An Analysis on Themes and Writing Techniques Essay

Explain why George tells Nick the Story of the boy who ordered `bergin`. If this boy is actually George, explain why he does not tell Nick that the story is autobiographical. If the boy is not George, explain why he is so upset with Martha when she relates the story about the manuscript her father, the president of the college, would not let George publish. The play begins with George and Martha having just returned from a party hosted by Martha’s father, who is President of the college where George works as a professor. Martha has invited a new faculty member over for some drinks. It is later revealed that their guests at the after-party are a younger couple; Nick, the young, new professor at the Biology Department and his wife Honey. When Nick and Honey arrive, the seemingly innocent after-party evolves into a night of games, manipulation, confrontation and enlightenment for the two couples. As the night deepens, the effects of alcohol start to take over Martha and George. They start to reveal sensitive things about each other and their marriage. In Act Two of â€Å"Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? † George tells Nick the anecdote of a boy who once ordered â€Å"bergin†, killed his mother with a shotgun, and then after a year, crashed into a tree and killed his father. This happens after Nick confides in George the truth in his decision to marry Honey. He revealed that he married Honey not because he loved her but more because of the prospect of moving up the social ladder. The play also reveals that Honey does not plan on having children and has been avoiding getting pregnant by taking contraceptive pills. The side effects of the pills have been making her weak all along. (KONKLE, 2003) The reason why George did not tell Nick the story of the boy is his story is that he was too ashamed to admit to himself as well as to other people his troubled past for fear that he might be judged according to this incident. (KONKLE, 2003) Another reason why George disclosed the details of the story of the boy who accidentally killed his parents to Nick is to point out to Nick that no matter how perfect or ideal things may seem on the surface in the present, in truth, there is no such thing as ideal or perfect. The reality of life is that things are bound to go wrong all the time and people need to be ready for anything. What matters is how one deals with these difficulties. Nothing is permanent in the world. Sometimes things go the way you expect them to be but they can go the other way. The only thing permanent is change. The best way to cope with change is to recognize it, assess the veracity of the circumstance, and learn to adjust accordingly. It is important to see the reality of the situation so that in case there are problems that need to be solved, the best way to come up with a proper solution is to acknowledge the gravity of the situation. Trying to cover flaws or problems will only worsen the situation. Oftentimes, when this happens, small problems that are left unsolved snowball into an ‘avalanche’ that gets too big that it is bound to leave too much damage. George and Martha started out as a couple with so much promise of success in the future. However, things did not work out as they have planned and as expected. As such, they are having difficulty adjusting to this reality. Instead of accepting the reality of their predicament and exploring other alternatives to get them out of their â€Å"pothole†, so to speak, they chose to remain â€Å"oblivious† to their situation. George and Martha are trapped in their illusion of perfection and are too proud to admit the truth. They are thus thrust deeper in to their â€Å"pothole† of problems. (KONKLE, 2003) George became upset with Martha when she told the story about his manuscript that her father would not let him publish because it exposed his inadequacies. George is a proud man and it is very typical of him to refuse to reveal anything that would make him seem the least bit incompetent. The reality of this situation brought out their frustrations. The incident also highlighted the stark reality of the state of their affairs. Martha’s bickering drew attention to how disappointed that George was not live up to her and her father’s expectations and that she was so disgruntled with her marriage with George. (KONKLE, 2003) What ensued between the two couples reveals the similarities, to some degree, in their marriages. The only difference is that Nick and Honey represent the beginning stages and George and Martha represent the latter. The conversations between the men and the confrontation scenes expose the flaws in both marriages. Through George and Martha, Nick and Honey were allowed to â€Å"peek† into the future state of their relationship. They realize that should they do nothing about the present state of their marriage, they could end up in a place worse than where George and Martha are. For George and Martha, Nick and Honey represent a slice of their past. It allowed them a glance back at the things that have happened, which brought them to where they currently are in their marriage. Reference List KONKLE, L. (2003). â€Å"Good, Better, Best, Bested†: The Failure of American Typology in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In B. J. Mann, Edward Albee: A Casebook (p. 44). New York : Routledge.