In O’Neill’s play “Long Day’s Journey into Night” he focuses on a variety of different themes; however, the most prevalent theme in the work is the internal conflicts facing each member of the Tyrone family. Although the play allows each character’s conflict to be seen, O’Neill mainly centers the play upon the conflict between Mary and Tyrone, husband versus wife.
In the beginning of the play, the reader is deceived to believe the Tyrone’s are a unified family who enjoy eating meals together along with caring about each other’s problems. As the play begins to progresses, O’Neill brings to light how dysfunctional the family truly is. After eating breakfast the family gathered in the living room and while in there the topic of discussion arose concerning Edmund’s health. When speaking of how to care for Edmund’s illness, the issue of James Tyrone cheap money ways came into play and opened up the fight which would continue on into the night. Although Tyrone was a successful actor in his earlier years, he never lived an extravagant lifestyle. Because of his Irish immigrant heritage, he believed in earning money through hard work, yet never spending it. Throughout the play, O’Neill emphasizes this by giving examples of Tyrone watering down whiskey, paying for cheap labor around the house, and only owning a summer home. Tyrone says he will offer the best sanatorium for Edmund in order for him to become well again yet he also contradicts himself by saying, “You can choose any place you like! Never mind what it costs! Any place I can afford. Any place you like – within reason.” (151). Although Tyrone wants to help his family, he will never pay the necessary amount of money in order to cure their addictions and illnesses.
Due to Tyrone’s economical lifestyle, he places money over Mary’s health. As the day continues on, Mary becomes more distraught over the family’s arguments and seeks shelter in her room. While hidden away from the family she relapses into her drug addiction. While Mary begins to take morphine pills, she soon becomes forgetful of her present surroundings and becomes entrapped in the past. Throughout the day, the reader is able to grasp a better understanding of the past lifestyle of Mary and Tyrone along with understanding how she became addicted to morphine. The constant battle between Mary and Tyrone erupt when Mary accuses him of hiring a cheap doctor to cure her pain from childbearing, so that she could continue to travel with Tyrone while on tour. “I was so sick afterwards, and that ignorant quack of a cheap hotel doctor – All he knew was I was in pain. It was easy for him to stop the pain” (90). Tyrone refuses to believe he contributed to Mary’s addiction, he allows her to continue on her destructive path because he doe not want to confront the issue. Since her husband is unable to offer support, Mary slowly becomes entrapped in the past and ends up as a ghost of her former self.
The conflict between Mary and Tyrone demonstrate a situation where living in the past and being blind sighted to a family member’s needs, only leads towards a more destructive future. From the play, the reader is able to comprehend how important it is to confront someone in their time of need and helping to fix the problem rather than to ignore the situation, hoping sooner or later it will go away.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Eugene O'Neill
Throughout the play “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” O’Neill instills autobiographical elements into each member of the Tyrone family in order to reflect upon his family’s own personal conflicts. Along with incorporating past emotions and situations into the play, the Tyrone family is based upon his own dysfunctional family.
The father of the Tyrone family is James, a sixty-five year old retired actor who is unable to acknowledge his past mistakes which helped cause the family to become disunited. The character James is largely based off O’Neill’s own father, James O’Neill, a once famous touring actor for playing the role of the Count of Monte Cristo in the early 19th century (O’Neill, Gale). Both James created an unstable environment for their families by continually traveling on the road and pursuing their acting careers instead of taking on the role of being a responsible parent. Guided by their own ambitions, James Tyrone and James O’Neill were unable to foreshadow the devastating effects of traveling with a family until everything unfolded later.
In the play Mary Tyrone is based upon O’Neill’s real mother, Ella (O’Neill, Gale). Marrying an actor at a young age and traveling across the country over the years has led Mary to become addicted to morphine. Even though her husband is a well paid actor his cheap money skills prevents her from acquiring the proper medicines necessary for recovery after giving birth. Since Mary is unable to find stability in her marriage with James she longs for a permanent home where she would be able to live a normal life and raise a family; however, James refuses to settle down. Mary is then forced to live in a summer cottage for about three months before going back on the road again. Since the house is cheap and only temporarily lived in, Mary despises coming back every summer. “Oh, I’m so sick and tired of pretending this is a home! You never wanted one – never since the day we were married!” (LDJIN, 69) Because Mary is unable to cope with pain after giving birth nor settling down in a respectable home, she searches for a way out of her misery by using morphine. As she becomes more disillusioned and addicted to the drug, the Tyrone men refuses to accept their part in allowing Mary to become ill.
Like Jamie in the play, O’Neill had an older brother names James, Jr. (O’Neill, Gale). The character in the play was modeled after the real life person. Jaime in the play is an alcoholic who has wasted his life away drinking, gambling and going in and out of brothels. Having never followed his father’s footsteps in the acting business, Jaime has no gumption to search for another career; instead, he lives off his parents. Although in the play Jaime does not die, in real life, O’Neill’s brother dies of alcoholism in middle age. Along with being drunkard, Jaime blames Edmund for starting Mary’s morphine addiction since he wasn’t supposed to be born. “And it was your bring born that started Mama on dope. I know that’s not your fault, but all the same, God damn you” (LDJIN, 169).
Having dealt with a family like the Tyrone’s, O’Neill turned to writing as his source of therapy. After going to a sanatorium for tuberculosis along with combating his own drinking problems, O’Neill expressed himself in the play as Edmund. Like Edmund, the two of them are the only ones of their families who turn to the poetic side of life along with realizing the tragedy of their families.
What O’Neill depicts in Journey is a disillusioned family who is unable to cope with their past mistakes in order to mend their present situations. Instead, the Tyrone’s are an example of the author’s own personal issues along with the American family tragedy which will continue on for centuries.
Sources
"Eugene O'Neill." American Decades. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC
O'Neill, Eugene. “A Long Day's Journey into Night”. Yale UP, 1989.
"Eugene O'Neill." American Decades. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC
O'Neill, Eugene. “A Long Day's Journey into Night”. Yale UP, 1989.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Rocky Path
The slow steady stream
Glistens in the light
While the rocks give off a dull sight,
As the water flows on
Whether large or small,
Whether big or tall,
Nothing is left unscathed
Some rocks may move
Some rocks may be thrown
Leaving their friends all alone,
Over the years the stream will change
Yet no matter the weather
Only some rocks will stay the same,
Sitting in place while their friends washed away
And until the end of time
That is where they will stay.
College Essay
“Life’s like a bag of trail mix.” Trail mix is the perfect on the go snack for everybody because it’s simple to make, and it can be easily carried around. Everyone makes her’s differently. Like a small afternoon snack which leaves you feeling full, my life experiences have given me the energy to carry on.
My first ingredient: SUNFLOWER KERNELS. These little kernels add a great crunch and sweet taste to the snack. Sunflowers lose their seeds from inside their petals when just ripe and then fall to the ground. The seeds usually taste dull and dry unless another ingredient is added to flavor it. The salted ones are usually the best. Along with adding a crunch to the mix, sunflower kernels have been proven to help promote bone growth, increase energy, and keep the heart healthy. For almost half my life, I lived in a small town in Connecticut. Because a majority of the children attended the same kindergarten and elementary schools, all the families somehow knew one another. I spent my childhood playing in big back yards with swing sets during the summer along with sledding down hills in the winter. However, during the summer of 2001, all that changed when my family and I packed up, sold our home and moved to Florida. Having never seen palm trees, flat land, gated communities or gas stations within a mile away from home, I was completely unprepared for the drastic change. At first I was apprehensive about Florida because everything here was bigger. People’s manners were different, and there was no longer a large back yard to play in. The hardest adjustment I had to make was being the new kid at school. Never before had I not known someone at school, nor had I ever been enrolled in a private school. It took a while for me to adjust to my surroundings along with forming new friendships because it was so much harder to travel to and from someone’s house. I had to break out of my comfort zone of following the leader and become more outgoing and charismatic. I have indeed grown in Florida, not only in heart and mind but in height as well. Not many girls at seventeen are six foot one!
My second ingredient: NUTS. Now you don’t have to have just one particular nut in the mix, you can have an assortment of them. Nuts come in all shapes and sizes but they also come in different flavors and colors. I can relate to being a nut at times, especially when I am having a good time with friends. I will break out of my shell and become an energetic, boisterous teenager who seizes the day to the fullest. An example of living life with enthusiasm and energy occurred this past summer while I was attending the Pre-Collegiate National Institution of American History and Democracy program at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. On the last day of camp, my friends and I began to get pumped up for the night’s Jeopardy game by making our own team t-shirts along with painting our faces. With our gear on and energy high, we walked into the room ready to crush our opponents. The competition was stiff and in the end my team came in second place; however, that did not crush my spirits. After the exciting yet demanding questionnaire game, my friends and I started up a game of late night soccer in the nearby fields. After several short barefoot games, with my energy still running on overload, I joined in on a dance party going on in another building with my fellow campers. While dancing to the latest music, I started several dance off contests and even created new dance moves never seen before. Even though the party ended around two in the morning, I was still pumped up and decided to keep the party going on back in the dorms. Eventually around the crack of dawn I was able to fall asleep for about three hours before it was time to pack my belongings, leave camp and head back home. After a whole day of excitement and events, I will never forget the last night there. Who says history fanatics can’t have fun?
Next: DRIED FRUIT. Some people prefer dried cranberries or dried pineapple; however, I enjoy raisins. Raisins are a neat fruit because they start off as juicy, round grapes and then they become sweet, hard and wrinkly in the sun, yet they are still good to eat. The other nice thing about raisins is that you can make them become grapes again by soaking them in water in order to form grapes. Like raisins, I too continually change and transform my faith. Although I have attended private Catholic schools for the past seven years, I do not always believe what is being taught in religion classes. Over the past year or more, my faith has changed tremendously due to a tragic event in my life. In the early fall of 2006, my Aunt Keri was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Although she caught the cancer in the middle stage, the doctors labeled her as terminally ill because of the rapidly growing cancer cells. Over the course of eight months, I saw my favorite aunt slowly become weakened by the cancer. Her once thriving body full of laughter and life slowly began to become tired and weak. During our last Christmas together she was optimistic for the holiday and would not let her cancer dampen the holiday spirits. She attended different outdoor activities with the family along with joining in on family fun nights at home. Not once did I see her lose her energy or hear her complain about the cancer. At times I even forgot she was sick. But as the year 2007 progressed, so did her cancer. Knowing time was precious, I flew up with my mother to Virginia to help care for my aunt. Watching her daily struggle to eat, urinate, and sleep, made me see life in a totally new perspective. Helping her do some of these simple everyday tasks, forced me to reflect upon my own life, and my faith. Ever since her death in February I have taken a different approach to life and religion. Instead of complaining about little incidents in life, I try to live it to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. She taught me to go on with life without regrets, and to never take anything for granted. Because of her death I continually question my faith everyday. Perhaps one day with the right guidance my faith will ripen again, but for right now I am a raisin.
Final ingredient: CHOCOLATE CANDY PIECES. Now any small candy pieces will do, but I prefer M&M pieces. No matter what flavor M&Ms are, they are my weakness. The extra sweet flavor along with their colorful candy shells makes the snack a little livelier. Like the sweet candy taste in a small bag, I find joy in volunteering after school. My most memorable experience has been working on a retreat this past school year with the newly arrived freshmen. At the beginning of senior year, any senior can volunteer to help lead the retreat and help organize a weekend full of activates for a small group of freshmen. As a main leader for my retreat group, we took six girls to a local Ronald McDonald House and cooked meals for the several families staying at the home. While introducing the girls to volunteering in the community, it gave me a sense of gratitude for being alive and being able to be blessed with health. After seeing pictures of an infant born prematurely and severely underweight and size, it made everyone rethink about where she is today. Along with volunteering, we incorporated opportunities for freshmen to ask seniors questions about high school and tough situations such as underage drinking and peer pressure. Even though the retreat is designed especially for the freshmen, setting a good example for someone else forced me to rethink my own priorities and to respect them daily.
The ingredients can be altered to any form of your liking because it all depends on your own taste and experiences. Now with everything in a bag, close it, shake it and enjoy!
My first ingredient: SUNFLOWER KERNELS. These little kernels add a great crunch and sweet taste to the snack. Sunflowers lose their seeds from inside their petals when just ripe and then fall to the ground. The seeds usually taste dull and dry unless another ingredient is added to flavor it. The salted ones are usually the best. Along with adding a crunch to the mix, sunflower kernels have been proven to help promote bone growth, increase energy, and keep the heart healthy. For almost half my life, I lived in a small town in Connecticut. Because a majority of the children attended the same kindergarten and elementary schools, all the families somehow knew one another. I spent my childhood playing in big back yards with swing sets during the summer along with sledding down hills in the winter. However, during the summer of 2001, all that changed when my family and I packed up, sold our home and moved to Florida. Having never seen palm trees, flat land, gated communities or gas stations within a mile away from home, I was completely unprepared for the drastic change. At first I was apprehensive about Florida because everything here was bigger. People’s manners were different, and there was no longer a large back yard to play in. The hardest adjustment I had to make was being the new kid at school. Never before had I not known someone at school, nor had I ever been enrolled in a private school. It took a while for me to adjust to my surroundings along with forming new friendships because it was so much harder to travel to and from someone’s house. I had to break out of my comfort zone of following the leader and become more outgoing and charismatic. I have indeed grown in Florida, not only in heart and mind but in height as well. Not many girls at seventeen are six foot one!
My second ingredient: NUTS. Now you don’t have to have just one particular nut in the mix, you can have an assortment of them. Nuts come in all shapes and sizes but they also come in different flavors and colors. I can relate to being a nut at times, especially when I am having a good time with friends. I will break out of my shell and become an energetic, boisterous teenager who seizes the day to the fullest. An example of living life with enthusiasm and energy occurred this past summer while I was attending the Pre-Collegiate National Institution of American History and Democracy program at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. On the last day of camp, my friends and I began to get pumped up for the night’s Jeopardy game by making our own team t-shirts along with painting our faces. With our gear on and energy high, we walked into the room ready to crush our opponents. The competition was stiff and in the end my team came in second place; however, that did not crush my spirits. After the exciting yet demanding questionnaire game, my friends and I started up a game of late night soccer in the nearby fields. After several short barefoot games, with my energy still running on overload, I joined in on a dance party going on in another building with my fellow campers. While dancing to the latest music, I started several dance off contests and even created new dance moves never seen before. Even though the party ended around two in the morning, I was still pumped up and decided to keep the party going on back in the dorms. Eventually around the crack of dawn I was able to fall asleep for about three hours before it was time to pack my belongings, leave camp and head back home. After a whole day of excitement and events, I will never forget the last night there. Who says history fanatics can’t have fun?
Next: DRIED FRUIT. Some people prefer dried cranberries or dried pineapple; however, I enjoy raisins. Raisins are a neat fruit because they start off as juicy, round grapes and then they become sweet, hard and wrinkly in the sun, yet they are still good to eat. The other nice thing about raisins is that you can make them become grapes again by soaking them in water in order to form grapes. Like raisins, I too continually change and transform my faith. Although I have attended private Catholic schools for the past seven years, I do not always believe what is being taught in religion classes. Over the past year or more, my faith has changed tremendously due to a tragic event in my life. In the early fall of 2006, my Aunt Keri was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Although she caught the cancer in the middle stage, the doctors labeled her as terminally ill because of the rapidly growing cancer cells. Over the course of eight months, I saw my favorite aunt slowly become weakened by the cancer. Her once thriving body full of laughter and life slowly began to become tired and weak. During our last Christmas together she was optimistic for the holiday and would not let her cancer dampen the holiday spirits. She attended different outdoor activities with the family along with joining in on family fun nights at home. Not once did I see her lose her energy or hear her complain about the cancer. At times I even forgot she was sick. But as the year 2007 progressed, so did her cancer. Knowing time was precious, I flew up with my mother to Virginia to help care for my aunt. Watching her daily struggle to eat, urinate, and sleep, made me see life in a totally new perspective. Helping her do some of these simple everyday tasks, forced me to reflect upon my own life, and my faith. Ever since her death in February I have taken a different approach to life and religion. Instead of complaining about little incidents in life, I try to live it to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. She taught me to go on with life without regrets, and to never take anything for granted. Because of her death I continually question my faith everyday. Perhaps one day with the right guidance my faith will ripen again, but for right now I am a raisin.
Final ingredient: CHOCOLATE CANDY PIECES. Now any small candy pieces will do, but I prefer M&M pieces. No matter what flavor M&Ms are, they are my weakness. The extra sweet flavor along with their colorful candy shells makes the snack a little livelier. Like the sweet candy taste in a small bag, I find joy in volunteering after school. My most memorable experience has been working on a retreat this past school year with the newly arrived freshmen. At the beginning of senior year, any senior can volunteer to help lead the retreat and help organize a weekend full of activates for a small group of freshmen. As a main leader for my retreat group, we took six girls to a local Ronald McDonald House and cooked meals for the several families staying at the home. While introducing the girls to volunteering in the community, it gave me a sense of gratitude for being alive and being able to be blessed with health. After seeing pictures of an infant born prematurely and severely underweight and size, it made everyone rethink about where she is today. Along with volunteering, we incorporated opportunities for freshmen to ask seniors questions about high school and tough situations such as underage drinking and peer pressure. Even though the retreat is designed especially for the freshmen, setting a good example for someone else forced me to rethink my own priorities and to respect them daily.
The ingredients can be altered to any form of your liking because it all depends on your own taste and experiences. Now with everything in a bag, close it, shake it and enjoy!
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