Troy Maxson: Racist or Not?

Troy Maxson is definitely not a racist. He is, however, surrounded by a culture of extreme racism. The play is set in the 1950's so of course, racists were not uncommon. The idea of whites and blacks getting along was almost unheard of. The majority of characters in the play make narrow-minded statements about other races quite often. Similar statements were completely acceptable in the 50's. The slight bitterness expressed by Maxson is simply a product of society at that time. Being around harsh, racist individuals like the other characters would undeniably affect anyone's attitude. Also, he has various reasons to distrust whites. He was constantly discriminated against in his youth and continues to feel like an outcast among people of different race. By taking into account the setting and other characters of the play, I believe that Troy Maxson is not a racist.