I opened the book not knowing what to expect, and the character list kind of through me off... Angels, really? But then I remembered that this is science fiction where anything can happen, so I decided to give the book a chance.
This sets Roy off.
He argues that labels such as "homosexual" only define where people "fit in the food chain" (Kushner 45). This basically means that people are only considered different things because that is the way society wants the people to be considered. Moreover, according to Roy, one can define what he or she is, like when Roy states, "Roy Cohn is a heterosexual man, Henry, who fucks around with guys"(Kushner 46). So according to Roy and Angels in America, there is no such thing as a sexual identity--we are who we want to be.
Another huge part of Act 1 is the introduction of AIDS. So far, two characters have AIDS-like symptoms: Prior and Roy. This brings about the relation of AIDS to homosexuality that was so significant in that time period. People used that idea to view homosexuality in a negative light and also to characterize it as a type of disease (physical and not mental, which differs from The Price of Salt).
Overall, Act 1 really introduces us to different aspects of homosexuality in that era. Let me know what you think.
--
Farhan Khan
3 comments:
I love your analysis on labels in the book. Throughout the book, there are constantly themes of the importance of labels. Harper asks if Joe is a "Homo", attaching a very negative connotation to that word; Roy blows up when Henry insinuates that he is a homosexual and has AIDS. I feel like one of Kushner's most important messages he tries to get across to readers is the importance of being true to one's self. Kushner shows us that only by one's willingness to accept his or her own identity with he or she be able to build healthy relationships. A primary example of this is Joe. Joe's attempt to hide his inner identity as a homosexual merely destroys his relationship with his wife. Yet, as Joe comes out of the closet, he begins to understand himself better and builds more meaningful relationships, like with Louis. Kushner also shows us the importance that transcending mere labels has for creating communities. An example of this arises with Roy. Roy's preoccupation with power allows him to relate labels such as "homosexual" and "AIDS" to the idea of weakness. This inability to transcend labels contributes to his blindness and leads to his eventual downfall later in the book.
I think it's really interesting that you bring up the Price of Salt and the aspect of the disease. You talk about how AIDS is a physical disease which of course I can not contest but I think Roy's mental state about the disease brings up a very interesting point. He is in severe denial and refuses to even acknowledge that he has AIDS. The stigma surrounding AIDS is so strong which makes AIDS so much more than just a physical ailment. But I would definitely agree that Kushner really introduces us to a large spectrum of homosexuals in that era from the very out Prior, to the very closeted Joe to Roy who is somewhere in the middle but won't accept the label. It should be interesting to see how everything plays out.
I like your analysis of Roy and his issues with homosexuality. Roy really does seem hung up on the labels, doesn't he? And why shouldn't he be? To be a homosexual in that time was to certainly be chastised and ridiculed. Your idea that Roy disregards the label and really "chooses who he is" is interesting. Personally, I would think that sexuality and desire is not a one way road. Rather it is something that is acted on in part by our own reason.
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