Sarah Jo “S.J. Ewing” Ewing

While this play/film is very disturbing to watch, I persevered and it gave me many avenues of the human experience, relationships, and purpose to explore. Having come from a family situation where my parents devolved into drinking, yelling, and assault, it brought up the horrors of two people feeling trapped in a marriage and too afraid to end it. The wife with a father that has power over her husband's career, then torturing him with her sarcastic assaults on his failures which have become her failures. It shows how a wife with no career goals or self realization has placed her ego and her shame on her husband. Further, she is ashamed of her wrong decision to marry him, because his achievements and identity reflect on hers. She has none of her own. Both men have shame of their lack of ambition and lack of success. They feels the pressure of their wives who have fathers that have success. By comparison, they have failed miserably. They choose to shame and hurt themselves and theirs wives further. This too was a familiar them in my family. The root seems to stem from a woman's lack of opportunity in this era and society's expectation that it is their husbands that have the power to determine their own destiny. The message is still clear today, but is gradually getting better. Throughout the story and dialogue, I admit I was questioning what was truth and what was fantasy. When at the end it became clear that this was all a cruel game between Martha and George, I was still left with wondering why they tortured themselves. The younger couple Nick and Honey didn't know what they wanted. They knew what was expected of them in society and traditional marriage/family structure, but didn't want it. Their fantasy was the idea of having children and being adult. The structure of the play/film was presented as a character, relationship, and societal study. The play takes place in one room, the film moves around a little more. The bulk of the story unfolds in the dialogue. The process of an unfolding story for the audience to piece together is what keeps the story moving like a mystery to solve. Once the answer is revealed at the end, it is a feeling of being fooled and tortured for the game of it. On a deeper level, I believe Albee is allowing us to reflect on how the truth is played with in our own lives and our society. What is real? What truths can't we face about ourselves? What stories do we hang on to that aren't real? What do we hide and what do we present to others? Why are we so cruel to each other and emotionally tortured? Why do we feel trapped in our own lives? There are a lot of layers to peel away and a rich story to discuss with others. The acting, directing, cinematography, and overall production are excellent in this film. Elizabeth Taylor rightfully won an Oscar for her performance. The other three actors were excellent as well.