Comparison Of Long Day's Journey Into Night And Our Town

Oftentimes, literature possesses the capability of being applied to societal issues, such as family, relationships, and careers; as is the case with both Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill, and Our Town by Thornton Wilder. The differences between both authors’ views on family is strikingly evident as you read and compare. Because of this, the question as to which piece of literature is more relevant to today’s standards of living is a difficult one to answer. Who is one to judge which is more applicable to society’s standards? One can only justifiably speak for their own idea of a home life, while also basing their reasoning on tangible evidence. Assuming the statistics are representative of a majority of familial relationships, the more pertinent play is Long Day’s Journey Into Night, as it deals with darker components of life.

Although written in 1938, Our Town depicts the fundamental ‘50’s “perfect” family, with the “don’t ask, don’t tell,” “always look happy” philosophy. This does apply to today’s perspective to an extent, but society has evolved to naturally vocalise issues more than they did nearly a century ago. Quite frankly, the only true problem portrayed in the novel, regarding home life, is the underlying hostility the children have due to the pressure and expectations their parents place upon their shoulders. Today’s generation faces this struggle, but this concept became less hearty as new implementations and freedoms developed over time. Now, in general cases, parents support their children in their goals, and accept them as they are. Of course there are exceptions, but usually parents let their children make decisions for themselves, and do not dictate what their kids do. Although there are some valid elements within Our Town that can accurately be applied today, it holds less suitability than does Long Day’s Journey Into