Away By Kristi Hewitt

Throughout “Away” many characters go through changes, Gwenchanges from a nagging housewife into a sympathetic and more balancedindividual. Roy goes from being very insecure about life to knowing how to dealwith his problems and live life as it comes. Coral, is also very insecure aboutlife after the death of her son, she is longing for attention and doesnt knowhow to be around people. By the end of the play she is at least trying to besocial and be around people. At the beginning of the play Gwen is a nagginghousewife.

She is always right, well she thinks she is anyway. She changes intoa more sympathetic and balanced individual. Vic has showed her to put love, notpossessions and status, first. She was obsessed with orderliness and comfortbecause of her deprived childhood. This has ruined her relationships with herhusband and Daughter. Towards the end of the play Gwen hears of Toms illness(Leukemia) this turns her towards more humane and fitting values. Gwen at theBeginning: Act 2 Scene 2 “Well do you think theyll pack themselves?””Do you think holidays happen on their own?” to Gwen at the end: Act 4 Scene1 “What do you think of me? You must hate me? Why do you still bother?” Roygoes from being in complete denial as he lost his son in the Vietnam War tobeing a little more caring and understanding toward others.

He doesnt talk tohis wife Coral very much except to patronize her and give her lectures about”snapping out of it” his insensitivity extends Coral Grief period beyondwhat it need be. He threatens her with Electro-compulsive therapy (a physicalhorror to follow her mental one.) This forces Coral into total isolation and torun away. By the end of the play Roy is seeking for forgiveness, as well as loveand reconciliation from Coral. (When he kisses her hands.) Roy at the Beginning:Act1 Scene 3 ” I thought I told you to stay in the car!” to Roy at the end:Act 3 Scene 3 ” Coral? Sweetheart? Come back to the party.” Coral was deepin grief at the beginning of the play, her worldview was distorted by the painshe can not escape. Her husband Roy is of little help, so she turned to othersin hope of their willingness to help. The substitute son Rick and to some extentTom. The play “The stranger on the shore” helps express her predicament andthe taking of belief in life that she has found. In the end she is finallyreunited with Roy and this changes her life. She begins to over her grief andlive life as it comes. Coral at the start: Act 2 Scene 3 “I dont ignoreanyone.” To Coral at the end: Act 3 Scene 3 ” I like to talk.” Everyonegoes through changes thoughout their lives some are noticeable and some are notso noticeable. Some changes are drastic and some are only minor. You can neverknow when someone will change it just happens. We all change at different stagesof our lives.