For my blog post about Angels in America, I am addressing the following questions: How does religion shape the characters in the play, their desires, their identities, and/or their bodies? What is the play saying about the relationship between God and humankind? In the play, each character comes from different faith backgrounds. For some, religion affects the way they see sexuality, which in this case would include their own or the people they care about. Others don't really let religion affect their sexual desires too much.
Of course, the first character I want to write about is Prior Walters. Prior is diagnosed with AIDS and is not a super religious man. However, he is the one being called to do "Great Work" on Earth. Angel tells Prior the following: "YOU [humans] HAVE DRIVEN HIM [God] AWAY! YOU MUST STOP MOVING!" (178). Like some historical prophets, he is trying to refuse the work, and even though Prior does not accept the commandment at the same time, he becomes drawn to learn more about his prophecy. Eventually, his desires include seeing humankind continue progressing and living his life with the people he cares about until his death arrives. He also tells the angels that "If He ever did come back, if He ever dared to show His face, or his Glyph or whatever in the Garden again...if after all this destruction, if after all the terrible days of this terrible century He returned to see...how much suffering His abandonment had created, if all He has to offer is death, you should sue the bastard." (264). His statement to the angels seems to be answering the question about God's relationship with humankind. Kushner seems to be suggesting that God is not present for humanity, and it should be acknowledged.
Moving on to Joe Pitt, in Act Two Scene Two of Millennium Approaches, Joe says that "Jacob wrestles with an angel. I don't really remember the story, or why the wrestling-just the picture. Jacob is very young and very strong. The angel is… a beautiful man, with golden hair and wings, of course. I still dream about it. Many nights. I'm… It's me. In that struggle." (55). In the biblical story, Jacob was struggling with the reunion he was going to have with his brother Esau. From my interpretation, The angel he wrestles represents his past actions and his current self. In Joe's case, Jacob represents his gay self while the angel represents the Mormon church's anti-gay teachings AND his marriage to Harper. Religion shapes the decisions he makes in the courtroom when it comes to New York's LGBTQIA+ agenda, but the entire play he struggles with his love for Mormonism versus his need to be his authentic self. He gives in to his authentic desires with Louis, which goes against the Mormon doctrines on homosexuality and his marriage.
For Harper Pitt, her Mormon faith does not shape her decisions as much. While she acknowledges the teachings, she breaks a few rules for what she feels she needs. An example would be with the valium when she says that "Mormons are not supposed to be addicted to anything." (38). Because she cannot cope with the lack of presence from Joe, she takes Valium as her way of escaping her loneliness, against the church's teachings. And again, when she leaves Joe in Act Five Scene Eight in Perestroika after she realizes how unhappy her marriage is on both ends.
Then there is Hannah Pitt. She is extremely connected to her Mormon faith and was to a certain degree a religious guide for Prior. For example, in Act Five Scene One in Perestroika, when Angel appears again, to "Grab her, say ‘I will not let thee go except thou bless me!' Then wrestle with her till she gives in." (250). The only time she goes against her religious beliefs is when she accepts Prior and Joe for who they are in Act Four Scene Six when she tells Prior "You don't make assumptions about me, mister; I won't make them about you." (235). It showed how she evolved from the angry Mormon mother who was coming to "save" Joe to realizing how people like him are human.
In the play, three characters come to mind as not being affected by religion as much as the Pitts and Prior: Louis Ironson, Belize, and Roy Cohn. Roy tells Joe in Act One Scene Two in Millennium Approaches that he's "...not religious but I like God and God likes me." (21). In Act Five Scene Nine, Roy ends up becoming God's lawyer after the angels sue Him for His abandonment. Belize and Louis, however, share a moment that impacts them deeply. Before the play, Louis describes himself as a "... intensely secular Jew…" (256). Belize's closest religious encounter beforehand is when he talks with Prior about Angel, denying his prophecy, specifically in Act Two Scene Two in Perestroika: "This is just you, Prior, afraid of what's coming, afraid of time. But see that's just not how it goes, the world doesn't spin backwards." (181). In Act Five Scene Three of the same part, Belize has a moment of wanting to pray for Roy after he gave him AZT pills. After some convincing for Louis, he and the spirit of Ethel Rosenberg pray the Mourner's Kaddish. Louis then calls the experience "...fucking miraculous." (257). In the end, religion shaped Belize by having an open experience, saying a Jewish prayer for someone who was ignorant and later staying by Prior's side in the epilogue. For Louis, it was to be present for people in his life, which he eventually did for Prior as his friend and for Roy after despising him for years.
Religion was a very big part in each of these characters' journeys. While God may be this spirit that disappeared while people were suffering, these people were able to be shaped in one way or another by religious acts.
Of course, the first character I want to write about is Prior Walters. Prior is diagnosed with AIDS and is not a super religious man. However, he is the one being called to do "Great Work" on Earth. Angel tells Prior the following: "YOU [humans] HAVE DRIVEN HIM [God] AWAY! YOU MUST STOP MOVING!" (178). Like some historical prophets, he is trying to refuse the work, and even though Prior does not accept the commandment at the same time, he becomes drawn to learn more about his prophecy. Eventually, his desires include seeing humankind continue progressing and living his life with the people he cares about until his death arrives. He also tells the angels that "If He ever did come back, if He ever dared to show His face, or his Glyph or whatever in the Garden again...if after all this destruction, if after all the terrible days of this terrible century He returned to see...how much suffering His abandonment had created, if all He has to offer is death, you should sue the bastard." (264). His statement to the angels seems to be answering the question about God's relationship with humankind. Kushner seems to be suggesting that God is not present for humanity, and it should be acknowledged.
Moving on to Joe Pitt, in Act Two Scene Two of Millennium Approaches, Joe says that "Jacob wrestles with an angel. I don't really remember the story, or why the wrestling-just the picture. Jacob is very young and very strong. The angel is… a beautiful man, with golden hair and wings, of course. I still dream about it. Many nights. I'm… It's me. In that struggle." (55). In the biblical story, Jacob was struggling with the reunion he was going to have with his brother Esau. From my interpretation, The angel he wrestles represents his past actions and his current self. In Joe's case, Jacob represents his gay self while the angel represents the Mormon church's anti-gay teachings AND his marriage to Harper. Religion shapes the decisions he makes in the courtroom when it comes to New York's LGBTQIA+ agenda, but the entire play he struggles with his love for Mormonism versus his need to be his authentic self. He gives in to his authentic desires with Louis, which goes against the Mormon doctrines on homosexuality and his marriage.
For Harper Pitt, her Mormon faith does not shape her decisions as much. While she acknowledges the teachings, she breaks a few rules for what she feels she needs. An example would be with the valium when she says that "Mormons are not supposed to be addicted to anything." (38). Because she cannot cope with the lack of presence from Joe, she takes Valium as her way of escaping her loneliness, against the church's teachings. And again, when she leaves Joe in Act Five Scene Eight in Perestroika after she realizes how unhappy her marriage is on both ends.
Then there is Hannah Pitt. She is extremely connected to her Mormon faith and was to a certain degree a religious guide for Prior. For example, in Act Five Scene One in Perestroika, when Angel appears again, to "Grab her, say ‘I will not let thee go except thou bless me!' Then wrestle with her till she gives in." (250). The only time she goes against her religious beliefs is when she accepts Prior and Joe for who they are in Act Four Scene Six when she tells Prior "You don't make assumptions about me, mister; I won't make them about you." (235). It showed how she evolved from the angry Mormon mother who was coming to "save" Joe to realizing how people like him are human.
In the play, three characters come to mind as not being affected by religion as much as the Pitts and Prior: Louis Ironson, Belize, and Roy Cohn. Roy tells Joe in Act One Scene Two in Millennium Approaches that he's "...not religious but I like God and God likes me." (21). In Act Five Scene Nine, Roy ends up becoming God's lawyer after the angels sue Him for His abandonment. Belize and Louis, however, share a moment that impacts them deeply. Before the play, Louis describes himself as a "... intensely secular Jew…" (256). Belize's closest religious encounter beforehand is when he talks with Prior about Angel, denying his prophecy, specifically in Act Two Scene Two in Perestroika: "This is just you, Prior, afraid of what's coming, afraid of time. But see that's just not how it goes, the world doesn't spin backwards." (181). In Act Five Scene Three of the same part, Belize has a moment of wanting to pray for Roy after he gave him AZT pills. After some convincing for Louis, he and the spirit of Ethel Rosenberg pray the Mourner's Kaddish. Louis then calls the experience "...fucking miraculous." (257). In the end, religion shaped Belize by having an open experience, saying a Jewish prayer for someone who was ignorant and later staying by Prior's side in the epilogue. For Louis, it was to be present for people in his life, which he eventually did for Prior as his friend and for Roy after despising him for years.
Religion was a very big part in each of these characters' journeys. While God may be this spirit that disappeared while people were suffering, these people were able to be shaped in one way or another by religious acts.
Thank you for your post!
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