The Homecoming - Study Questions Flashcards
(12 cards)
Flashcard: What role does Max initially appear to be playing in the family?
Max appears to be the domineering patriarch who tries to control the household through verbal abuse and nostalgia. He sees himself as the head of the family, constantly issuing commands and asserting authority. However, his dominance is undermined by his confusion, emotional instability, and the shifting power dynamics around him.
Flashcard: How does Max characterize himself as a younger man?
Max reminisces about being a strong, respected butcher who was admired by men and loved by women. He often exaggerates or contradicts these stories, revealing his need to recapture lost masculinity and control. His idealized self-image contrasts sharply with his current diminished authority.
Flashcard: What is his relationship with his son, Lenny?
Max and Lenny have a tense and competitive relationship, filled with veiled insults and power struggles. Lenny often challenges Max’s authority with sarcasm and indirect defiance. Despite this, neither fully dominates the other, revealing the family’s ongoing power vacuum.
Flashcard: What does Jessie mean to Max—to Sam?
For Max, Jessie (his late wife) is an idealized figure who represents both lost domestic order and unresolved sexual jealousy—he both glorifies and accuses her. For Sam, Jessie may have symbolized emotional warmth or a possible romantic connection, hinted at by his vague confession about a secret involving her. Jessie’s memory is a battleground for masculinity and family history.
Flashcard: Why is it important to Teddy that his room is still vacant?
Teddy takes comfort in the fact that his room remains untouched—it symbolizes that he still has a place in the family and has not been replaced. It reflects his desire for continuity and stability in a household that otherwise feels threatening and chaotic. His sense of identity and superiority is tied to this symbolic anchor.
Flashcard: What is the nature of the first conversation between Lenny and Teddy?—between Lenny and Ruth?
Lenny and Teddy’s first conversation is cold, evasive, and full of underlying tension. Lenny is cryptic and patronizing, subtly asserting dominance. His conversation with Ruth is flirtatious, probing, and power-laden—Lenny tries to destabilize her with innuendo, but Ruth holds her ground and responds with equal ambiguity and control.
Flashcard: How does Max respond to Ruth?
Max initially responds to Ruth with suspicion, then swings unpredictably between hostility, admiration, and longing. He struggles with Ruth’s calm authority and is disturbed by the way she unsettles the male hierarchy. Ultimately, he tries to incorporate her into the family, possibly as a surrogate for Jessie, revealing his deep emotional confusion.
Flashcard: What is suggested by Ruth’s description of the location of her new home as being only rock and sand?
Ruth’s description of her current home as barren suggests emotional emptiness and a lack of fulfillment in her life with Teddy. It contrasts with the chaotic but fertile potential of the all-male household she enters. Her words hint that she may find more power and purpose in this unpredictable new environment.
Flashcard: What does Teddy mean by “intellectual equilibrium”?
Teddy refers to “intellectual equilibrium” as a calm, rational state of mind that he claims to have achieved through his academic life. It serves as his defense against the emotional volatility of his family. However, this phrase also highlights his emotional detachment and inability to engage meaningfully with the chaos unfolding around him.
Flashcard: What is the significance of the house where Ruth used to model?
The house where Ruth once modeled symbolizes a past life in which she was objectified and placed on display, yet it also suggests her familiarity with controlling space and perception. It hints at her ability to wield power through her presence and physicality, foreshadowing her eventual control over the men in the play.
Flashcard: Why does Teddy decide to leave without Ruth?
Teddy leaves without Ruth because he is unable—or unwilling—to confront the emotional and sexual power dynamics she unleashes within the household. His academic detachment and desire for control are incompatible with the raw, unpredictable energy Ruth brings. By leaving, he avoids conflict but also abandons his marriage and family role.
Flashcard: What is suggested by the final tableau?
In the final tableau, Ruth sits calmly as the center of attention, with the men gathered around her, having seemingly accepted her as the new matriarch or queen. Max, once the patriarch, is now reduced to pleading for affection, while the others wait on her approval. This silent scene powerfully symbolizes the complete reversal of power and the unsettling ambiguity of who truly controls the home.
