What Is The Theme Of Lost In Yonkers

Neil Simon’s play Lost in Yonkers explores power within each character. The play starts below an apartment in Kurnitz candy store, the store Grandma and Bella run. The play is based in 1942 during World War Two and is a story about two brothers who move in with their cold, miserable Grandma and their mentally impaired Auntie, Bella, whilst their father Eddie tries to find money for himself and his family. It is set in Yonkers, New York, and is a small, low populated city. The play explores themes of family, courage, power, and independence. Simon’s play represents power within the characters of the Kurnitz family. He uses cultural assumptions, dialogue, and characterization to further portray the power of different characters. And the power

Whilst growing up in a rough childhood, she still deals with the memory of loss. She has witnessed many deaths from her own family members. All the characters think Grandma is cruel and tough, but she has experienced heavy sorrow and misery when she “Lost a husband and a child and didn’t cry.” This proves that Grandma is mentally strong and can easily control her emotions. As she is introduced to Arty and Jay, young teenage boys, she immediately shows her personality, making it clear she is mean and the leader of their family. She refuses to call Arty and Jay by their preferred names as she is posh and calls them “Arthur” and “Yakob.” Arty and Jay quickly understand how they have to act and behave to get permission from their Grandma to live at her house while their dad, Eddie, raises funds. Grandma is very clear and anyone under her roof is forced to adapt to her tough survival tactics and living standards. Grandma Kurnitz is characterized by her tough attitude, which is further underscored by her strong German accent. This accent makes her sound threatening and hard to understand. Grandma is a strong woman and sets a good example for her large family. Grandma is clearly “tough as steel” as every family member, including herself, describes her as

She is not worthless like she has been told. After finding love with Johnny, Bella notices there are more things to explore in her life and she should stop acting like a child and explore her life without being under Grandma’s roof her whole life. “But I am smart, Momma. Maybe only as smart as a child, but some children are smarter than grown-ups. Some grown-ups I’ve seen are very stupid. And very mean.” Given that Bella thought this, it shows that the grown-ups in her life were cruel and didn’t treat her the way she deserved to be treated. Grandma was shocked that Bella stood up to