In the play, Ruined, Lynn Nottage the playwright shows how alcohol is important to the people of the Congo and how alcohol changes oneself. The play is based in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in a bar/brothel that is owned by Mama Nadie. People come in the bar for sexual service and for a drink. The people of this area come to the bar to let go of their regrets because of the war or there hard work. One important man comes to the bar and changes from alcohol. His name is Christian a salesman to Mama and an uncle to one of Mama's workers. Throughout Ruined Christian a once respecful sober man changes because of his new desire for alcohol instead of Fanta. Christian is a sober man and has no desire to consume the taste of alcohol …show more content…
but has a desire to taste the soda Fanta. In the beginning of the book Christian asks for a Fanta instead of alcohol. “Ah. Cold. The only cold Fanta in twenty-five kilometers. You don't know how good this tastes” (5). Christian has a desire to drink fantas instead of liquor even when he might be tempted to drink otherwise. At another scenario Christian gets a Fanta and Mama states how he is the only person that she knows that dosnt want a cold beer after a long drive. Moma: “You're the only man I know who doesn't crave a cold beer at the end of a long drive” (39).
Christian: “Last time I had a drink, I lost several years of my life” (39). Christian may have a desire for alcohol but he substitutes this desire with Fantas. Instead of asking for a beer like most people in this scenario he asked for a soda. This shows that he has strong willpower to not have something that most people would want in this situation. Christian is forced into having a drink of alcohol and is at a turning point in his absence of alcohol. A man arrives in the bar who is a commander for the side of the government not the rebels, his name is commander Osembenga. Osembenga doesn't trust Christian and he asked Moma to give Christian a drink. Christian denys the drink to Mama and states how he doesn't drink. Moma: “Good news , the commander has bought you a drink of whiskey and hopes that you’ll find prosperity”(49). Christian:That's very generous, but you know I don't drink. Please, tell him thanks, but no thanks” (49). Christian eventually takes down the drink and he is offered two other glasses of whisky. He does this because Mama forces him and he doesn't want to disrespect commander Osembenga. This is the turning point for Christian and it is the point where he accepts alcohol for what it is. This scenario causes him to break his soberness for four years and pick up drinking
again. Christian attitude changes after he comes in contact with alcohol. After Christians incident with commander Osembenga he sees alcohol as a refreshment instead of a Fanta. Christian demanding to Mama because he wants alcohol instead of a Fanta. He becomes rude when asking for drink. Christian: “Can I have one of those, please” (56)? Mama: “Are you sure” (56)? Christian: “Just give it to me damn it” (56)! Mama offers him a fanta later on and he denies the drink. Mama: “The Fantas are cold” (57). Christian: “I don't want a Fanta (57. Christian later on in this setting asks for another drink he does this in a rude demanding way. “Forget it! Bring me another beer. Theres my money. (slams the money down on the counter). You understand that, don’t you? You like that? There’s your fucking money” (85). Throughout Christians new self it is shown that he is now more demanding when it comes to having a beverage. He is now not interested in his usual Fanta and now wants liquor. With his new desire for Alcohol he treats Mama with less respect. The desire of alcohol he has causes him to have less respect for others. Christian has more respect for others when he dosnt desire to have alchohol. At the end of the book Christian drinks a Fanta again. Mama cracks open a cold beer for Christian, but he wants otherwise. Mama: “It’s cold, why can’t you be happy with that” (98)? Christian: “Because, it isn’t what I want? Bring me a Fant, please” (98). Christian now has respect for Mama because he lost his desire for alcohol. Christian gets a Fanta instead of liquor and he asks respectfully. Instead of demanding for Mama to bring a glass of liquor he asks for a Fanta and says please. Throughout Ruined, Lynn Nottage shows how a respectful sober man can change because of a new desire for alcohol. Within the beggining of the text it is shown how Christian is not interested in alcohol, but interested in the orange soda we call Fanta. He shows how strong will power keeps a man aside from something he used to desire. When Osembenga forced him into drinking he changed and rediscovered alcohol. With his new desire of alcohol from this incident he becomes disrespectful towards others and now demands liquor instead of Fanta. He later on becomes more respectful when he acquires a Fanta instead of alcohol. The playwright showed us willpower and how alcohol changes people. From reading this play I can say that I was impressed. This showed me more about other lives apart from our Marin society. This gave me a greater respect from soberness and this play will live long in my memory.
Additionally, although proclaiming his love for her, Lester becomes a negative influence on Kathy. Under the false sense of security he provides, Kathy, a recovering alcoholic, allows herself to start drinking again after an abstinence of three ye...
To whomever alcoholism affects the body and life style, drinking for long periods can lead to being dependent on alcohol for all situations or just drinking for the sake of alcohol in the system of the body. In We All Fall Down one of the characters Buddy, "My life's not in danger, I'm not in danger of becoming an alcoholic."(Cormier 78). Alcohol has taken affect on Buddy’s life because the character thinks alcohol is not a danger to life, a character in the novel had the intention of helping Buddy with the situation of being an alcoholic but Buddy is clearly mad at the fact of another character think of Buddy has an alcoholic. Whenever people have problems they do not admit to their fault rather individuals deny the facts and cannot accept the fact of the situation at hand, “Look, there are plenty of other bottles I can put my hands on" (Cormier 79). Being an alcoholic has shown in Buddy’s character due to always having a bottle of "booze" on hand, again Buddy is shown to be furious because Buddy does not take the opinions of other characters into consideration about having a drink, even though characters throughout the story try to help Buddy not become an alcoholic. Throughout Buddy’s experience with alcohol this character cannot properly function, it can connect to being an alcoholic and can lead to increasing illness and earlier death. Drinking in the novel The Handmaid’s Tale alcohol has supposed to be banned from the society,"Last night he had a drink, scotch and water. He's taken to drinking in my presence, to unwind after the day."(Atwood 242). It just comes to show everybody has a drink once in a while, alcohol can become addicting to the body but in the novel alcohol is used socially not to be drunk or becoming an alcoholic. In We All Fall Down the character Buddy does not drink alcohol socially but has alcohol at hands
...ld, and atheist. The importance of these people is that they are constantly contributing their own conversation to the topic of how alcoholism affects them, in their own personal way. This project plans to contribute in a different way: by providing all of these stories to a new audience.
...k of whiskey, a pack of lewd playing cards and condoms and Joy-Hulga discovers that Manley is not the slow, country bumpkin as perceived by everyone within the community (183).
It is a fact of life that Alcoholism will distort the victim’s view of reality. With authors, they put parts of their personality and symptoms of their condition into their characters sometimes, flawed distortions included, with varying degrees
God tells us that indulgence is bad, a sing. The books of Proverbs, Hosea, Isaiah, Ephesians, Galatians, and 1 Thessalonians spells out why indulgence in alcohol (wine) is bad. The scriptures discuss this from the angle that alcohol makes a fool of you and leads to fights. Another is that wine robs of ones senses. From a Christian point of view, I know that alcohol or any over indulgence is a sin and should be avoided. Likewise, we, as Christians should avoid those who are gluttons.
In Alcoholics Anonymous, the source of sobriety is not contained within the alcoholic. Power is given up to God, with powerlessness over alcohol
Drinking: A Love Story (1996) is a memoir by Caroline Knapp where she shares her experience of gradually becoming an alcoholic. She found drinking to be the most important relationship in her life; she loved how it made her feel, how it coped with her fears and worries. She chronicles some of the effort and self-realization required for recovery from this addiction, but her primary focus is on the charm, seductiveness, and destructiveness that she was able to find in two decades as an alcoholic, hopelessly in love with liquor. Her relationship with alcohol started in early teenage years and progressed through young adulthood, until she finally checked herself into a rehabilitation center at the age of thirty-four.
In taking sides, it is evident that W.J. Rorabaugh was on the right track when he points out that many evangelic religious leaders formed groups to reiterate to the people that liquor was the tool of the devil and that basically, society would continue to...
Several times in the novel he indulged in his drinking to the point of becoming
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed harmful toxin. It is to be assumed that by the time the average person reaches the legal drinking age of twenty-one, they have heard most of the warnings and horror stories that go along with this notorious party favor. People frequently have a drink after a hard day or just a couple rounds with friends at a social gathering; yet it is when alcohol consumption goes beyond moderate drinking that real health problems can arise. Health problems are not the sole concern individuals should consider before taking their next sip. This is because alcoholism does not just affect the alcoholic; it can involve those who love and support them as well. Scott Sanders describes his father in his essay, “Under the Influence” like a stranger and as fearful as any graveyard lunatic when drunk (Sanders 235). In reality, this form of alcohol abuse has an increased
the only reason that we desire to drink is that we anticipate the result of our
Both stories mention alcohol an excessive amount. In Hills Like White Elephants Jig and the American order drinks before discussing the elephant in the room: abortion. They talk about drinks almost as much as they talk about the operation and it seems as if their relationship is based around alcohol. The couple agrees that all they do is, “. . . look at things and try new drinks” (Hemingway 116). That seems like a pretty surface level relationship. The alcohol highlights the talking aspect rather than the communicating aspect of the theme: talking versus communicating. It helps to convey the idea that their relationship is not deep and the couple does not communicate well. The alcohol tells the reader that a lot is lacking from the couple’s relationship if the reoccurring topic of conversation for them is about drinking alcohol. Anyone can talk about alcohol; couples should talk about more important things and get to know each other on an intimate level. Alcohol poses the idea that perhaps the pair is not in an exclusive relationship at all, but only know one another from parties and social events. Alcohol serves as a distraction from the heavy subject that they should converse. Like Hills Like White Elephants, all three characters in the Cathedral drink alcohol constantly. Before every main event a character is preparing or drinking an alcoholic beverage. Once again, this symbolizes
Sometimes, an alcoholic can be abusive. In Arnold Josephs case, it is nonetheless. When Arnold realizes that he accidentally starts a fire that kills Thomas’s parents, alcoholism seems as the only thing in which he can turn to and try to resolve his problems. After a few years, Arnold’s alcoholism takes a toll on the household. Victor’s attitude toward alcohol is greatly affected as he sees what it did to his father. Arnold eventually left the reservation due to him not being able to manage his emotions. Even though it may seem that Arnold was being selfish, in reality, it was quite the opposite. Arnold saves the two by not submitting them to a life of fear by leaving town. In the end, alcohol rescues Victor from living in fear.
You think it will never happen; never in a million years. Yet, somehow, 11 O’clock you end up at a friend's house watching them drink their future away and you wonder why they would do this? They’re suppose to be leaders, members of the church and here they are intoxicated beyond belief looking at you with glossy eyes, about to fall over drunk. Alcohol was a foreign subject for my friend group. What happened, where did it go wrong?