August: Osage County: Analysis of Major Characters
"August: Osage County" presents a complex portrayal of a dysfunctional family, focusing on the interactions among its major characters. At the center is Violet Weston, a sixty-five-year-old matriarch whose struggles with addiction to prescription medication and mood swings create a toxic environment for her family. Her husband, Beverly, a retired professor, grapples with alcoholism and ultimately faces tragic consequences, highlighting the theme of despair within the family. Their three daughters each embody distinct responses to their upbringing: Barbara, the eldest, tries to assert control despite her own unhappiness; Ivy, the middle child, is quiet yet increasingly confident; and Karen, the youngest, clings to a delusional sense of happiness.
The narrative also explores the lives of supporting characters, such as Little Charles, who struggles with his identity as the product of an affair, and Johnna, a caregiver who provides stability despite being an outsider. The relationships are fraught with tension, betrayal, and unspoken truths, particularly through Mattie Fae, Violet's sister, who has her own secrets and cruelties. As the story unfolds, it reveals the deep emotional scars and intergenerational conflicts that plague the Weston family, inviting audiences to reflect on the complexities of familial bonds and individual struggles.
August: Osage County: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Tracy Shane Letts
First published: 2008
Genre: Drama
Locale: Pawhuska, Oklahoma
Plot: Tragicomedy
Time: August 2007
Violet Weston, the sixty-five-year-old matriarch of the Weston family and addicted to prescription medication. Her addiction to antianxiety and pain medications comes in part from her battle with oral cancer, although her wild mood swings existed before the diseases of cancer and addiction. She seems to take pleasure in revealing the private details of her family members' lives, and she regularly insults and manipulates those closest to her. When Violet's husband goes missing, her immediate instinct is not to locate him but rather to relocate their valuables lest they be taxed or given to other family members in the event of his death. She holds grudges and still has not forgiven her daughter Barbara for moving away. While her outbursts are common and destructive to the family, she also maintains a clever wit.
Beverly Weston, a retired professor and poet and the sixty-nine-year-old patriarch of the Weston family. He wrote a successful book of poetry many years ago, but he was never able to follow it up with another successful publication. He wears his academic background on his sleeve and is quick to quote a poem in casual conversation. An alcoholic and a realist about his family's problems, he nonetheless sincerely attempts to care for his wife. He goes missing one day and almost a week later is found dead in a pond, presumably having committed suicide. Many years prior, he had a long-term affair with his wife's sister, which produced a child, Little Charles, whom he pretends is his nephew.
Ivy Weston, the forty-four-year-old middle daughter of Beverly and Violet. She is the only daughter to have stayed in Oklahoma, where she somewhat follows in her father's footsteps by working at a college. She is quiet compared to the rest of her family and has more patience with her parents than her siblings manage, although she has also grown to distrust her parents. In part because of this distrust, she plans to run away to New York with the man she believes to be her cousin, Little Charles, and with whom she is secretly romantically involved. She faces constant criticism from her family, and although she appears to struggle to assert herself, she seems to be gaining more confidence.
Barbara Fordham, the forty-six-year-old oldest daughter of the Weston family. She sees herself as being in charge of the family and of most situations and regularly orders other people around. Although she has always expressed a deep unhappiness and left town at a young age, she found a career as a college professor in Colorado, where she has lived with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Jean. She and Bill are recently separated, and Barbara and Jean have a contentious relationship.
Karen Weston, the forty-year-old youngest daughter of Beverly and Violet. She is delusional and consumed with presenting a happy face to her family. She is engaged to Steve, who is clearly flawed but whom she considers to be perfect. Even when faced with blatant and difficult truths, Karen still finds a way to see the situation (and herself) as good.
Bill Fordham, the slightly older husband of Barbara, also a college professor. He and Barbara separate after Bill continues an affair with a much younger student. He wants to be a good family man, but he easily falls into temptations such as smoking marijuana and carrying on affairs. He regularly corrects other people's word choices.
Jean Fordham, the fourteen-year-old cynical daughter of Bill and Barbara. She is vegetarian, smokes marijuana, and takes pleasure in responding to family drama with irony and disinterest. Although not always willing to admit it, her parents' separation is difficult for her. She is sexually harassed by her aunt's fiancé, Steve, which serves to further damage the relationship she has with her mother.
Johnna Monevata, a Cheyenne woman whom Beverly hires to take care of Violet before his disappearance. She also smokes marijuana and develops a quick connection to Jean. Although she is an outsider in the family, she is also one of the only people to respect Beverly's wishes and stand by Violet despite all that is going on. She works hard and earns the respect of most family members.
Little Charles Aiken, the unemployed and unsuccessful biological son of Mattie Fae and Beverly, who was raised to believe Charlie, Mattie Fae's husband, was his father. He is constantly on the receiving end of jokes and insults from his family, and the regular verbal abuse seems to contribute to his lack of motivation. He has a secret romantic relationship with his half sister Ivy, whom he believes to be his cousin. He and Ivy plan to run away from Oklahoma and the family in order to start a new life in New York.
Steve Heidebrecht, the older fiancé of Karen. He is a successful businessman, although it appears likely that his business is either illegal or otherwise illegitimate. Although he claims to love Karen, he quickly and inappropriately devotes his attention to the teenage Jean instead.
Mattie Fae Aiken, the younger sister of Violet. She is superficially sweet but is cruel to those closest to her, especially her son. She carried on an affair with Beverly for many years and, despite knowing Beverly to be her son's father, has lied about this to everyone in the family.
Sheriff Deon Gilbeau, the man investigating Beverly's death. He dated Barbara in high school and has always had a soft spot for the women of the Weston family.