Theme: Unemployment
Theme: Unemployment
Overview
- Unemployment is a key theme in Men Should Weep, where it significantly impacts the lives of the characters and propels the narrative.
Implication
- Ena Lamont Stewart’s inclusion of unemployment as a theme lets her comment on the socio-economic distress of the time - the Great Depression.
- It becomes a catalyst for much of the strife and misery suffered by the Morrison family and seems inescapable.
- The hardships of unemployment are mirrored across other families in the neighbourhood, reflecting that it is a widespread issue.
Effects on Characters
- John’s unemployment causes him great personal humiliation and belief in his inability to suitably provide for his family.
- It also strains John and Maggie’s marriage, as he wrestles with feelings of emasculation while Maggie struggles to keep the family afloat.
- Unemployment threatens the fabric of the entire family unit, epitomised by characters such as Alec and Isa who contemplate leaving due to the stress.
Role in the Plot
- The adversity of unemployment underlines almost all actions, decisions, and interactions in the play.
- The theme drives the plot through characters’ attempts to find work, communicate about work prospects, or navigate the sufferings related to it.
- It underscores the family’s efforts to maintain dignity and respectability amidst abject poverty.
Significant Scenes and Quotes for Reflection
- When John finally receives a job offer, his joy stands in stark contrast to his usual despair, highlighting the crushing weight of unemployment.
- One of John’s memorable quotes: “What use are men?” This encapsulates his feelings of inadequacy brought about by unemployment.
Influence on the Play’s Messages
- Stewart utilises the theme of unemployment to make a robust social commentary about the harsh realities of the Depression-era working-class.
- Depicting the perseverance and resilience of the Morrison family despite the blows of unemployment, she hints at human capacity for enduring hardship.