for what is the point of living, if you aren't truly present?

While reading Wit, I found myself stepping into Vivian's shoes and looking at the possibilities of life that one can only see when it ends. This play led me to contemplate my life, my decisions, and my goals which can either lead to tragedy or happiness. It was tragic to see someone so brilliant, in such a weak place and have no where to go.. no one to lean. And in the end the only one who ended up caring, was the Susie, the one that Vivian felt was so plain and dumb. I guess what I am trying to say is that this play was about hiding behind our intellect and being afraid to live- to be human. And in the end, we realize that we missed out on truly living.

Throughout the play I was completely fascinated with the literary devices used. I loved to see how they worked within the play and produced a whole new meaning. Some of these included:

- Personification: "Now I know how poems feel" I thought that it was interesting how Vivian drew the parallels between her being physically examined to the point of it being unbearable and how we do the exact same things to poetry and all other forms of literature. It gave the constant analysis more meaning.

Dialogue, Inter-monologue: I absolutely loved how Vivian's thoughts were portrayed as the doctors examined her. It was witty and so SASSY! I liked how I could get a glimpse into her mind and how she was one step ahead as when she thought, "Excellent command of details" as Jason points to the different parts of her body... right before the doctor says the same thing. Except for I believe she is sarcastic in contrast to the doctor actually praising Jason's intellect.

Diction: Wit, is it or isn't it? Professor says not, she says it is… Some definitions said are "[the] sharpening mental faculties"and, "a way to see how good you really are." But when the student gives the insight by saying that John Donne "hides behind this wit," the word has a whole new meaning. Almost like the bully who is insecure, Donne uses wit because he feels unsure. And at the very end when Vivian says, "I want to hide," the realization that her wit couldn't save her is heartbreaking.

Stage Directions: so open to interpretation while still keeping a uniform almost of what should be going on.

Setting: Simple, but gets the point across

Juxtaposition: Jason as foil in regards to other fellows, "(the fellows trying to catch up)"… "She's tough. She can take it" Both Vivian and Jason are in this thought process of always pushing, even past the point of no return. They take away the human aspect of life, and as Vivian realizes her mistakes of the past and the lack of sympathy she conveyed, one can see the same traits in Jason.

Flashbacks: Irony of the time wasted, what led her to where she is "I can recall the time- when I knew words would be my life's work." All of her flashbacks show her in almost a regretful stage. Each moment led her to where she is now and unfortunately, it's tragic end.

Simile: "It seemed like magic" how words look when paired with pictures and seem to come alive. I felt that Vivian perfectly described how I felt when I learned that I wanted to do English for the rest of my life. This use of simile shows the caring qualities of Vivian and makes her more personable. Showing that she has more sides than just the scary professor, and even allows the reader to be able to identify with her on a small level.

Irony: "I am in isolation because I am being treated for cancer." I loved how this brought up how it's not the disease that kills, it's the cure.

Repetition: "How are you feeling today" "Fine." "That's great. Just great." I loved how this phrase was constantly repeated and how it showed how routine it really is... that no one actually cares, but rather it is just another formality that must be gone through... sad really how we can give off the impression of caring but really have other motives in mind

Metaphysics: Living life, without living "So anything's okay, as long, as life continues." Susie is one character that I felt was really real (for lack of better words). She didn't put on an act and in the end- like the clown in a Shakespeare play- was the only one to truly understand the point of John Donne. She had the ability to respect the living but also the living's choice of death, because unlike Jason, Susie realized that sometimes living isn't the best route... especially when it's not truly living at all.