Scenes from American Life: Analysis of Major Characters
"Scenes from American Life: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complexities of various characters that embody different facets of American society, particularly during the socio-economic upheaval of the Great Depression. At its center is Father, a wealthy patriarch who reflects the established upper class's indifference to the struggles of those around him, highlighting the class anxieties of the time. Mother, his frivolous counterpart, shares this insensitivity, often prioritizing social status over genuine concern for others. Their son, Snoozer, serves as a reference point for the family dynamics without being a central figure, representing the expectations placed on the younger generation.
The narrative includes characters like Nellie, the lonely nurse, who illustrates the immigrant experience, and Uncle John, who provides a blunt commentary on the absurdities of social norms through his disdain for tennis. Additionally, the portrayal of a modern couple grappling with the implications of parenthood reveals the shifting perspectives on family and responsibility. Characters such as Bucky Kratz and Phil Ramsey further illustrate the intersections of privilege, power, and desperation in a changing America. Overall, the analysis presents a rich tapestry of interactions reflecting the era's social stratifications and personal dilemmas, inviting readers to explore the intricacies of American life during a tumultuous period.
Scenes from American Life: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: A. R. Gurney, Jr.
First published: 1970
Genre: Play
Locale: Buffalo, New York
Plot: Satire
Time: The 1930's to the near future
Father, from the first and last scenes, the wealthy father of Snoozer. Depicted first as a young father and later as a family patriarch, he represents the established upper class. In concert with Snoozer's godparents, he expresses class fears of Franklin Roosevelt and the impact of the Depression while enjoying a lifestyle aloof from the suffering around him. The family members swill bootlegged gin and give exotic, costly gifts while preaching responsibility to self and country from their hypocritical pulpit. In the last scene, Father officiates at the family's traditional tennis ball toss and canoe burning, a sunset ritual that suggests the fate of his class.
Mother, Snoozer's mother. Like her husband, she is basically insensitive to the misery of others. She is frivolous, playfully demanding that those at the post-christening party give her son his nickname. She herself comes up with “Snoozer” because the infant sleeps through a second baptism when his godmother spills her drink on him. In the final scene, she explains the family tradition to Ray, the prospective son-in-law.
Mother, from the third scene. She voices dubious concern for her child's welfare when, after chastising the child's nurse for inviting a male friend to her room and thereby neglecting child-tending duties, she reveals that she is planning an assignation with her lover.
Snoozer, a character alluded to often but encountered only in the final scene. Although he plays only a minor role when he actually appears, he is a reference point for many of the other characters throughout the play. He is notable only for his nickname, given to him by his mother.
Nellie, the nurse. She is polite, acquiescent, and lonely, an Irish immigrant forced to be thankful for her position. Her efforts to defend her actions are squelched by her charge's mother.
Uncle John, a blunt, sarcastic spectator at a tennis match in the fifth scene. Although he hates the sport, he is forced to watch by his nagging wife.
Aunt Helen, Uncle John's wife. She promotes sportsman-ship to their nephew while maligning her husband and his opinions. She discusses her relationship to Uncle John in analogies to the doubles match but is ridiculously one-sided in her thinking.
Wife, from the eighth, futuristic, scene. She is pregnant and wants to have the child because she feels left out of things. When her husband insists on an abortion, she claims that the child is not his, then recants and capitulates to his demands.
Husband, from the same scene. He is uninterested in having another child, envisaging a future free from parental responsibility to his children (and stepchildren). Given the civil unrest, his dream of future tranquillity seems at best delusional.
Father, from the tenth scene. When his daughter is arrested for hitchhiking, he bails her out of jail in time for a family Christmas. He cannot comprehend her odd behavior but accedes to her wishes to bail out her friend Mark and invite him home, even though she does not know Mark's last name.
Mr. Van Dam, the Dancing Master from the sixteenth scene. A stiff martinet with a German accent, he insists on strict discipline in his dance class. He uses a cane to threaten his wayward students, but his most effective weapon is mortification: He makes disobedient boys dance with him.
Mother, in the twenty-third scene. A stickler for class proprieties, she opposes her daughter's desire for a serious education because it would interfere with the obligations of a true debutante.
Daughter, called Pookins, who appears in the same scene. Somewhat light in mental acuity, she is unsure of what she really wants and does not put up much of a struggle against her mother's insistence that her coming out is more important than a higher education.
Father, in the twenty-fourth scene, a man devastated by his son's decision to skip bail and run from the law. He is bitter about self-sacrifices made to provide the best for his son.
Son, the father's eldest scion. He is unyielding and unresponsive to his father's arguments. His firmness merely antagonizes the father, who, venting frustration and anger, verbally assaults him as a loser.
Bucky Kratz, referred to as Colonel, the district commander in the futuristic, thirty-fifth vignette. Under martial law, he has the authority to interfere in civilian business. A graduate of Dartmouth, he is unsympathetic to the plight of the Yale graduate who comes to him for help.
Phil Ramsey, a discharged banker. Approaching the colonel for help in getting reinstated, he tries to trade on their shared Ivy League background. When stymied, he destroys his chances by insulting the colonel with absurdly snobbish and petty remarks.