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Troy Maxson transforms into a lonely, unloved, fearful man from his original position as the center of attention in his family and social world. Though he constantly tries to escape his life, Troy Maxson tries to engage life and challenge Death because he believes in himself and his convictions, however illusionary they may be. Troy begins by confronting his employees about their discriminatory practices, he boasts to his best friend Bono and family member that he is not afraid of death and he keeps a secret that he thinks he can get away with about his affair with Alberta. When Troy demands respect from his son, Cory, he gets it and when he teases his other son Lyons, Troy feels bigger and better. Shown through the three Fridays interspersed in
In some ways, Troy had no control over his disappointments. Troy's self-doubts are rooted in his disappointing life and the hardships he endured while providing for himself and his family. Troy's demise is a combination of his own actions coming back to haunt him, a racist society and bad luck. Troy was born into a large, poor family with only an abusive, but hardworking father as a caretaker. He did not have any resources when he had to leave his father's house and he ended up in jail because he committed petty crimes to survive. In jail, Troy learned baseball and discovered he could play in the Negro Leagues as one of the best home-run hitters. But when Troy was at his prime, the professional well-paying Major Leagues closed their doors to black players. Unable to support his family, Troy becomes an employee of the sanitation department, working hard for many years without a promotion because of discrimination in the union's hiring practices.
However, Troy's affair with Alberta, his denial of Cory's promising future and his complaint against his union all represent choices Troy actively makes without hindrance, for better and for worse. Troy's act of signing the papers that sent Gabe away to the mental hospital combines both types of Troy's problems. It is a fateful and actively chosen problem. Troy does commit the act of signing Gabe away, but because he cannot read, Troy made the decision in ignorance. As the play progresses, Troy can no longer justify his behavior and his secrets and misdeeds get the better of him. The roles he once played with friends and family as a figurehead and role model, unravel because of the poor choices he made with the obstacles he faced.
Bono explains to Cory and Troy the reason for Rose's request for them to build a fence as an outside observer. Bono observes that Rose wants them to build the fence because she wants her loved ones kept close to her. Bono also explains that some people build fences to push people away. Bono is the only one who knows about Troy's affair with Alberta, which he believes will destroy the bonds of the Maxson family. Bono turns the action of building the fence into a metaphor of behavior that defines the central conflict of the play. Troy pushes Cory and Rose away while Rose and Cory try to live up to Troy's expectations and meet his demands. Wilson's writing emphasizes the Maxson family's roots in slavery with symbols, themes and storytelling. Wilson's title,
