Louis Ironson

Though Kushner is critical of Louis, he in no way diminishes the gravity of what this character is forced to deal with. Louis has, after all, good reason for wanting to flee. His lover, Prior Walter, is diagnosed with AIDS and is enduring many critical and excruciating symptoms of the disease. When he confronts his lover on the floor of their bedroom, burning with fever and excreting blood, the full horror of this disease is conveyed in all its mercilessness and squalor. Louis's moral dilemma is compelling precisely because what he has to deal with is so overwhelming. Still, the playwright makes clear that all the talk of justice and politics will not free us from those terrifying, yet fundamental responsibilities that accompany human sickness and death (McNutty 3).

Louis is determined to "maybe himself out of his unfortunate present reality.One of the more incendiary moments occurs at a coffee shop with Prior's ex-lover and closest friend, Belize. Louis launches instead into a de Tocqueville-esque diatribe: "There are no gods here, no ghosts and spirits in America, there are no angels in Americal, no spiritual past, no racial past, there's only the political, and the decoys and the ploys to maneuver around the inescapable battle of politics". Belize makes clear that he can see right through Louis's highbrow subterfuge: "Are you deliberately transforming yourself into an arrogant, sexual-political Stalinist-slash-racist flag-wavingh thug for my benefit" (McNutty 2,3).

Louis self-destructively yearns to be penetrated: "I want you to fuck me, hurt me, make me bleed" (Kruger 7).

Later Joe encounters Louis, who is in desperate flight of fear from his longtime lover, Prior, who is suffering from the initial stages of full-blown AIDS. Racked with guilt at his faithlessness, the liberal Louis reflects on the era, which he sees as a metaphor for his cowardly behavior. He describes himself, and Joe, as "Children of the new morning, criminal minds. Selfish and greedy and loveless and blind. Reagan's children." Louis has a brutal, punishing sexual encounter with a stranger in Central Park. The stanger provocatively asks, "You been a bad boy? Louis can only sardonically reply, "Very bad. Very bad" (Layman 9).

Commentary

Louis is a frightened boy who runs from his problems and searches for answers and spends a great deal of time babbling about what he thinks he has found. Louis is quite wishy-washy and always full of guilt for changing. He is quite self-destructive and a glutton for punishment which is exemplified by his meeting in the park with Joe.

Louis is almost the antithesis of Roy Cohn. Louis always seems confused about what he wants, Roy knows without a doubt. Louis searches for a way to forget about his pain, Roy accepts pain and says that "life is pain". Louis is afraid, Roy says the Devil should be afraid of him. However, we must question Louis' moral character, just as we do Roy's, because Louis abandon's his loved ones in the greatest times of need - the difference between Roy and Louis' lack of morals is that Louis always let them get the better of him.

As the play progresses, we see Louis continuing to run from his problems. That is another way that Roy and Louis differ. Sometimes all it takes to realize what you have done wrong is a good ole fashion butt whoopin. Joe is the one who gives it to both Louis and Roy. In both instences, both of the beatees get their eyes opened up to what they were actually doing was wrong. Louis realized that he shouldnt leave someone he loves in a time of trouble and Roy realizes that trying to control every aspect of other peoples lives can be more hazardous to his health than "liver cancer".

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Study Questions

1. Why do you think it was so difficult for Louis to decide who he wanted to be with, Joe or Prior?

2. Do you think Louis' actions are justified when he leaves Prior after discovering the severity of Prior's illness?

3.Why does Louis asks Prior to take him back?

4.Is Prior's response justified? Why or Why not?