1. What events from the past seem to have been the most important in shaping Troy's character? What indications are there in the text that Troy's treatment of Cory replicates patterns of previous generations? How important is family history in explaining Troy's behavior?

2. What stereotypes of white behavior are referred to in the play? How are these stereotypes represented? Which of the stereotypes seem to be upheld by the play's action? Which are undercut and corrected? What kind of attitude does the play take toward stereotypes based on race? on social position? on age? on economic conditions?

3. What function does the idea of the fence perform for the central characters? How do their notions of the significance of the fence differ from one another? How does the function of the fence change as the play goes on? By the end, what significance does the fence take on? Whose ideas of "fencing" does the play ultimately support?