Troy may be a narrow-minded, cheater but he still cares and wants to protect his family.On page 77, after Troy learns that Alberta has died during childbirth, Tory goes to the yard and takes his anger on Death. Tory tells Death that he gonna build a fence around his family and he orders Death to stay on the other side of the fence.Troy realizes that he'll eventually lose his battle with Death but he will still fight with all he got and he also want to be the first one to die. By having Tory see Death as a man,that needs to stay out of his family life, shows Troy struggle is not just with his family but, also with the right to control his own fate in life. The personification of death and Troy demanding “Mr death” to stay away from his family
