Fornes

      What stood out to me most about The Conduct of Life, written by Maria Irene Fornes was the pattern in which her characters spoke to one another and to the audience, and the rhythm of the dialogue. This play was harsh, dark, and to the point. It was full of outlandish disturbing information that was thrown at you so quick you almost always had to reread it to believe what your eyes skimmed. The story, in the way the characters behaved, was in a sense "all over the place". Every line spoke of something so full of vigor and emotion, but every line constantly contradicted the way a previous line made you feel as an audience member. In each line, no matter how long, the sentences were usually abrupt. The characters spoke in staccato and often said loaded sentences without a detail justification as to what they mean. They spoke bluntly, dry, and quick. They also flopped back and forth from dialogue between two or more people, to a monologue to the audience, and then back to conversation without warning, which made it hard to keep up with what was in the scene and what was inner dialogue. Leticia would say something to Orlando, then say something with an opposing message to the audience, then return to Orlando. The way the sentences were sequenced, and the order in which the characters speak helps create the vibe that Fornes was trying to create. The way she wrote her script made me feel uneasy, confused, and very much without control of the situation. Fornes writes about horrifying events and expects you to sit there and "let them happen" by reading them, because you dont have the power to stop the evil written before you.

      I think she named this play The Conduct of Life to open her readers eyes to the fact that to some people, this is considered normal and acceptable. That the conduct of life isn't a particular way of living around the entire world. What is right to me, may be wrong to someone else. Unfortunately, we don't have the power to ensure that everyone is living the "right" way and treated others the way they deserve to be treated. This being the title almost makes me upset that something as wretched and repulsive as what is written in this script would be referred to as the conduct of life. It makes me want to be a better person and fight for good conduct.