The play is about a college student Adam is a simple, insecure and shy student that works half period as a security guard of a museum and in a rental. He meets the anarchist and transgressor student of Arts Evelyn Ann Thompson trying to paint a penis in an important statue, and after arguing with her, in the end they schedule a dinner. As they start to date, Adam's behavior changes and his appearance and confidence improve influenced by Evelyn. Meanwhile as the play goes on he has an affair with Jenny, betraying and lying to Evelyn and to Phillip, and destroying their friendship. When Evelyn presents her thesis for the Master degree, Adam is surprised with revelations because the thesis was about "the change of Adam". So, the question is Eve seen as a villain in this play?
Adam plays the role as innocent, and insecure about himself he changes himself for Eve. From the way he looks to the way he behaves. According to the play it seems that Eve had something to do with it but he had a choice. Nonetheless, she didn't force anything on him by any means. He gave Eve the permission to rule over him. He barely knew Eve. Eve wouldn't say much about her unless until she was asked. There was a alot of parts in the play that hinted how Eve was lying and manipulating him. Like the part when she told him to choose her or his friends that was when he should've known from that point Eve doesn't love him for who he is. Also, the part when she lied about not drinking coffee to Adam. And yet, he chooses her. But despite of loving Eve so much, why did he cheated on her? He kissed Jenny. I think that the relationship gets twisted.
On the other hand, I agree that Eve had lack of morals by presenting "the change of Adam" as her thesis and humiliating Adam in front of a huge crowd. She lied a lot to Adam through out the relationship. She defined art in such way, that broke Adam's heart.
However, I don't necessary think Eve had lack of morals like most of the people see. Because, to me I felt like the thesis about Adam was to just get on him for cheating on her. Just like she said during the introduction of her thesis, "the more her subject was growing confident he's behavior was being questionable". And that's why she did. I think she had some feelings atleast a little bit for him through the relationship until he cheated. As for him changing for Eve, he changed himself for a better reason.
To be fair, though, Eve started her project long before Adam cheated. Even if the cheating didn't happen, the project would have continued I suspect.
ReplyDeleteYou see Adam as ultimately responsible, and I get that. In exchange for pleasure, he does whatever she says. He doesn't bother to get to know her--if he'd actually asked real questions and asked to meet her parents, etc., the game would have been up.
But it is troubling that Eve could be so detached from hurting Adam so badly because she wanted to make great art and was uncompromising in trying to make it (not interested in the "Ethic of Caring").
Any way, I hope we can agree Labute's play is great art--it is uncomfortable, makes us think, and brings to light something that beneath the surface. I think the strong female character is an added bonus. I suspect if Eve was a guy and Adam was a girl, we'd take less issue with the manipulation that went on.
He changed himself for a fake reason: the fake relationship. That's not his fault, it's her's. He is the victim here! Also, I don't think there is evidence to support her liking him at the beginning of the play.
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