First Thoughts on TLC

I thought this was a fascinating play. These are a few of the formal elements that stood out to me throughout the course of the play:

Tone:

• The tone supports the words that each of the characters speak. 
• Vivian knows herself to be highly respectable professional and prides herself on her well-earned reputation of being very strict but also successful and intelligent. She uses stiff and highly intellectual words whenever she can. 
• Jason is also very professional but flippant and apathetic when speaking about the needs of others. 
• Susie uses many affectionate terms and has a careful but open tone.

Language:

• Vivian uses elegant, elaborate vocabulary to express herself, and takes words very seriously. They are important enough for her to research, memorize, and understand the medical terms that she must hear so often. 
• She builds these walls of words around herself to make herself feel comfortable and important, but ultimately, words can't save her. During some of her most vulnerable moments, she can't seem to find words at all. 
• She comes to realize that the words aren't enough to make her feel loved, and although she never loses her love for literature and beautiful language, she does turn more and more towards human kindness and love.

Characters:

• The characters seem to relate to each other--Jason and Susie represent Vivian at different points of the play.
• Jason is so engrossed in his work that he is self-absorbed.
• Susie is compassionate and cares for the needs of others without pride.
• Vivian had slipped into an obsession with words and had forgotten how to love others, but as the play progresses, we see her becoming more sensitive to her own emotions.