Brighton Beach Memoirs Act 2 - Nick Finocchiaro

Brighton Beach Memoirs Act 2 - Nick Finocchiaro

The way that act 2 presents itself shows similarities in the first act but also shows some differences as well.  For example, The characters are always running into more and more issues.  In the first act it was about Stanley with his problems at work.  There was Jack's issue with the business closing.  Nora and her mother were arguing about her broad way opportunity.  This theme of negative situations repeats itself in the second act as well.  An example of this would be that Stanley has lost all his weeks salary in a poker game and now he doesn't have any money to help out.  Jack has to stay home and rest to recover from a heart attack.  Nora is avoiding her mother because she said she has to finish high school.  Kate and Jack are always arguing about something.  Kate and Blanche were fighting and eventually caused Blanche to want to move out until she found a job.   Blanche receives news that her date was in a car accident and is in the hospital.  This causes her and Kate to start arguing again.  Stanley feels forced to leave to join the military in hopes to make more money for the family. He comes back however since he couldn't leave his family like that.  The point is that there is just a lot of negative things going on for this family.  It makes me want everything to turn itself around for them so that their lives can just improve already.  They have to focus on getting through each day.  This leaves very little room for them to actually improve on their future.  This is the common theme that I've found throughout the play.

Act 2

No matter how bad things get families always find a way to forgive and forget. Crap hits the fan in act two. Jack has a heart attack due to his excessive working for the family. He not only worked for nine hours a day but also drove cabs at night to make a few more dollars. He is truly a blue collar worker and is a perfect example for his sons. Stanley sees his fathers struggles and in an effort to try and help the family he does the complete opposite by gambling away all his money. Kate is so upset with her sons decision that it leads to a fight between her and Blanche. Blanche is so stunned with Kate's feelings towards her and she feels as if she should leave and gain her independence. Stanley, feeling like the families demise is all his fault, decides to leave and join the army. This is the turning point for Eugene. He see his family starting to fall apart and there's nothing he can do about it. He's scared of being lonely but more importantly he's scared because he knows he now will have to take responsibility and grow up. In my opinion, one of the reasons why Stanley chose to leave was because he had faith in Stanley. When Stanley forces Eugene to show him his report card he sees that his brother is a smart kid and can go somewhere in life. We know from act one that Stan is a big believer in principals which means he wouldn't leave his family if he didn't think they'd be okay. Later that night, Nora returns and is informed on the events that occurs that day. Kate is woken up by the conversation between Nora and Blanche and forces Blanche to stay because now she feels bad about what is happening. Stanley returns the next day and the family lives happily ever after.

The picture below connects with one of the things act two teaches us. Act two teaches us that communication is key for a family. An example would be the argument between Kate and Blanche. Initially feelings were hurt but it was good for their relationship.

Brighton Beach Memoirs #2

Author: Neil Simon

"This is a family. The world doesn't survive without families..." - Kate

Act 2 took a big turn when drama started stirring up in the household. As predicted, Kate lashed out. She was finally verbal about her internal struggles with working constantly. Doing things for every family member took a toll on Kate and she had enough. We see this carry out in her argument with Blanche, such as when Kate said "Who should I care about? Who's out there watching over me? I did enough in my life for people" (page 101. )Just as Blanche was ready to take the next step and go on a date, problems came about like dominos, slowly knocking family down one by one. However by the end, the family mended their issues, and returned to the same dysfunctional family we were introduced to in the very beginning.

"I do not decide who lives and who dies, or who's rich or poor or who feels lived and who feels deprived."- Blanche page 115

Every family member in the story, is a dynamic character. This was justified once deep into Act 2. The family seems very plain and routine, but each character had transformed in their own way. Eugene finally grew up, learned a thing or two, and learned to stand his ground and speak out a bit more. " A momentous moment in the life of I, Eugene Morris Jerome. I have seen the Golden Palace of the Himalayas...Puberty is over. Onward and upwards!" Stanley came to his senses when debating running away, and realized his family needed him. Kate; who once was just a house wife and mother, always catering to others and never speaking her mind, spoke up and stood her ground as well when it came to the Blanche situation.

I guess there comes a time in everybody’s life when you say, “This very moment is the end of my childhood.”- Eugene page 108

Brighton Beach Memoirs wraps you up in this crazy family's house and makes you feel like you're in the same boat with them. This story shows that no matter the situation, this family in the end will always come back around to each other. After all... the world doesn't survive without families!

"Believe me, there is no leg that's twisted or bent that is more crippling than a human being who thrives of his own misfortunes..." - Blanche

Act 2

The house is going crazy in this act. Jack had a heart attack which causes him to stay home instead of working. This should not be such a problem because Stan is bring home money, but that is not the case. Stan lost all of his money in playing poker which causes problems in the house. Blanche was supposed to go on a date with Frank whom Kate does not like very much. Blanche's plans fall through and Kate and her get into a huge fight. Stan's money problem causes he to run away and try to join the army. He thinks he is the cause of all of the fighting which is not true. Blanche says that she will move out and once she find a place that she will bring her daughters with her. By the end of this act everyone stopped caring about the problems that they were having. Stan ended up coming back to the family. Jack also had some amazing news. His cousins from Poland escaped and are coming to them. Everyone is happy that there were able to get out. Towards the end the family come closer together.  
 

Act 2

 

                The family has many issues during act 2. One of the big issues is that Jack has a heart attack. Eugene says" It wasn't a major (he whispers) - heart attack". on page 77, but it was still a heart attack. This is a big for one of 2 reasons, it hurts them financially. We know from Act one that they are already having financial problems. This heart attack was said to be from "driving a cab at nights to make extra money and just plain wore out." page 77. "Doctors orders say to stay at home for three weeks but Pops wont listen, he thinks three weeks will turn into permanently." page 78. Without Jack working the houses money income is slim. This relating to the financial problems in Act One. Jack having a heart attack is another problem because for obvious reasons his health. Since he will be out for a couple weeks when he gets back to work , he will try to work too hard and "plain wear himself out' again. Another problem in Act Two is that Eugene claims to hate Nora. Eugene says on page 78 “ I forgot to tell you, I hate my cousin Nora. She’s been real snotty to everyone lately. This is an issue because issues within the family will only turn into more problems.  Every little thing that may annoy Eugene or Nora may turn into a bigger problem that could possibly work Jack up into another problem. As if they weren't dealing with enough already.
 


This picture represents Jack because he is supposed to be resting for three weeks but he refuses. This picture is a person who is resting but is getting up to something. If this was Jack he would be getting up to go work and make money for the family.

Jack had a heart attack, and has been told to stay in bed. He is overwhelmed that his time off will cost him his job. Everyone is getting on eachothers nerves,even Nora, who is usually always happy has become irritable. Stan arrives home and tells Euguene that he gambled away his entire pay check. Blanche is getting ready to go on a date with Frank Murphy, a man who lives across the street. Kate clearly does not approve of him since he is an alcoholic. Laurie arrives with a letter from Frank’s mother telling her that Frank was drunk driving an got in an accident, and would not be able to go on the date with Blanche. In addition, Frank and his mother were planning on moving to upstate New York in order to get him treated at a clinic. After reading the letter, Kate crows triumphantly “I knew it! I said it from the beginning didn’t I?… I warned you the first day about those people!”. Blanche is clearly affected by this and jumps to Frank’s defense and tells her sister to be charitable. The theme of this act would probably be chaos. Everything that is happening in the house is chaotic and it is making everyone's nerves go through the roof. Act 2 can be represented by the picture below.

Brighton Beach Memoirs 2

Act 2

Brighton Beach Memoirs

In act 1, the family had experienced some issues that had affected the whole family. With the family having financial issues and stressing about things, they didn’t realize that times like this is when they have to stay strong for each other the most. Family matters most and they all soon came to realize that in act 2.

Act 2 started out with a twist. The family was having some conflicts with each others. For example, Nora had felt like she wasn’t loved because he sister was getting more attention from everyone than she was. Another was when Blanche and Kate had a physical altercation. Everything was just going downhill to the point where it had me thinking Blanche was going to take her kids and leave. The turning point of this acting was when Kate and Blanche were talking on page 97. Blanche said “You live for your children. Your children keep you going”. I feel like Nora felt better after hearing this because she still knows her family cares about her. A family gets stronger and stronger from its children. Even though it’s a roller-coaster ride, a family has a bond that can’t be broken.  

   The picture to the left explains how family is where new life starts and how the love for one another will never end. This connects to the story because the Eugene family comes to realize that their love for each other is irreplaceable.