Is Troy the antagonist in "Fences"?

Question

Is Troy the antagonist of the play *Fences*? The antagonist is, by definition, the opposer to the protagonist, who is also Troy. However, Troy often acts against his own beliefs (i.e., sending Gabe to the hospital for money). **Is Troy the main person standing in his own way?**

Answer 1

No, I do not think Troy qualifies as the antagonist of this play. Remember that a protagonist is simply the main character in a story, whose choices and actions determine what will happen, and in whose fate the audience is most invested. A protagonist doesn't have to be likable, let alone perfect -- and I think you see that clearly with a character like Troy, who has his flaws. But he is still the one we are supposed to root for in this play, or at least care about the most, so he remains the protagonist. One can go from being a protagonist of a story to an antagonist by its end, but that isn't quite what happens with Troy.