When Alberta becomes pregnant, he's forced to fess up to Rose about his affair. Things start to go really bad for Troy in the play's second act. This tension comes to a head when Troy tells Cory's high school football coach that Cory can't play football anymore, which destroys Cory's hopes of going to college. Troy says he doesn't want his son to suffer from the same racial discrimination that kept Troy from being a pro baseball player. Cory has the chance to go to college on a football scholarship, but Troy refuses to sign the permission paper. Ultimately, however, it seems that the main conflict of the play will involve Troy's son Cory. We also get strong hints in the first act that Troy is having an affair with a woman named Alberta. This conflict is actually quickly resolved as Troy wins his battle. Troy is trying to break the racial barrier at work by becoming the first black garbage truck driver. Wilson plants all the major conflicts of the play in the first act. We also meet Gabriel, Troy's brother, who suffers from a World War II head wound and now thinks he is the archangel Gabriel. Lyons, Troy's son from a previous relationship, stops by to borrow some money. Then there's Rose, Troy's loving and dutiful wife.

Now the two work together as garbage collectors and sip gin every Friday night. There's his best friend, Bono, whom he met while in prison. We meet all the main people surrounding Troy. The first act of the play is a swirling portrait of Troy Maxson's life.

Fences by august wilson sparknotes