George Bernard Shaw has said that “a happy family is but an earlier heaven “and though this may be true it is reasonable for one to question whether being alone is better than staying with people that love you and accept you for you who you are. In the play Afterimage, adapted by Canadian author Robert Chafe, originally written by Michael Crummey, it exhibits the significance of being able to fit into a society rather than being isolated and all alone. The play makes an effort at answering the question that surrounds the strength of family affiliations and its ability to carry on with the influences of societies affecting it. Through the use of tropology and character, the strength of relationships within families, and how it is on top of everything else is shown from start to finish in the play.
Afterimage is based on the lives of Lise Lacoeur, a fortune teller who is not accepted by the society because of how people presume that she instigates bad events to occur, and her husband Winston Evans, a burn victim with scars all over his face, who is also taunted because of his damaged face. These characters are often tormented about their physical features as well as their strange but exclusive abilities all throughout the play, which leads to them being socially isolated. The isolation phase that all the characters go through shows decrease in their self esteem and self confidence, which can be mainly seen through the character of Leo, the Evan’s middle son. Leo does not have the same physical features as his brother Jerome and his sister Theresa, nor does he have any of his parents’ features which makes himself feel as if he does not belong with them. Leo also has a hard time trying to connect with the rest of the family, beca...
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...hat Leo is better off being isolated because he does not feel as if he is being a component of the family.
Overall, the play Afterimage shows the difference of being socially isolated versus the importance of being a part of a family. It also shows the appearance of how truthfulness plays a major role in families, because without it, there might be trouble that occurs. Through the use of tropology and the characters, the message of how being a part of a family is much more important than being accepted socially is also portrayed. Robert Chafe was able to illustrate a clear picture into the readers head through the thoughts, actions and the events that the characters went through to show how being socially isolated is nothing compared to having a family that you can rely on.
Work Cited
Afterimage by Robert Chafe, adapted from the 1998 short story by Michael Crummey
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“The story employs a dramatic point of view that emphasizes the fragility of human relationships. It shows understanding and agreemen...
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