In "Fences" August Wilson creates Troy Maxson, a character with peculiar ideas and traits whose life can be stated as a frustration. According to Robert Brustein, August Wilson larger purpose depends on his conviction that Troy's potential was stunted by centuries of racist oppression. "Fences" takes place during a period of time when the fights against segregation are barely blossoming results. This situation is clearly emphasized in Fences with Troy's dissatisfaction about life. Wilson's theme is in great part based on racist oppression just as theater critic Brustein affirms; however, Wilson's Fences is also based on family values, and life issues such as impotence against major powers such as time and death.
             Troy Maxson is an African-American living the transitional decade of the '50s, whose main dream is to become a baseball player. A few years earlier, Jackie Robinson breaks through the segregation of major-league baseball, but the new opportunity for black ballplayers arrives too late for Troy Maxson. This situation causes a frustration in Troy's life pushing him to live in an ordinary way as a dissatisfied employee. He is a former convict and once a baseball player, who is now a sanitation worker due to the lack of opportunities for his race. In Fences, racist is the evident antagonist since Troy's unhappiness or frustration is mainly influenced by the unfortunate situation of many African-American citizens of his time.
             August Wilson theme on "Fences" is also based on family values highlighted by Troy's authority as the head of a family (husband, man and older brother). Troy is a character who imposes his ideas and rules according to his criterion. In this play, many family relationships are described. The reader finds a husband-wife, a dad-son, and an older brother-younger brother relationship. Wilson provided these characters to construct a theme on family...