Getting Out is a play about Arlene a woman who has just gotten out of jail for murder and prosititution and her struggles to start her life over again. Arlene wants to completely forget about Arlie and start over, but many people from her past make it very hard for her. The play outlines Arlene's inner conflict with her younger self Arlie and past people how have contributed to her mistakes which landed her in jail. Arlene just wants to start over again and possibly get study of her son joey again. The play shows both Arlene and Arlie on stage at the same time, but in different time periods. The audience learns of Arlene's awful past which contributes to why she's gone to jail and why she's made the decisions she's had. Many of Arlene's problems
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Arlie shows that flashbacks of when she was still in jail and how she treated the guards and how immature she was. Arlie would make big messes and expect the guards the clean them up. Arlie is the type of person who feeds on other peoples misery, so no wonder she was in jail. Another ways that Arlene is still trapped in a prison is in her apartment. In her run down apartment on the windows there are bars like there is in jail. This doesn't help Arlene feel like she is not in prison. ‘…( She pulls the curtains apart and sees bars on the window) What are these doing here? Bernie:I think they're to keep out the burglars, ya know. Arlene; I don't want them there. Pull them out”(Norman 12). This shows how much Arlene feels trapped and like she still is in prison. Equally as important, another way that Arlene feels trapped is how Carl returns and is trying to get her back to her old ways. Carl is her pimp when she was a prostotute and that is one of the ways she went to jail. For Carl to come right back to Arlene after she gets out of jail shows how she is still metaphorically trapped. Arlene tries very hard not to fall back into that lifestyle again; this shows how much Arlene is willing to change. This is evidence by Arlene openly stating that she doesn't want to go back to jail, but Carl doesn't care he just wants his money. The last way that Marsha Norman show how Arlene is still in jail is her Mother. Although when Arlene was released from prison her mom came to help her it seemed like she cared, but she ended up attacking Arlene with low blows which made Arlene feel vulnerable like she did in
Arlie shows that flashbacks of when she was still in jail and how she treated the guards and how immature she was. Arlie would make big messes and expect the guards the clean them up. Arlie is the type of person who feeds on other peoples misery, so no wonder she was in jail. Another ways that Arlene is still trapped in a prison is in her apartment. In her run down apartment on the windows there are bars like there is in jail. This doesn't help Arlene feel like she is not in prison. ‘…( She pulls the curtains apart and sees bars on the window) What are these doing here? Bernie:I think they're to keep out the burglars, ya know. Arlene; I don't want them there. Pull them out”(Norman 12). This shows how much Arlene feels trapped and like she still is in prison. Equally as important, another way that Arlene feels trapped is how Carl returns and is trying to get her back to her old ways. Carl is her pimp when she was a prostotute and that is one of the ways she went to jail. For Carl to come right back to Arlene after she gets out of jail shows how she is still metaphorically trapped. Arlene tries very hard not to fall back into that lifestyle again; this shows how much Arlene is willing to change. This is evidence by Arlene openly stating that she doesn't want to go back to jail, but Carl doesn't care he just wants his money. The last way that Marsha Norman show how Arlene is still in jail is her Mother. Although when Arlene was released from prison her mom came to help her it seemed like she cared, but she ended up attacking Arlene with low blows which made Arlene feel vulnerable like she did in