The play Fences is set in the 1950's, while a black family tries to get past the struggles that linger with them from generations past. Struggles that consist of morals, attitudes, and patterns of life. It is the story of Troy Maxson who is the son of a sharecropper. Troy's father only cared about his money. But his debt filled life caused him to feel a failure. This why he took his anger out on all of those around him. All of his wives along with Troy, at the age of fourteen, leave him. Troy acquires his violent and resentful attitude from his father. But, he also learns the meaning of responsibility. That no matter how hard things get, a man always has a responsibility to uphold. .
After doing some time in jail, Troy gets out with an exceptional talent in baseball. But he is refused to play because even though this is the land of equal opportunity, all things were not equal at that time. His brother Gabriel fought in WWII and now does not even know who he really is. Troy cannot understand how the "white " man can allow his brother to defend their country and almost lose his life but will not even give him a chance to play baseball. He learns to "take the crookeds with the straights", as he would say. Because everyday is another struggle, another wrestle with death, another step towards death. Sometimes his longing for equality and closeness pushes people away. His teenage son, who has all the resilient traits of his father including a strong athletic talent, except in football, is forced not to play because Troy feels it will not get him anywhere. And even his wife, Rose, the best thing that ever happened to him sometimes can't feel him out. .
Troy likes to tell stories and teach lessons, principles for living. He sits on the porch where the story primarily takes place. It is a sturdy homely looking porch with about three or four steps leading to a squeaky screen door and a window opening to the kitchen.