One of the parts that made me crack up was when Jack comes in with his cut finger and Arnold has to talk to him about the rugs.
ARNOLD. Where's Jack? I saw his car. I've got to have a talk with him. This is very important.
LUCIEN. In the bathroom.
ARNOLD. This can't wait. This is crucial. (Calling in to the bathroom.) Excuse me, Jack, but we have to have a discussion!
JACK. (Off, in the bathroom.) I'll be right out, Arnold. Hold your horses.
ARNOLD. Hold my horses?
LUCIEN. You got horses?
ARNOLD. He must have me confused with someone else. I don't have any horses. (Calling into the bathroom.) It's me Arnold!
LUCIEN. (Yelling to the door.) We got no trees! (37)
Jack uses a common idiom that most of us recognize. He's telling Arnold to wait until he finishes. But because the word "horses" is thrown in there, Arnold gets confused, thinking that Jack is talking about real horses. Arnold knows he doesn't have real horses, so Arnold thinks that Jack is confused. Lucien is on the same page with Arnold. They don't know what "hold your horses" means. I thought it was just kind of funny since they thought Jack was talking about real horses.
We can see a change in Barry through his emotions and when he talks about people. There is a point where he is frustrated with Norman, and even uses sarcasm to tell Jack not to be sarcastic.
BARRY. Be sarcastic, Jack. That helps. Sure. That helps the situation. Sure. (40)
But as the scene goes on, Barry then is talking to Lucien about his time at an institution. There was a fellow, Wally, that died and they through away a box, which was the only thing that belonged to him. I think Barry feels that the attendants were careless. They didn't really care that Wally died, but that he was just another one that went. Barry feels so strongly about this that he ends up breaking down and crying. Lucien goes over and pats his head to comfort Barry (43). We can see two different sides of Barry and how he can feel toward others. He has emotions, concerns and thoughts like me. There is something in all of us that wants people to care. And when there are those who don't care, we are hurt. Even though Barry was frustrated with Norman earlier, Barry does have compassion inside of him and has a history of hurts.
There is another dance scene where Sheila and Norman are talking to each other and another character is introduced. Her name is Clara and she is retarded and kind of speaks with a growl. Clara's character reminded me of sophomore year in high school. During our study hall time, I worked with some of the mentally disabled students. There was a girl named Caitlyn who was similar to Clara. She didn't really talk, but growled, and usually had something in her hands that she would fiddle with. It was at times difficult to work with her and other students. It took a lot of patience and gave me an understanding of what the special education teachers had to do all day, and the time and energy that is spent with these people. A whole slew of memories came flooding back through reading this scene. It's very real to me.
I think my favourite line in this play would be when Lucien says to the audience, "I am here to remind the species of the species" (52). Lucien is there to remind people like me of him. He goes on to say that "without [him], without [his] shattered crippled brain, [we] will never again be frightened by what [we] might have become. Or indeed, by what [our] future might make [us]" (52). I think that this means that we should, I guess, be grateful for who we are. Or maybe that we could be worse off, so we should be grateful that we are more "normal." We have different chances than those who are mentally handicapped. I think that most of the time we live in different worlds. There are only a few that venture into their "world" and get to know them and work with them. People like Jack. Living in both "worlds." I thought that Lucien's little monologue was captivating. It helped me understand more about Lucien as a character and what I am sure really happens with those who are mentally disabled. "I am here to remind the species of the species" (52).
A simple play full of complexities and questions.
(800)
(800)
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