumpet didn't work, so he dances. So overall, through his actions, Gabe symbolized that chance of success, or attempt at success that everyone, especially Troy, was so afraid of, Troy in the sense that he refused to belieive that times were changin and that now exsisted the chance for his son to succeed.
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