Wit relates to Review #2 when the parallels of the characters are made known to the reader. At the beginning of the play when the characters are listed and a note at the bottom says technicians, fellows, students, and code team members should be doubled; Dr. Kelekian and Mr. Bearing should be doubled. The reader is confused because these people are obviously different and there is no logic behind why they should double up on roles. When Vivian first finds out she has cancer and Jason Posner asks her about her life history the reader realizes that Vivian had no life. The only life she had was John Donne poetry and her extended vocabulary. She prided herself on her ability to confuse and not help her students understand what was the meaning of the poetry they read. Without realizing the purpose of doubled characters the reader feels sorry for Vivian because she has to endure this horrible sickness alone.
The first parallel that is made known to the reader is Dr. Kelekian and Mr. Bearing. It is complete irony because like her father Dr. Kelekian does not care about her feelings. When he first tells her about her cancer he speaks to her with a sense of detachment and no remorse. On page 12 Dr. Kelekian tells her, “You must be very tough. Do you think you can be very tough? At this point in the conversation he should have been asking Vivian about her thoughts and how was she going to get through this alone. Dr. Kelekian was very impersonal and only saw Vivian as person with an incurable form of cancer. Dr. Kelekian relates to Mr. Bearing because when Vivian was five and attempted to read a book, “ she fixes on the word soporific.” Vivian asks her father what it means and he blatantly responds and tells her to use it in a sentence and she is confused. Mr. Bearing develops sarcasm when he says, “ What has a soporific effect on me? Let me think; boring conversation, I suppose, after dinner (pg.43).” This begins Vivian’s “enchanted forest of words” and also her isolation from people who do not appreciate and understands what she studies.
Jason Posner is doubled as a student because it shows why humanity does not come before research in his eyes. Vivian is isolated because her thirst for knowledge is her only purpose in life. Having Jason be a past student of Vivian allows the reader to see the similarity between their lacks of concern for others that is why the students are able to push her around like she did them. Jason ‘s lack of interest is shown on page 51 when he wants Vivian to take an ultrasound though she does not feel ready or strong enough to do so. It is amplified at the end of the play when Vivian finally dies and he gets angry when Susie tells him she is “ Do Not Resuscitate”, Jason replies “ She ‘s research (pg. 82).” Jason relates to Vivian because they do not respect other people who do not appreciate their work and have no feelings toward others. Jason’s purpose was research and the idea that Vivian ruined that for him upsets him because needed this research.Once Vivian realizes “ how blithely she humiliated her students, “ she accepts her treatment as what she deserves and thinks she should have given Jason an A.
2 comments:
I can see that it is easy to misunderstand Vivian's motives since she admits to being callous with her students in the play. Although, I do not think that she was doing it out of gaining some personal satisfaction. Her cold demeanor came from her passion to teach English poetry. Unfortunately, she did not exercise tact when addressing students' lack of interest for her course.
The play did not go in depth between Vivian and her father; therefore, I it is hard for me to agree with you that he did not care about her feelings. The only moment the play mentioned her father was when Vivian recalled falling in love with words, their use, and meanings. The play explains that it started when she was a little girl reading a book trying to figure out what the word soporific meant. She asked her father and he calmly explained its meaning. He did not seem ignorant of her willingness to learn.
As far as Doctor Kelekian and Jason were concerned, she was very important for their research. With regards to their impersonal behavior, I think that it is best for professionals, specifically doctors, to remain impersonal because you don't want your feelings to conflict with your work.
I think both you and Carlos have good points about the father; the play doesn't say much, but it implies much. the way Vivian relates to her father is what both of you are seeing, but in a different way. I also think your discussion of doubling is very important and needs to be considered as a significant part of the way the play is developed.
Post a Comment