Millennium Approaches 1.3

Summary

Harper is alone at home listening to the radio and speaking to herself. Mr. Lies, her imaginary travel agent friend appears. Harper is telling Mr. Lies she wants to travel, she knows things are not right with her. When asked where she might like to go, she says Antarctica, but does not want to go immediately. She chooses to wait and tells Mr. Lies to stay around because she knows that she will need to go soon. She questions Joe's love for her and whether there is real trouble coming or if it is just her mind playing tricks on her. Joe returns home, late as usual, and asks Harper how she would like to move to Washington. Joe late again,nothing new. Joe calls Harper Buddy. Joe explains why he is late. "I was just ...out. Walking" (24). Joe gives Harper "Buddy kiss" (24).

Notes

• ozone layer (22)- naturally occuring gases that make up the atmosphere.
• aureole(22) - : a radiant light around the head or body of a representation of a sacred personage
• Antarctica (23)- an ice covered continent that lies in the Artic Ocean.
• Nomad (23)- A person who moves about with no fixed home.
• Acolyte (23)- One who wishes to attain clergyhood. This term can refer to anyone who performs ceremonial duties. See Roman Catholicism.
• Flux (23)- A continuous flow or flood.

Commentary

Even when the scene opens to the introduction of Harper, one can tell that she is going to be a major mouthpiece for Kushner in this story. Her opening lines, " People who are left alone... sit...imagining...beautiful systems dying, old fixed orders spiraling apart" (Kushner 22). This line alone sums up the destructions of the world that Kushner writes into the the story. The dying, beautiful system is the American dream. The idea that America is a perfect country with an unselfish government is an uninformed, innocent thought. All people are imperfect and a government by the people has to be imperfect. Old systems falling apart has mainly to do with Joe's internal conlflict with his homosexual preferances. He does not want to sin as a gay man, but he can not help how he feels.

The short scene with Mr. Lies, the travel agent, will lead later to a theme about the angels. In short, Mr. Lies presses Harper to move, to take a vacation. She does not, but she does want to.

Study Questions

1. What year is it now?
2. How many years is it until the third millennium?
3. What is Mr. Lies job title?
4. What does Mr. Lies recommend to cure the weird things happening to Harper?
5. Who enters the elevator as Mr. Lies vanishes?
6. What does this person call Harper? Is this odd?
7. Why does Harper want to go to Antarctica?
8. What is Harper addicted to?
9. What is Buddy kiss?
10. Who does Joe calls Buddy?

Works Cited

• Kushner, Tony. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1995.

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Angels in America Act 1 Scene 4