1. It is almost freeing to try to comprehend the significance mentally handicapped people assign to different things. Lucien wears his Spiderman tie because, to him, it shows that he means business. While many people probably view this as childish (which maybe it is), Lucien knows Spiderman was successful and serious and did what he needed to do. There is a very real connection and meaning there for Lucien.
2. We associate various things because of the connections we have in our brains between words, meaning, actions, situations, people, and so much more. Slower people may have the capacity for fewer connections, so it is cute when Lucien reminds Norman, "We got no trees," because he heard him say the word "tree." This brought him back to the conversation in Act I when he kept repeating that line.
3. As portrayed in this book (though the degree varies widely), mentally handicapped people often have an interest or hobby which defines much of their conversations and even sometimes their lives. Norman has keys and likes doughnuts and says, "Oh boy!" frequently. Barry is all about golfing. Arnold wants to move to Russia and likes emphasizing his statements ("I repeat . . ."). Lucien takes pride in singing the alphabet song and using his full name. Shelia loves flowers.
4. Caring for people with different mental capabilities than yourself is hard. It is a calling. This play shows how true this is by bringing Jack through the tough decision of taking another more "glamorous" job. He does not care any less for any of these people; however, he needs a break, a change.
5. Working with the mentally handicapped can be very rewarding. It can show you the beauty of the simple things in life. It can change you. Jack is emotionally touched many times by the simple yet overwhelmingly kind things they do for him. Living alongside these people helps you appreciate other people's personalities, styles, affections, and gestures because they are so different from your own or pre-set ideas or expectations of how people act. It brings you to a simple reality of life. Who we are is not defined by our favorite phrases or foods or by our "crazy" ideas or habits. Ultimately God fills us with meaning in giving us human, living, breathing life.
I enjoyed this post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYour points 4 & 5 are, of course, in tension with each other. Do you think that Jack finds his work with the "boys" rewarding? Or is it just necessary?
I like your last line: "Who we are is not defined by our favorite phrases or foods or by our "crazy" ideas or habits. Ultimately God fills us with meaning in giving us human, living, breathing life."
I guess those points are in tension. I didn't mean for them to come across as contradictory because I don't believe they are. I know from personal experience that living and working with mentally handicapped people is marked by both difficult and rewarding experiences.
ReplyDeleteIn Jack's case, I don't think it was solely necessary. He has heart and knows there has to be someone to care for them, and that is part of his motivation (maybe the "necessary" side of it). On the other hand, his job made him feel like he was really helping those boys and appreciating who they are (which he was, and that is rewarding). He encouraged their best interests and wanted to see them happy. However, he also had times where frustration would get to him--the difficult side of his job.
A tension is not necessarily a contradiction. There are many truths in life that are in tension with each other. And the ones you've zoned in on are significant.
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