sept.21 fences

 Prompt: At the end of Fences, forgiveness becomes an important part of the characters moving forward. Do you think forgiving someone means you also have to forget what they did?

Why or why not? Connect your response to your own experiences or observations.

Response

I don’t think forgiving someone means you have to forget what they did. In *Fences*, Rose forgives Troy for his mistakes, but she doesn't just act like they never happened. If you forget, you’re basically ignoring the truth, and that usually just leads to getting hurt in the same way again. Forgiving is more about deciding you’re done being angry, while remembering is just keeping yourself smart enough to protect your own peace.


Summary

Forgiveness is a choice to stop holding a grudge, but forgetting is impossible and often unhealthy. In the play, the characters have to live with the reality of their pasts to move forward. You can let go of the bitterness without deleting the memory of the lesson you learned from the situation.


Reflection

I’ve seen this in my own life with friends or even family. When someone messes up, I might decide to forgive them so we can keep being friends, but I definitely don't "forget" it. If I forgot, I wouldn't know how to set boundaries or trust them the right amount. I’ve realized that forgiveness is for my own mental health—it stops me from being miserable—but remembering is what keeps me from being naive. It’s about being mature enough to move on without being foolish enough to ignore the past.


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