"You should not suffer the past. You should be able to wear it like a loose garment, take it off and let it drop." This quote, by Eva Jessye, can be applied to numerous accounts throughout the play, Fences, by August Wilson. The main character, Troy Maxon, is a thick African American man with a past even deeper than his skin. Only a margin over a decade post the Depression, the 1950s were hard for anyone trying to make a living in the United States, especially a person of color. Racial prejudice, although freshly illegal thanks to Eisenhower, was still prevalent. Like many characters in the play, Troy has seen the cruel eyes and felt the closed doors of injustice. However, instead of dropping his past as he progresses through life, Troy chooses to cling tight, keeping it zipped up and close to his heart and mind. The two most prominent figures in Troy's life, his wife and son, more often than not, suffer from his close-minded ignorance. As a result of these obstructions Troy builds, many close friends and family in his life lock themselves out and walk away...without a key.
             Rose, Troy's wife of eighteen years, is portrayed as loving and caring role model, mother, and wife. She spends countless hours cooking meals, washing clothes, and fixing up the house to keep her family happy and healthy. Unfortunately, Troy is blind to her unwavering dedication and service as a wife. After eighteen years of marriage, Troy has an affair with another woman. One night, Troy and Rose get into a fight about the affair. Troy states that he has, "been standing in/ the same place for eighteen years" (1510-1511). Rose, in fury, counteracts his statement by protesting that for eighteen years, she, "took all [her] feelings, [her] wants, and needs, [her] dreams.../ and buried them inside [Troy]" (1520-1521). However, the seeds she planted within Troy never grew. Albeit the misfortunate crop, Rose stuck through the...