Fences

“I eye all the women. I don’t miss nothing. Don’t never let nobody tell you Troy Maxson don’t eye the women.” 

Troy is deflecting when Bono calls him out for paying attention to Alberta. His statement is a projection of masculine posturing. Although Troy has been married for 18 years, he doesn’t want anyone to think that he has lost his virility. In truth, Troy is covering up the fact that he is having an affair with Alberta and knows that Bono would not approve.

“There’s a lot of people don’t know they can do no better than they doing now. That’s just something you got to learn.” 

Rose is describing the way people can grow accustomed to oppression and settling for less. Although Rose is talking about the way their living situation improved over time, it’s ironic because Troy’s need to constantly strive for something else is what has led him to cheat with Alberta and destroy their marriage. However, it’s the same attitude that prompted him to ask why Black men aren’t hired to drive the garbage trucks. 

“The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football.” 

Troy refuses to acknowledge that time has passed and there are more opportunities for Black men in sports than there were when he was playing baseball. He has also earned his mistrust of White people in professional sports. When he was playing in the Negro leagues, Troy wasn’t allowed to advance his career because he was Black.