A Memory of Two Mondays
In Arthur Millers semi-autobiographical play, A Memory of two Mondays, there are many characters that have had a troubling past that affected the way they behaved. Characters like Bert an eighteen year old teenager that barely passed high school and now wants to go to college. Gus, whose past revolves around drinking and partying until a phone call changes his life forever. Finally, there is Tom Kelly, a character who at first was a complete drunk before he got that once in a lifetime second chance and changed his life forever. Each of these three characters has had a troubling event in their past, but how did it affect their behaviors? Bert is the first character introduced in the play and at this time he is reading …show more content…
Tom is first mentioned in the beginning of the play on page six when Raymond asks Bert, "Tommy Kelly get in yet?" When Bert tells him no Raymond becomes worried. It is not until page twenty-four that Tom Kelly is fully introduced into the play. At this time he is passed out in a drunken state on the chair and Mr. Eagles is about to visit. Mr. Eagles is the big boss, and everyone is afraid of him because in one instant someone could lose their job. Everyone tries to cover for Tommy, but little by little the they fails, and it becomes completely apparent when Tom says, "No, no, Glen Wright was the shortstop for Pittsburgh, not Honus Wagner (pg. 26)." Of course he answered the wrong question and says it at the wrong time because Eagle is also in the room. Eagle stays in the room just to say morning to Tom Kelly before leaving and then calling him into the room for a meeting. It is then that everyone realizes that Tom Kelly will lose his job, and Gus becomes angry. After the meeting Tom comes back into the room with tears in his eyes. To everyone it is almost as if he did lose his job, but Tom says, "No, Gus, I'm alright (pg. 28)." He explains to everyone that he has been given a second chance, and everything is going to be okay for him. It is now that Tom Kelly changes his ways. He becomes a sober man in a blink of an eye and works hard everyday. His life was changed at that moment, and instead of putting it to waste he works on his mistakes and fixes himself up mostly for himself, but also for his job. It is something that not everyone gets; a second