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Modern Life in Sweet Bird of Youth

K
Kayla Carpenzano

The document provides an analysis of hypocrisy as portrayed in Tennessee Williams' play "Sweet Bird of Youth". It summarizes that Boss Finley is the most hypocritical character, condemning Chance's behavior while having his own mistress. Chance and other characters also exhibit hypocrisy through their use of drugs, alcohol, and television to hide their true selves from others. The document concludes that the modern life depicted in the play is filled with hypocrisy primarily demonstrated through the characters' behaviors and their reliance on substances and media to pretend to be something they are not.

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Modern Life Sweet Bird of youth by Tennessee Williams By Marlo Erwin, Rebecca Rouille and Debora Thera.
Introduction What is hypocrisy? Well, it's similar to pretending, pretending to be someone or something that you are not, or just even pretending to believe in certain morals or virtues that you don't. Many are hypocrites, some are close to us, most are in the media. They are not always evil, perhaps they want to spread a better image in fear of being a bad role model, yet sometimes, it is simply to acquire more praise or fame. Hypocrisy originally stems from insecurity, and creates an atmosphere in which the hypocrite believes they have special rights to create a sense of self importance and put others down to feel better about themselves. Hypocrisy is observable through the play Sweet Birds of youth. This play, written by Tennessee Williams, shows how the Modern Life in which we are living in, is filled of hypocrisy. This hypocrisy is observable through the behaviour of the characters throughout the whole play.
Hypocrisy observable through the characters Many characters have hypocritical tendencies, such as Boss finley who is the most hypocritical of them all. For example, in this exchange between Boss and tom junior; Tom junior: 束 How about your well-known promiscuity, Papa? How about your miss Lucy? 損 Boss: 束 who is Miss Lucy? 損 Tom Junior: 束 ...You dont even know who she is, this woman you keep in a fifty-dollar-a-day hotel suite at the Royal Palms, Papa? 損. He shows hypocrisy by condemning Chances sexual behavior, yet he himself has a mistress. Additionally, heavenly accuses him of being a hypocrite for marrying for love, and not letting her do the same, as seen in Heavenlys quote : Papa, you married for love, why wouldnt you let me do it, while I was alive, and the boy still clean, still decent?. Chance is also a hypocrite, for buying nice clothes and new cars, yet being the opposite of successful. Moreover, the reader can see through this quote p.12 : Scudder : You dont have a girl in St Cloud. Heavenly and I are going to be married next month. (he leaves abruptly) that Chance has hypocritical friends. The stage direction in parentheses prove that his friend doesnt assume.
Hypocrisy through drugs, alcohol and television Hypocrisy is seen through the behaviour of the characters in the play. It can be noticed that Alcohol, drugs and television play a big role in the hypocritical behaviour of the characters. Indeed, throughout the whole play, the author abords the themes of drugs, alcohol and television. This shows their importance in the play. These themes represents the bonds between some characters. Chance, Princess, Boss Finley and some other characters uses at least one of these things to come to an end. They use it in a way to show a mask that they put and to also abnegate a part of themselves.
Alcohol, Drugs, Television Drugs and alcohol are mainly related to Chance and Princess. It kind of represents their relationship as they met thanks to that. Furthermore, the first thing that the Princess ask for when she wakes up and starts to have a panic attack is drugs and alcohol Give me a pill a pink one, a pinkie, and vodka. The day hasnt started yet and she wants to get drunk and high. This is a way for the princess to run away from her problems and try to go back in her youth days which are over. Chance used this opportunity to record a tape in which she admits having drugs and try to use it against her your trades turned dirt on you Princess. In this case, both characters are hypocrites as they pretend to be someone they are not and lie to themselves but also to each other. Television is mainly related to Boss Finley in the play. On the television, he shows to the public a face hidden behind a mask. Through his speech, he pretends to believe in something that he doesnt really believe. He is pretending to believe in something that his audience believe to hide his hatred for other race. He says that the voice of God called [him] to execute this mission. He is using peoples belief to easily manipulate them. The television here is symbolic as it is the principal tool to show the hypocrisy of the characters. Even Chance wants to get featured on TV so that he could show another face of himself and to marry Heavenly.
Conclusion Hypocrisy is also observable through the life style of the characters. Drugs, Alcohol including the TV show how some of the characters are hypocrites and grew out the dark hypocritical society. These factors also show how far they are able to go to their end. Therefore, it can be conclude that the modern life is filled with hypocrisy and must of them are exposed through drugs, alcohol and the TV. Through these factors, the characters expose a new face unknown from others.
Links with other works - The Handmaids Tale : Indeed, in the Gilead regime, we can see hipocrisia since alcohol is forbidden and commanders drink it anyway. There are injustice in this society. Moreover there are the jezebels, they can drink alcohol and other things normally not allowed in Gilead and the commanders take advantage of these girls who prostitute themselves. - Intimate Apparel : We can also see hypocrisy in this play through Georges character because he is hypocrite with Esther, he wants her money and make her think he is in love with her. Because of this hypocrisy, Esther loses the possibility of creating her dream.

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Modern Life in Sweet Bird of Youth

  • 1. Modern Life Sweet Bird of youth by Tennessee Williams By Marlo Erwin, Rebecca Rouille and Debora Thera.
  • 2. Introduction What is hypocrisy? Well, it's similar to pretending, pretending to be someone or something that you are not, or just even pretending to believe in certain morals or virtues that you don't. Many are hypocrites, some are close to us, most are in the media. They are not always evil, perhaps they want to spread a better image in fear of being a bad role model, yet sometimes, it is simply to acquire more praise or fame. Hypocrisy originally stems from insecurity, and creates an atmosphere in which the hypocrite believes they have special rights to create a sense of self importance and put others down to feel better about themselves. Hypocrisy is observable through the play Sweet Birds of youth. This play, written by Tennessee Williams, shows how the Modern Life in which we are living in, is filled of hypocrisy. This hypocrisy is observable through the behaviour of the characters throughout the whole play.
  • 3. Hypocrisy observable through the characters Many characters have hypocritical tendencies, such as Boss finley who is the most hypocritical of them all. For example, in this exchange between Boss and tom junior; Tom junior: 束 How about your well-known promiscuity, Papa? How about your miss Lucy? 損 Boss: 束 who is Miss Lucy? 損 Tom Junior: 束 ...You dont even know who she is, this woman you keep in a fifty-dollar-a-day hotel suite at the Royal Palms, Papa? 損. He shows hypocrisy by condemning Chances sexual behavior, yet he himself has a mistress. Additionally, heavenly accuses him of being a hypocrite for marrying for love, and not letting her do the same, as seen in Heavenlys quote : Papa, you married for love, why wouldnt you let me do it, while I was alive, and the boy still clean, still decent?. Chance is also a hypocrite, for buying nice clothes and new cars, yet being the opposite of successful. Moreover, the reader can see through this quote p.12 : Scudder : You dont have a girl in St Cloud. Heavenly and I are going to be married next month. (he leaves abruptly) that Chance has hypocritical friends. The stage direction in parentheses prove that his friend doesnt assume.
  • 4. Hypocrisy through drugs, alcohol and television Hypocrisy is seen through the behaviour of the characters in the play. It can be noticed that Alcohol, drugs and television play a big role in the hypocritical behaviour of the characters. Indeed, throughout the whole play, the author abords the themes of drugs, alcohol and television. This shows their importance in the play. These themes represents the bonds between some characters. Chance, Princess, Boss Finley and some other characters uses at least one of these things to come to an end. They use it in a way to show a mask that they put and to also abnegate a part of themselves.
  • 5. Alcohol, Drugs, Television Drugs and alcohol are mainly related to Chance and Princess. It kind of represents their relationship as they met thanks to that. Furthermore, the first thing that the Princess ask for when she wakes up and starts to have a panic attack is drugs and alcohol Give me a pill a pink one, a pinkie, and vodka. The day hasnt started yet and she wants to get drunk and high. This is a way for the princess to run away from her problems and try to go back in her youth days which are over. Chance used this opportunity to record a tape in which she admits having drugs and try to use it against her your trades turned dirt on you Princess. In this case, both characters are hypocrites as they pretend to be someone they are not and lie to themselves but also to each other. Television is mainly related to Boss Finley in the play. On the television, he shows to the public a face hidden behind a mask. Through his speech, he pretends to believe in something that he doesnt really believe. He is pretending to believe in something that his audience believe to hide his hatred for other race. He says that the voice of God called [him] to execute this mission. He is using peoples belief to easily manipulate them. The television here is symbolic as it is the principal tool to show the hypocrisy of the characters. Even Chance wants to get featured on TV so that he could show another face of himself and to marry Heavenly.
  • 6. Conclusion Hypocrisy is also observable through the life style of the characters. Drugs, Alcohol including the TV show how some of the characters are hypocrites and grew out the dark hypocritical society. These factors also show how far they are able to go to their end. Therefore, it can be conclude that the modern life is filled with hypocrisy and must of them are exposed through drugs, alcohol and the TV. Through these factors, the characters expose a new face unknown from others.
  • 7. Links with other works - The Handmaids Tale : Indeed, in the Gilead regime, we can see hipocrisia since alcohol is forbidden and commanders drink it anyway. There are injustice in this society. Moreover there are the jezebels, they can drink alcohol and other things normally not allowed in Gilead and the commanders take advantage of these girls who prostitute themselves. - Intimate Apparel : We can also see hypocrisy in this play through Georges character because he is hypocrite with Esther, he wants her money and make her think he is in love with her. Because of this hypocrisy, Esther loses the possibility of creating her dream.