“’How are you feeling today?’ I am waiting for the moment someone asks me that and I am dead. I’m a little sorry I’ll miss that.”

This line set the tone for the entire play. Vivian is sharp, witty, and strong even to the point of being abrasive in the face of a disease that she knows will more than likely end her life.  I absolutely flew through the first portion of this play and found it surprisingly lighthearted for a play written about someone dying of cancer.

“Brevity is the soul of wit.”

                This line marks a turning point within the play in two regards. First, shortly after coming across this line the pace of the play began to slow down. Previously the dialogue had been mostly comprised of witty banter between Vivian and those attending her. After this point however, the dialogue begins to slow and there are even a few nostalgic monologues. At the same time Vivian begins to get sicker and her demeanor begins to change.

“Hides behind wit?”

                Vivian prods one of her students to explore one of their ideas regarding John Donne in a flashback. Ironically it is soon to be made clear that this is exactly what Vivian is doing, hiding behind her wit. As mentioned previously, Vivian’s declining condition coincides with a softening of her demeanor. This can be seen in her desire to see Jason show some willingness to connect with her. Ultimately Vivian is reduced to an incredibly vulnerable and childlike state.