Final answer:
Troy Maxson from "Fences" works as a garbage collector and was a former baseball player in the Negro Leagues. No specific past jobs are mentioned regarding providing for Lyons and Lyons's mother, but it's implied he took on various roles to support his family.
Step-by-step explanation:
In August Wilson's play Fences, the character Troy Maxson has had various jobs. Primarily, he works as a garbage collector, a role that symbolizes various themes in the play, such as racial inequality and unfulfilled potential. Earlier in his life, Troy was a talented baseball player in the Negro Leagues, but due to the color barrier in Major League Baseball at that time, he was unable to progress. This history of thwarted ambition and systemic racism underpins his character's experiences and viewpoints throughout the play. To provide for his son Lyons and Lyons's mother, Troy carried the burden of his responsibilities despite his thwarted dreams, implying that he likely took on various menial jobs to make ends meet before securing his role as a trash collector. While Troy's strife to provide for his family is a recurring theme, the play does not delve into specific jobs he held during Lyons's upbringing.