Overview: Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare

In the play, Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare, a young black man named Paul convinces wealthy New York families that he is the son of a famous black actor named Sidney Poitier. He also tells them that he goes to Harvard with their children so they would fully accept him and provide the shelter he needs, instead of stereotyping him as a black American who would called a criminal or drug addict. Behind his false identity Paul is a con man who has learned the ways to con wealthy New York families. His former lover Trent Conway is a former classmate of the wealthy families’ children. Trent taught Paul how to talk like a rich person, how to act like one, and all the information he needed to be accepted into their circle. Paul then uses the knowledge he has learned to create himself a new identity which will “take him into the real world” (34). Every encounter Paul has with someone he creates a new identity to bond and connect with them. Throughout the play, Paul creates multiple personas for himself. Paul loses control over his multiple personas which cause them to overlap with each other, He then becomes an empty vessel with only memories of his performances during his different personas.
Paul who creates himself this other persona he has to be with Paul and Ousia Kittredge, based on Trent’s information allows him into their household with ease. In order to get into their homes and obtain help from Ouisa and Flan, Paul decides to stab himself so they would take him in and treat his wound. He then lies to them and tells them he is friends with their children and all the good things their children said about them to make them feel more delighted with his presence. Geoffrey who was there with the Kittredges’ talking about busines...

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...onas which cause him to overlap his personas making him overlap his names with his different personas. Paul who has now lost control feels powerless and obediently listens to Ousia about going to the police serving his time and then coming out of prison to live a happy life with her and Flan.
Every encounter Paul has with someone he creates a new identity to bond and connect with them. Throughout the play Paul creates multiple personas for himself, he realizes that he is an empty vessel with no past and only memories of what he has done during his different personas. Paul loses control over his multiple personas which cause them to overlap with each other. Which causes him to feel lost and in search of help, when Ousia offers this help he gladly takes it which end up putting him in prison and never to be seen in New York.

Works Cited

Six degrees of speration