Fences

External Conflict:

 A struggle between a character and an outside force is an external conflict. Characters may face several types of outside forces. The outside force may be another character. It may be the character and the community. The outside force may also be forces of nature. For example, a story might be the main character struggling against the arctic cold.

• Man against man.
• Man against nature.

Internal Conflict:

A struggle that takes place in a character's mind is called internal conflict. For example, a character may have to decide between right and wrong or between two solutions to a problem. Sometimes, a character must deal with his or her own mixed feelings or emotions.

• Man against himself.

The Major Conflict in Fences:

• Troy and Cory's opposing views on how Cory should spend his future deteriorates after Troy prohibits Cory from playing football and going to college.
• Their relationship disintegrates further when Troy reveals he has been cheating on Cory's mother with another woman and gotten her pregnant and signed papers permitting Cory's Uncle Gabe to be committed to a mental hospital while Troy lives in a house paid for by Gabe's money.

Affect of the Major Conflict:

• Troy main focus in on ruining Cory's dreams because his dreams were ruined. 

• Troy's dreams were killed because in their upcoming society no African American athlete had any opportunity of making it in the Major Leagues as far as baseball is considered. 

•  Cory first major battle is wanting a seperate identity from his father, but his father is resistant to these efforts at individuation.

• This issue affects Troy and Cory because it draws a wedge between father and his son.