Final answer:
The conflict between Troy and Cory is centered around different values regarding Cory's future, with Troy advocating for practicality based on past racial discrimination and Cory aspiringly looking at an evolving society offering new opportunities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conflict Between Troy and Cory
The primary conflict in the story between Troy and Cory is an external conflict and revolves around different values and expectations. Troy, a character shaped by the hardships and limitations of his past, believes in tough love and wants his son Cory to learn a trade to ensure a stable future. He opposes Cory's aspiration to play football because he fears that Cory will face the same racial discrimination he encountered in sports. On the contrary, Cory sees a chance for a college scholarship and upward social mobility through football and is eager to pursue his dream.
The reasoning that Troy uses is based on his experiences as a black man in a time when racial barriers were even more pronounced. He wants to protect Cory from the disappointment and discrimination he faced. Meanwhile, Cory believes that times have changed and that he has more opportunities than his father did. Cory's argument is supported by the idea that he should be allowed to follow his dreams and that his father's fears should not limit his opportunities in the world that is becoming more open and diverse.
Understanding the nature of their conflict is crucial to grasping the central theme of the story: the generational divide and the evolving social context.