Troy Maxson's Downfall

Fences is a "tragedy of the common man” who challenges the affront to his dignity. Troy Maxson’s downfall was caused by his response to the challenge that racism posed to his personal dignity. Although Troy was able to knock a baseball out of the park like it was nothing, he constantly "missed the mark" in his personal life. Troy had a tragic flaw, which was that he did whatever he thought was right without thinking of the consequences. In an attempt to respond to the indignities he suffers, he distorts history, denies facts, and lies. The circumstances that shaped Troy to the character he is, led to the development of a begrudging mentality. As Troy did not amount to much, he did not want others to surpass him and diminish his self-reputation. In addition, although prison has a negative connotation, it was a positive turning point for Troy. Also, it can be inferred Troy suffered from athazagoraphobia. Racism played a key role in Troy’s refusal to accept his circumstances.
As a storyteller, Troy recounts the cultural history of his people and his struggle for civil rights, subverting whiteness, although the perennial examples of racial prejudice in society left him bitter. His stories subverted the dominant oppressive discourse, and institutions of whiteness. Troy relied on using racial prejudice to progress in life. For example, Troy used segregatory belief in place, for social mobility. According to Fences, Troy said, “Why you got the white mens driving and the colored lifting? … don’t I count?” (2) Troy became the first colored driver by voicing against the Union and calling out their blatant racism. Troy’s willful ignorance of history makes him delusional by ironically turning the subversive “truth” of his stories into plain lies that affect his mentality. As a result, he becomes a domestic abuser and philander, and destroys his