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Ponce 1 Melina Ponce Professor DuLaney-Greger English 123 April 3, 2023 Love How far would you go for love? Would you change yourself completely because your significant other asked you to? Most would answer no but Adam from The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute would do anything for the attention of his then-girlfriend Evelyn. When they first met they were complete opposites. Adam being a submissive insecure guy and Evelyn being a dominant and proud woman. As the story progresses, they begin a relationship, and we watch it grow. However, along the way, Adam starts to change himself to societal standards just to please the girl he loves. He has completely fallen in love with Evelyn and he thought she felt the same yet shockingly we learn she was deceiving him the entire time. Evelyn was using Adam for an art project. Adam was deceived by Evelyn's doings by manipulating him for her own benefit making him a victim of her wrongdoings. He is a victim but he still has himself to blame for some of his own actions whilst being with Evelyn. In the beginning, Adam was a simple guy. He had his everyday look down to his favorite jacket and glasses. He never felt the need to worry about how he looked. That all started to change when he met Evelyn. They first met each other in a museum where Adam works. Evelyn had this big plan of defacing a statue there for symbolic reasons. This is where Evelyn first got her claws into Adam. When Evelyn stepped over the boundary to get to the statue Adam “tried” to stop her. He told her to step back and she said she wouldn't and Adam didn't do much to stop her. He wanted to leave the situation for the next shift so that he wouldn't have to deal with it

Ponce 2 which shows how submissive he is. He didn't want to start a conflict for fear that something dramatic would come out of it. I believe this exact interaction is what made Evelyn finalize choosing Adam for her project. It showed her that she could be dominant/controlling over him because of how submissive he was. Before Adam leaves Evelyn states, “You’re cute. I don’t like the way you wear your hair… No, you’re definitely cute, but you shouldn't style it so much. Your hair. Just let it go…”(LaBute 7) She doesn't even know Adam yet but she is already working on her project by placing thoughts in his head to change his appearance because it would look better to her. Adam responds to her by saying “ ‘kay. I’ll try that…”(LaBute 7) which shows her manipulation is already going according to plan. From then on Adam completely changed himself. He changed his diet, lost weight, got contacts, got a new style, and lastly even went the extra mile to physically alter his appearance permanently with a nose job. Evelyn always knew the right things to say to put Adam in a situation where he is the most vulnerable. When Adam is vulnerable he is easier to mold. In one scene Evelyn has persuaded Adam to have sex with her with a video camera on in front of them. After, they have a deep conversation and Adam mentions that he doesn't have much experience with women. Evelyn responds with “I don’t wanna blow your cover but… I could kinda tell”(LaBute 25) Her saying that to Adam is degrading and she knows it. She wants him to feel unsure of himself so that she can fix it and change it into something better. Brenda Boudreau who wrote Sexually Suspect: Masculine Anxiety in the Films of Neil LaBut states “Evelyn says that she could “kind of tell,” making him further sexually suspect. As in In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors , masculinity is tied to sexuality. Failure in this arena will “de-sex the man, make him appear as not fully a man. He will be seen as a wimp, a Mama’s boy, a sissy” (Kimmel 137).”(Boudreau 52). Adam was essentially being told that he was not performing well in bed

Ponce 3 and it is because he hasn't been with a lot of women. Evelyn is making it seem like it is a bad thing and is Adam's fault that he hasn't been with a lot of girls. When in reality it's completely fine not to have experience with girls because everyone is like that at some point in their life. Evelyn at that point knows that Adam is putty in her hands she then again pulls out the camera and slips under the covers and asks him “...just smile. Smile into the camera. For as long as you can…” (LaBute 31) Adam is uncomfortable with the camera and she knows it but she also knows he won't say no because he doesn't want to be seen as a “loser”. Evelyn has manipulated and victimized Adam throughout the play but Adam has to take some responsibility for his own actions too. Just because Evelyn is the bigger issue in this play doesn't mean that Adam is some angel. He has made some mistakes too. Adam cheated on Evelyn and then never told her about it. Evelyn never placed that in Adam's mind. That was all on him. One reason I think he cheated on her is all the attention that has been given to him since Evelyn. His appearance has changed into the standard of attractive men and people are starting to take notice, starting with Jenny, Adam's friend and best friend's[Phillip] fiance and former crush. Jenny sees how attractive he has become and starts flirting with him by giving him many compliments on his looks. Adam then kisses her out of lust and the regret of never pursuing her sooner. I do believe that that is the case but it is still not an excuse for Adam to cheat. As far as he knows he is in a loving relationship with Evelyn and he’s thrown out the loyalty in it after kissing Jenny. The scene ends with another kiss and it is suggested that the two of them might have done something more. Evelyn finds out about the whole ordeal not long after and gives Adam an ultimatum. She emphasizes “Give them up [Jenny and Phillip]. As friends, both of them. No explanation. Don’t see them or speak to them again. Not ever.”(LaBute 71) This is one of Evelyn's last tests to see if she has truly manipulated Adam into only being dedicated to her.

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