Troy’s internal conflict originates from his lived experience in a society

heavily steeped in racism. He initially dreamed of becoming a professional

athlete but soon realized this was a far-fetched goal. Troy had to contend with
race as a key determinant of an individual’s success in life during his time
and the limited opportunities available for African-Americans. Thus began
the formation of a set of beliefs fixated on struggle as a way of life and the
absence of alternatives for African-Americans seeking to support their
families (Headley, 2016, p. 67).

These beliefs are deeply embedded in Troy’s psyche and set in motion a
series of events linked to his internal conflict. Troy attempts to force his
views on his family members and insists that his outlook is the only practical
explanation for their current state. In reality, Troy struggles within himself to
come to grips with his failures earlier on in life which negatively impacts his
relationship with other family members. Both Troy and Lyons are going
through a rough patch in their relationship, obviously stemming from their
different outlooks in life. While Troy has internalized his experiences as a
young man in the era of segregation, Lyon is living in a new age where it is
now possible to realize the proverbial “American Dream” owing to equal
opportunities.

Due to his experiences earlier on in life, Troy morphs into a pessimist who
fails to see anything good coming out his present circumstance. Since he was
unsuccessful in his quest of becoming a star athlete, he strongly believes that
all dreams are not practicable and choose to advice those around him to settle
for less. Although deeply affected by his failures, Troy internalizes this
experience to mean that success only comes to a select few in society. His
internal conflict sees him settle for life as a garbage collector and strongly
believes that racial discrimination will always be a determining factor for the
progress made by African Americans.

Troy’s defeatist attitude leads him to believe that Cory cannot become a
professional footballer, drastically reducing any chance he had of proceeding
to collage: “They gonna send a recruiter by to talk to you. He’ll tell you he
ain’t talking about making no living playing football. Similarly, Troy’s
internal conflict is the primary source of the altercation he has with Lyons
regarding his future aspirations. Lyons believes that his purpose in life is to
become a musician and excel in his craft. Yet, Troy fails to play the role of a
supportive parent and believes that his son is blinded by optimism and stands
no chance of becoming a musician. Wilson uses this conflict to develop the
theme of hopes that all individuals have when faced with uncertainty.

Although it is plausible to consider that Troy’s internal conflict is a negative

attribute that impacts other characters, it is clear that his intentions are noble
and only does so to protect his family. Troy’s conflict with himself is often
manifested in his blatant expression of his opinion about controversial
matters that seem to drive a wedge between him and his loved ones. For
instance, Lyons readily assumes that Troy is an unsupportive parent.
However, Troy’s nonchalance in addressing his sons passion of becoming a
musician is done out of love. He seeks to protect them from future
disappointments that would result from an unequal society. Rose understands
the internal conflict which her husband grapples with and supports him
throughout their marriage. She is steadfast in defusing any tensions that may
arise from Troy’s internal state of being and treats him with compassion.
Rose believes in her husband and son, even when she discovers that he
fathered a child with his deceased erstwhile lover. Nonetheless, Troy’s
conflict soon catches up with him when he attributes his affair to stress and
anxiety since Rose stood by while experiencing similar emotions.

In conclusion, Wilson uses Troy’s conflict with himself to drive other

elements in Fences and further develop his plot. Troy’s internal conflict
originates from the racial discrimination he experienced in his formative days
which pushes him over the edge, which makes him a bitter pessimist. Still, he
intends to protect his family from the disappointments he faced and the
anguish that followed.