Discrimination In The Play Fences

Should the broken dreams of a discriminated and disappointed father affect the dreams of an overjoyed and hopeful son? This is one of the main conflicts surrounding the play, Fences. Fences, by August Wilson, is set in 1950’s Pittsburgh and follows the lives of Troy Maxson and his son Cory Maxson. During this time some progress between race relations had been made such as sports were becoming integrated. However, this was before the civil rights movement and the south was still segregated and many of the African Americans living in the north still faced racial barriers. Cory has been recruited by a college football team and recruiters are coming by the house to talk to Cory’s dad, Tory. Troy refuses to talk to them and tells Cory that he cannot …show more content…
Troy’s high hopes of being a Majors League baseball player being crushed creates a haze over his life. Troy is ignorant to the fact that times have changed, and racial barriers are slowly being removed. In the 50’s where this play is set while yes, racial discrimination was still very much an issue sports however, had gotten more equal than the time he grew up. Troy grew up in a time, according to Todd Fertig, where “traveling black teams were barred from many hotels, restaurants, and public restrooms” (Fertig, “Legacy”). Presumably Troy, being a player in the Negro Leagues during a time of racial segregation would experience similar types of situations. Troy also would have had to endure things such as, learning the game of baseball while on the road and struggling to make a living. Racism made life difficult for many African American ball players. Reasons like the previous, are why Troy is so obstinate that the world of professional sports still faces extreme racial discrimination. In the play Troy states, “The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway”(Wilson 1.3.78) . This quote is a primary example of Troy not being able to accept that times have changed. Troy is discouraging Cory from pursing football because he does not think Cory will be successful in it due to the racial discrimination he faced …show more content…
Troy does not want his son to do so because he not only is still stuck in the ways of the past but, in a sense he just wants to protect his son from enduring a life of heartache and complications. Cory wanting to be just like his father has difficulties understanding why his father won’t support his dreams. Cory takes the lack of support from his father extremely hard and his internal conflict with his father is not resolved until he attends Troy’s funeral. The crushed dreams of a Father ultimately caused a son to lose sight of what was important to