Homelessness In Heidi Shreck's Grand Concourse '

Homelessness is the condition of people living on the streets without a shelter. Grand Concourse, a play by Heidi Shreck, portrays this condition through Frog, a character with the most hilariously terrible jokes out there. Frog, who suffers from alcoholism and mental illness, is a daily homeless dinner at the Bronx soup kitchen. Although Frog is the one who represents the suffering and hopelessness of homeless people attending the soup kitchen, he never gets pessimistic or miserable. Instead, he is always showing a positive attitude by telling terrible one-dollar-jokes. Frog’s condition, being homeless, is a persistent problem that is being ignored by the public. What is worst, many of the ones who are trying to help are doing it to feed their

This is why the audience might automatically assume that Frog goes to the soup kitchen when he is hungry. However, as the play unfolds, there is a realization that he is not expecting food but support. As a homeless person, Frog shows signals of being hungry for emotional support and acceptance, not necessarily food. Sometimes reality shows a different picture of what is actually happening. In Grand Concourse, Frog goes every single day to the soup kitchen to have some company. (1)There was a long time when he did not find the help he needed or was looking for but could find company and, apparently, he was willing to accept it. (2)However, when he realized that what he was really looking for was for support, he confronted the nun manager of the soup kitchen where he spent most of his time, Shelley, telling her, (3) “You never help me” (11.84). (4) Frog reaffirms his desperation by letting Shelley know that he wished she would have helped him, but she never did. Later in the discussion, he accepts that Shelley is a smart woman, but her job is keeping her from truly helping the people around her (page). In addition, Shelley was not willing to give him any kind of help because that would have been “contributing to his alcoholism” as she mentioned to Emma (2.18). Even when being a homeless person with health issues, Frog did not find any type of emotional support at the soup kitchen; he got

In fact, it is one of the most painful and rigorous procedures. (1) Frog and Shelley’s reaction towards Emma’s lies were surprisingly different. (2) Frog exposed a good argument to Shelley when she was considering firing her, (3) “people are fucked up Shelley Angels and Assholes,” (13.104) he pointed out. (4)This makes Frog the first one to realize that Emma’s pain is acute and contagious, making the case that all humans, no matter their background, need to be helped. This might also apply for Shelly because even though she is a nun, a nonconventional nun, her attitude portrays suffering, loneliness, and hopelessness. For instance, Frog reminded the audience about the boundaries of forgiveness; how these boundaries are flexible and