Austins Character Development in True West

A detailed Summary of Austins Character Development in True West

Lee to Austin, "I mean you never had any more on the ball than I did. But here you are gettin' invited into prominent people's houses. Sittin' around talkin' like you know somethin'...In fact I been inside some pretty classy places in my time. And I never even went to an Ivy League school either." In the play "True West" Austin, the protagonist, is a kinetic character. In the beginning of the play he is depicted as being a prominent, upper class member of society, but throughout the play he devolves into an irrational, animalistic savage of a human being. In some ways he becomes just like his older brother Lee.

After reading the character descriptions before actually reading the play, the reader is led to believe that Austin is a traditionally dressed, "blue-collar" member of society. Lee on the other hand is described as being a grungy, grease-ball of a man, who doesn't even take care of himself. These depictions are accurately proven in the first scene of the play. Austin is a hard-working author that is house sitting for his mother while she is out of town. This is seen when Lee says to Austin, "I'm not botherin' you am I? I mean I don't wanna' break into yer' uh-concentration or nothin'...I mean I realize that yer'

In act 2, scene 7 Lee is sitting down at the table with his brother's typewriter, and Austin is lying on the floor drunk with a bottle of Jack Daniels in hand. Lee says to his brother, "I'm a screenwriter now! I'm legitimate." Austin says laughing, "A screenwriter! Well, maybe I oughta' go out and try my hand at your trade. Since you're doing so good at mine." By scene 8 Austin's done just that. Both Austin and Lee are drunk in a now wrecked home filled with alcoholic debris and dead plants. Austin has stolen a variety of toasters and his very frustrated brother is thrashing the typewriter. Austin says, "There's gonna' be a general lack of toast in the neighborhood this morning. Many, many unhappy, bewildered breakfast faces." Later on Austin makes a comment, "Like a beginning. I love beginnings. What if I come with you out to the desert?" which lets the reader know that Austin isn't happy with his life as it is. He says, "There's nothin' real down here, Lee! Least of all me!" Lee responds, "Hey, do you actually think I chose to live out in the middle a' nowhere? Do ya'? Ya' think it's some kinda' philosophical decision I took or somethin'? I'm livin' out there 'cause I can't make it here! And yer bitchin' to me about all yer success!" It is now apparent that Austin was never happy with his life. Even his success never truly gave him what he was looking for in life.

Austin begins to show more of an interest in his brother in scene 2. He tells Lee, "I don't know. I wish I wasn't-I wish I didn't have to be doing business down here. I'd like to just spend some time with you." Later the reader finds out that Austin feels more of an obligation to seem interested in his brother. Lee manipulates Austin into doing him favors such as loaning him his car and later into helping him write a story. This is seen when the brother's become frustrated with each other, and Austin says to Lee, "You think yo

Some common words found in the essay are:
Austin Lee, That's She'll, Yeah I'm, Lee It's, West Austin, Lee Lee, Austin I'm, Austin There's, Houses Electric, Lee I'm, final scene, play austin, lee tells austin, austin lee, scene play, typewriter austin, tells lee, austin isn't, lee tells, tells austin, happy life,

Approximate Word count = 1295
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English