Linsanity

  How do the characters' relationships impact their ability to fulfill their dreams and reach their goals? When do the characters support one another and when do they obstruct one another? When friends and family members become barriers to achieving goals, why do you think this happens?       Throughout the play, there are multiple instances where a character's thoughts or opinions affect another character's ability to reach their goals. The first main relation is between Cynthia and Tracey. After Cynthia got the promotion at Olstead's, Tracey began to say things about her, trying to put her down. Cynthia says (to Tracey), "I don't deserve the things you've been saying. You've always been cool...You got a problem, you tell me to my face"(Nottage 59). Tracey's motivation to badmouth Cynthia likely sprouts from multiple factors, including her jealousy and racism. Instead of being happy when good things happen to her friends, Tracey tries to put t...

 The poem "Madam and the Phone Bill" by Langston Hughes is a short poem regarding a woman talking to a telephone operator. The woman's name is Alberta, and her boyfriend (Roscoe?) calls a lot despite knowing the costly transaction. The operator requests that Alberta pay the bill, but she refuses to pay because she knows that her partner is cheating.  Langston Hughes incorporates irony and humor to reveal aspects of disingenuity in communication. The irony lies in the fact that while Alberta's boyfriend is calling from Kansas City to say he loves her, he is clearly being unfaithful. In a sense, the poem touches on the effects of technology in the world. This can be related to the present, where technology is extremely prevalent. With the rise of AI and other powerful technology, a lot of things aren't as they appear online, creating an illusion that pervades many areas of the world.  Alongside, the poem reveals the loneliness of Alberta. In the second half of the p...