Existence of Reality in Christopher Durangs Beyond Therapy and Edward

Existence of Reality in Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy and Edward Albee's Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? Growing up, I always assumed that my parents would grow old together. I fantasized about introducing my future children to their still-married grandparents and attending, if not personally planning, my parent’s fiftieth anniversary celebration. Although my parents fought and struggled with areas of perpetual disagreement, somehow things always worked out and in my naivety, I believed they always would. However, as time progressed, the unresolved, and in some cases unspoken, issues that had plagued my parent’s marriage since its conception festered and ultimately reached intractable proportions. As a messy divorce loomed, each parent explained his version of the events and â€Å"irreconcilable differences† engendering a separation. Although the facts presented in each account matched, my parent’s respective interpretations of the facts differed greatly. As I listened to my parent’s rationalize their inability to get along, I realized that although my parent’s stories did not match, neither party was actually lying. Each parent simply presented to me his or her version of the reasons for divorce. I knew that somewhere hidden in the subtext of my parent’s explanations laid the truth. As I sifted through the slightly convoluted information, I began to wonder, â€Å"Is reality a relative concept?† After reviewing my personal experience, Christopher Durang’s play Beyond Therapy, and Edward Albee’s Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?, I reached the conclusion that, as inherently paradoxical as it seems, reality exists as a relative concept. Ostensibly, in the complexities of a divorce, the true reasons necessitating a permanent... ...xtremes of denial and testifies to the true relativity of reality depending upon mindset. After overcoming her denial and admitting that no son exists, Martha lies prostrate as George asks her, â€Å"Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?†(242). Martha wearily replies, â€Å"I†¦am†¦George†¦.I†¦am†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (242). In other words, â€Å"Who’s afraid of the truth?† My parents, Stuart of Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy, and Martha and George from Thomas Albee’s â€Å"Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?†. Ceasing to rationalize reality to suit one’s needs entails dealing with the truth and experiencing pain. Therefore, it stands to reason that many smart, reasonable people fall victim to the allure of denial. However, as Martha demonstrates, the walls crumble eventually, and one feels the pain as acutely as ever. So, who’s afraid of the truth? The more appropriate question is who’s not afraid of the truth?