"Fences" is set in an African-American section of Pittsburgh, PA during the 1950s and 1960s. The play gets its title from the fence that the main character, Troy, is building for his wife Rose at the beginning of the play while chatting with his friend Bono. Bono has bet his wife Lucille that he will buy her a refrigerator if the fence ever gets built, which it does, by the end of Act 1.
             The play revolves around the father-son conflict between Troy and Cory Maxson. Troy is an African-American garbage collector who was a great ballplayer for the Negro Leagues, before blacks were allowed to play in the major leagues. Cory is also a great athlete, and wants wins a football scholarship to college. He begs his father to let him give up his job at a grocery store, so football scouts can see him play. His father refuses, and bars him from playing on the high school team. This illustrates Troy's insensitivity to his son. Troy is willing to fight for his own rights, eventually becoming the first garbage truck driver (as opposed to collector) in the city, but he denies his son the glory he was deprived of as a sportsman.
             Troy is also cheating on his devoted wife, Rose. However, he shows compassion to his mentally disturbed brother, Gabriel, who received a head wound in World War II and has a strong friendship with Bono, his fellow garbage collector. Eventually, Troy's mistress Alberta dies giving birth. Rose takes in the child, but refuses to obey Troy ever again. After Gabriel is committed to an asylum, Troy and Cory have a complete falling out after Cory points out that Gabriel's government checks for his service paid for the home.
             The final scenes of the play show Troy's legacy, after his death. Cory is still so embittered at his father's selfishness; he refuses to go to his funeral. However, he does come home from his service in the Marines to see his mother and his half-sister Raynell. The pla...