In Fences, as well as in his other plays, August Wilson seeks to point out the idea of difference between races and culture more than the monocultural ideal of sameness. The Civil Rights era of the 1960’s and 1970’s can be broadly construed as African American›s struggle for the same rights as whites. By the 1980’s, Wilson saw this struggle for equality morphing into a culture that was attempting to erase the differences between races and peoples. African Americans, according to Wilson, were different than whites or any other races. They have their own distinct culture, history, and society. No people should have to become part of the majority culture just to enjoy the majority’s rights and privileges.

Maintaining this difference is painful, and often destructive, as Fences shows. In his son Corey, Troy sees a generation that not only aspires for their own success in the world but also seeks to fold themselves into the white culture of the day. Sports is a metaphor for this; while Troy is bitter at losing his chance to play in an integrated Major Leagues, he still idealizes the Negro Leagues as symbol of African American pride. When Corey seeks a college scholarship to play football, Troy fears that his son will lose the difference of his race in his drive for success. This conflict of difference ultimately, and perhaps necessarily, destroys their relationship.