The Young Man from Atlanta -- by Horton Foote (1995)

Description

Playbill.com writes, "In Horton Foote's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, a middle-aged Texas couple grapples with the mysterious death of their son and holds differing views on the young man from Atlanta, a friend of their son's who is never seen."

The play reads like a Williams piece about family miscommunication and potential latent homosexuality -- except that it's considerably less poetic, less focused, and less rich.

The entire play centers on the downfall of William Kidder. His son, Bill, dies after walking into a lake and drowning because he didn't know how to swim; William loses his job after decades of dedicated labor; William's ability to start a new business and provide an upper-class lifestyle for his wife is wrecked when he realizes he cannot afford it. 

All the while, Randy Carter, the titular role, complicates the Kidders' life. Lily Dale, his wife, becomes ultra-religious after her son dies. She forms a relationship with Randy wherein Randy assures her that Bill was an upstanding, Christian, caring man. William questions Randy's relationship with Bill -- the question of sexuality is either subtle or nonexistent, but Will does not trust Randy, nonetheless. Lily has given tens of thousands of dollars to Randy over the years for various reasons (e.g. medical bills). She has done this secretly. You can imagine Will's reaction when he finds out. 

There are a few minor characters, servants and extended family members, who provide a little more insight into the Kidder parents. However, their contributions to character development are brief and pitiful, if not unsuccessfully nuanced. 

Overall, the play feels like a tragic version of The Vicar of Wakefield. Stylistically, I am left to scratch my head. The play is only one-act, and 1/3 of it is a recapitulation of the same events and relationships. The exposition is info-dumped. Pardon my arrogance, but it may be the easiest read of the winners (at least, thus far). Maybe I would feel different seeing the play performed. 

This is random, but there were some classes I took in college that had tests where you could choose which work and prompt for an in-class essay. Sometimes one of the options would be a glaringly easier option. I feel like this play would land in that category, if I had read it in college (I could have spent little time analyzing the play and write a decent essay over it). Maybe I should re-read it because I might be missing something spectacular. 

Nah.       

Candid Reactions

• I enjoy that Foote included the stage design drawings in this, yet I realize I have no idea how to interpret it.
• This publication has a "Property List" for props . . . This is the first time I've seen this. Do certain publications always include this?
• I wonder if playwrights have any say on how their work is printed. Do they choose if the character names go on the left side of the page or in the center? Do they choose font size? I feel like all of these factors influence the reading/pacing, which is crucial for the audience to understand. 
• Will Kidder is a loaded name. 
• Will seems like Donald Trump (having the best, biggest, most awesome resources)
• Talk about blatant characterization! Maybe they could tattoo their characteristics to their foreheads!
• First thought about son drowning was Icarus. Have I been brainwashed?
• How many of these winners deal with suicide or discussion on suicide?
• Kidder spelling his last name reminds me of "Heller" in Mystery Man. 
• There are elements of Doubt in this show regarding the vagueness of Bill's death. 
• That the characters confide only in select characters helps dramatize the situation. 
• Kidder spelling things out is an interesting choice for characterization. 
• Determination is a main topic in the play. 
• How many times is the phrase "young man" uttered in this play?!
• Every now and then there are some incredibly powerful lines: "It is like hell . . . if I were only a young man again" (35). 
• Foote even weaves in the topic of determination in to the making of breakfast!
• Everyone, a run-on sentence to end all run-on sentences. 
• I wonder if actors appreciate lots of stage direction, especially in the insertions of pauses. 
• I don't understand Lily's confession at the end. 
• Will admits that he doesn't want to talk with Randy "because there are things I'd have to ask him and I don't want to know the answer" (52). This line reinforces those readers who believe Will thinks his son was homosexual. I believe that the line accomplishes much more than that suggestion. It resolves that Will would rather not know the truth, even if he thinks he knows the truth. It is a different delusion from Lily's delusion who will believe only the most positive reports of her son's life(style). 

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning

1. Simplicity and the American Dream

Both the narrative and literary devices employed are simple. Both the audience and creative team can explore silence, pacing, and interpretation to a more focused degree. Will epitomizes the American dreamer. He believes he can achieve the best fill-in-the-blank with determination. Sadly, determination proves to not be the key factor in finding success in America. Foote asserts straightforwardly that the American dream is delusional. If Pulitzer winning-dramas are to examine and reflect American culture, then Foote's bold statement is worthy to be debated.    

2. Subjectivity

Akin to Doubt and Proof, this play centers on subjective arguments. The characters hold different beliefs; therefore, the audience is forced to side with a character or to develop their own belief. In so doing, the audience member is given power to assess their methods by which he or she deduces truth.

Classroom Implications
I could see 10th graders and above reading this play. It is not the most gripping, but it is an extremely quick read. It could be another great paired text. I could see this being used for character analysis or a comparison piece to any other work on the American Dream.

Personal Takeaway
Less is not always more.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 7.0
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic (1.25)	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity (1.5)	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points (1.5)	Devices somewhat enhance story  (1.5)	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1.25)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping!	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically