In "Fences,"" by August Wilson, Troy and Cory are two important characters in representing the necessary change in the lives of African Americans around the period of the 1950s. Troy's life portrays the impoverishment and misdirection in the lives of black people before the 1950s, while Cory's life and the way he decided to change it imply the brighter and more hopeful future for African Americans in the 1950s and later. Moreover, it is also ironic that although Troy and Cory both have struggles with their fathers, who held them back and took everything they treasured, each of them chose a different, maybe opposite way to live their lives after getting away from that same difficult circumstance.
Before the 1950s, Troy, as almost every other African American, living in a world where there was no such thing as equality for colored people like him. American education was racially segregated at that time. There was very little to no education provided for black people and distressingly, nearly all of them could not be educated above the elementary levels. Troy has no educational background and is unable to read and write. Everything he can do that related to the alphabet is simply writing his name. The opportunities for African Americans in almost every basic field in life were limited, especially job seeking. Because of the discrimination and unequal civil rights, many African American adults, who even had abilities and met requirements to work in high quality occupations, had resigned to inferior jobs. Troy had been working as a garbage man for nearly twenty years. He was once a talented football player but could never have a chance to play in the Major Leagues until he was too old to play. During the 1940, which was a very miserable time for black people, many of them had become accustomed to be the lowest class of the society and to live without hopes and dreams. Similarly, Troy's thought of life is intolerant, conservative and he always believes in his illusion of encountering death.
