preview

Long Christmas Ride Home Themes

Decent Essays

Austin Aimone
THA 101-02
Professor Wunsch
Oct. 14th, 2016
Journal #2
The theme of The Long Christmas Ride Home is that we are all a product of our environment. In the play, people play the parents while the children are portrayed as puppets. Each of the three children witnesses the actions of their parents differently which then shapes their personalities and decisions later on in life. The children, being puppets, are symbolic as it shows that parents control their children’s strings, shape them into who they will become, and have a lasting impact on their person. This is evident in Rebecca’s relationship with Chester. When discussing her affair with Rick, Rebecca justifies it by explaining, “Why? Why? I don't know why! Because . . . because. When you're not here . . . I need to be noticed.” To view this from more of a psychological point of view, Rebecca’s need for male attention may lie in her father’s affairs. Rebecca constantly yearns for the attention and love she never saw as a child. …show more content…

The play follows the classic Christmas story line: the ride to church, the service itself, and finally the Christmas celebration with the family. Although it does not stay the same course. The play then alternates from the present to the children’s futures. This look into the future goes along with the theme of the play. The children are a product of their environment and the play fast-forwards to show how this dark Christmas affects the children in adulthood. An example of this time lapse would be,
“ Rebecca, disheveled', half lurches, half dances toward a door, toward her future, twenty-five years from the moment in the car we have just witnessed. Rebecca calls up to a window;”
After the quick glimpse into Rebecca’s future, the play reverts back to the moment where the husband strikes his

Get Access