Troy Maxson Fences Sparknotes

One Man’s Journey

Troy Maxson, the lead character in the play, “Fences”, written by August Wilson is a man who experienced a great deal of discrimination in his younger years. As a result, he carries a chip on his shoulder, which affects every area of his life and especially his family. The play is set during the 1950’s, a time when African American people were no longer slaves but were still unable to experience the same opportunities as white people regardless of their abilities or work ethic. The racial discrimination prevalent during those times is illustrated throughout the play in the life of Troy Maxson and in the lives of his family members.

Troy’s life is seemingly riddled with disappointments. At one time, Troy was on top of the world

At the height of his athletic success, the racial barriers had not yet been broken in the world of Major League Baseball. Troy seems to be very aware that, because of factors far beyond his control, his dreams of fame and financial fortune were stifled. Perhaps Troy was just slightly ahead of his time, as he labored as a sanitation worker in Pittsburgh, PA, many African Americans were making their come-ups in the Major Leagues. Jackie Robinson made history in 1947 playing first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and he became the first African-American player to shatter the racial divide in Major League Baseball. This historical moment ushered in many other players, whom would themselves create history by following in his footsteps. While African-American players finally joining the major leagues made significant

This was also a time of growth in Pittsburgh for the African-American population. The growing African-American population faced many troubles because of unfair employment practices. From the early 1950s and continuing through the 1960s blacks in Pittsburgh faced unemployment at more than double the rate of whites. Blacks also made far less money than their white counterparts in most cases. Although the play takes place during a very significant time in the Civil Rights Era, the characters experiences really illustrate how African-Americans still felt the impacts of discrimination everyday. It was difficult for them to progress in their jobs or achieve financial freedom (Pittsburgh, 1957: A Mecca of Black Culture and Business