Starting out reading this play, you learn about the first character, Arnold, and you meet the other characters gradually. You begin to understand them through what they say, how they react and how that lines up with Jack's description of them. The play just jumps right into the characters, and you have to interpret for yourself who these characters are before we are told about them.
I felt that in this first act, there were many different interactions that were shown between the mentally handicapped and non-mentally handicapped in combinations. The first situation shown is between Arnold and Lucien in the apartment. Their conversation tends to shift rapidly from one subject to another, or even refer back to something that already happened before and they just keep repeating it. Here's an example:
LUCIEN. Lucien P. Smith.
ARNOLD. Libraries have that funny smell.
LUCIEN. It smells like books.
ARNOLD. That's it. Books. They smell like books.
LUCIEN. (Examining the lettuce.) Bunnies like lettuce.
ARNOLD. Yes, they constantly do. (With suspicion.) Do you have a bunny?
LUCIEN. You got a bunny hid?
ARNOLD. No, really, Lucien, you never mentioned a bunny before. This concerns me a little. I mean, we're friends and all, and you've never said nothing about a bunny.
LUCIEN. It's got my name. Lucien P. Smith. (Indicating the books.) You read them. (8)
There is a tangent about bunnies in the middle there and it seems insignificant to me, but to Arnold, it's a big concern. I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming that this play captures a reality of conversations between those who are mentally handicapped.
Another scene between characters is one of the mentally handicapped characters with a non-mentally handicapped one: Barry and Mr. Hedges.
BARRY. I'll tell you one of the basic problems of golf. Maybe the basic problem of golf. Golf is a game. It's just a game Mr. Hodges, just a game.
MR. HEDGES. Hedges.
BARRY. It's too early to worry about that. Besides, I don't know of more than two or three courses with a serious hedge hazard. Sure, traps. Sure, thick rough. Sure. But hedges. That's rare.
MR. HEDGES. My name is Hedges. My name is John Hedges. (12-13)
The scene continues on and Mr. Hedges becomes frustrated with Barry because he is not getting his name right, and ends up quitting the golf lesson. People can become so easily frustrated with others because they have different levels of patience. I don't think that Mr. Hedges understood that Barry was mentally handicapped, but if he did, I wonder, would he have had more compassion and grace? Or would he have signed up for the lesson at all? I think that knowing things about people can affect how we treat others, whether good or badly. We find out that at a certain super market, the manager takes advantage of Arnold when he is buying stuff. They are teasing him, and probably get a laugh out of what he does and his quirkiness. They have an understanding of Arnold, but don't have real concern for him at all. I think this is how many people are. We may understand a situation or a person, but we either shy away and don't involve ourselves, or we try to get something out of it, like a good laugh at the expense of others. There is a lack of sensitivity in our culture today, or maybe that's just what I've seen. Maybe there's compassionate people that I've missed and I've only seen the one side. I'm sure this is just as real today as it could have been back when this play was written.
We see yet another interaction of characters: Mrs. Fremus and Barry.
BARRY. I couldn't begin to figure it. He just quit... I computed it. That's before expenses. (Dawns on him.) I still have to buy clubs yet.
MRS. FREMUS. You don't need gloves in the sumer, Barry.
BARRY. (Highly agitated.) "Clubs!" I said. Clubs! (17-18)
There is a little miscommunication here because Mrs. Fremus is deaf, so probably reads lips, and that's how she can "know" what's going on. But even though she can read lips, it's a tough thing to rely on, and that's why she gets the words mixed up. But the characters still like to go and talk to her because she is giving them the time of day to just communicate in the way that she can. And I'm sure she doesn't mind the company at times because she is a widow. It's probably somewhat nice for each party.
I think that Jack is in a tough spot. He has been supervising 17 mentally handicapped men for eight months. As we see, Jack sometimes uses sarcasm and asides to the audience to display his thoughts and feelings. At one point, Jack actually explodes at Arnold because he is so stressed out. He is trying to introduce these men into the mainstream society and live normally. I can't imagine the patience and time that it takes to try and teach the characters. I don't know if Jack has other people working on a similar project, or an organization that he works for that pays him to supervise them, but it seems like Jack doesn't express his true feelings to anyone. There is just so much anger, frustration and maybe others things that contribute besides just dealing with these men. I think his divorce from his ex-wife is still plaguing him a little, and who knows if he has any real friends. Jack has quite a full plate.
I think we sometimes forget the toll that our jobs can take on us. We invest so much time, but sometimes see not so many results, or feel like we're getting no where.
This play is not what I expected at all. I didn't know what to expect coming into it actually, but it is rather intriguing and I am ready to read the second act.
(999)
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