Wit Draft

          

  In the play Wit by Margaret Edson, the main character, Vivian, spends a lot of time reflecting on her past and on life in general as she is treated for cancer in a hospital.  Vivian, a scholar, is very much comparable to one of her doctors, Jason, who happens to be on e of her former students.  Jason is also very scholarly, and he seems to be completely focused on the research involved in Vivian’s treatment.  He lacks the skills or desire to be personable.  Vivian sees herself in Jason.  In the end, the relationship and comparison between Vivian and Jason shows how a person is naturally inclined to be focused on their careers and ultimately themselves, until a life situation forces them to change their focus to people and emotions.

            This point is made clear by the background music played throughout the play.  For the vast majority of the play, whenever there is a conversation between Jason and Vivian, there is no music playing.  This makes these conversations seem formal, even scholarly.  This aligns with the careers of both of them and the attitudes they have both had in life.  Vivian was always formal and emotionless when working with her students, and Jason is the same way when working with a patient.  This is shown by the lack of emotional music when they talk.  In contrast, when Vivian starts to realize at the end of the play that life is more about people and relationships, her monologues are backed up by emotional music.  This draws in the the viewer and emotionally connects them with the play.  Vivian’s life situation has forced her to become more emotionally involved with other people and has caused her to seek out an emotional connection with people that she did not desire in her previous, scholarly life.  Jason on the other hand, does not have this tragedy in life to cause him to think differently, and the music in the play never gives the view the idea that Jason is emotionally connected with his patients.

            The language of the film has a similar effect.  When Jason and Vivian speak they use a lot of scholarly language.  Vivian uses poems and elegant diction, while Jason, due to his current profession, uses a lot of medical language.  This gives the viewer the impression that they are both very intellectual people and they don’t often get emotionally involved in people’ lives.  It gives the impression that their scholarly professions are the most important things in their lives.  It is not until Vivian’s cancer is about to kill her that other things and other people become more important to her than her work.  She even denies her former teacher’s offer to recite John Donne’s poetry to her, despite the fact that John Donne has been her life’s work.  She starts to speak with others from the soul, and not just the mind.  Jason, on the other hand, because of his unchanging life situation, never changes the way he speaks.  He keeps the same distant, scholarly tone throughout the play.  His work remains his number one priority in life. 

            Jason and Vivian have lived similar lives.  They are very scholarly people in their respective fields.  They are both people that have put work above people for most of their lives.  The play and its formal elements show how they are similar for the majority of the play, but they also show how a tragic situation can change one’s perspective and force them to focus their thoughts and desires away from themselves.  Jason’s lack of change also shows how when such a situation or tragedy is absent, it is hard to change priorities in life and focus on others.