Page 101, Deirdre: “What makes a person powerful and influential and wealthy is not growing up with power and influence and wealth. That what the e-mail, anyway… the gift of poverty is a… it’s not a myth,/ it’s a real thing, it can be a blessing…”
This is the first comment in our readings that finds a virtue in poverty, that perhaps the American Dream as focused on economic mobility is corrupt. Thoughts?
This statement is interesting especially since the conversation then takes a turn, concluding that both wealth and poverty make people “pretty messed up” (102). Deidre seems to contradict herself on pg. 102, saying, “Well I’d rather be ruined in a Four Seasons somewhere, on a beach, you know?”
So I think Deidre’s comment on poverty implies that she thinks it builds character, but her ultimate goal for herself, and her children, is to have a comfortable life out of poverty.
I think this is a really interesting point, Elle. On the one hand, it seems as though Deirdre recognizes the benefits, at least internally, that come with enduring financial struggles. However, at the same time, she admits that for herself, she prioritizes affluence and luxury over these potential benefits of poverty. Is Karam making a comment then on the way that the American Dream prioritizes certain things over others?
I totally agree with Elle that Deidre needs more money to comfort her life as well as her family’s. Since the beginning of the play, she was concerning the security around Brigid’s apartment including the danger of neighborhood (21) and the acknowledgement of flood and sandy storm around China town. I guess Deidre would have supported Brigid to buy a different apartment if she had money. In this case, Brigid could only afford for this duplex apartment locating in China town. No matter how scary it is when everyone hears weird sounds and Deidre sees a lady with no face, Brigid seems having no choice because her money is limited in order to buy a brand new apartment.
I agree with all these thoughts. Deidre’s comments, I think, are indicative of her desire to reassure herself that her place in life, as well her financial conditions and the struggles that accompany those conditions, are worth a lot more than the few material benefits they yield. In a similar light, Deirdre has recently begun volunteering for an outreach organization in Scranton that works with Bhutanese refugees. She says, “…these people have nothing…they’re all just looking to learn English to find work––we think we’ve got nothing, but man…” (52). By practicing compassion and by being of help to others, one is to likely to feel more grateful for and live more graciously within one’s own circumstances––a truth recognized by many faiths, and one that Deirdre clearly believes in.