Beautiful play with excellent dialogue concerning grand themes of love and death. It offers a wonderful exploration of these profound topics. A nice way to dip your toe into a DeLillo if you aren't ready to commit to a novel. In case you're wondering, Love lies bleeding is the name of a flower, the desert Mariposa. This flower is tied in intricately to the characters' lives. It weaves a web of significance and connection among them. The irony of the title is also encapsulated in the persistent vegetative state of Alex, a Hemingway-like desert artist figure. His ex-wife, current wife, and adult son are caregivers and witnesses to Alex's life. They watch over him, experiencing a range of emotions and dealing with the complex dynamics that come with it. The play thus presents a rich and multi-faceted portrayal of human relationships and the inevitable presence of love and death in our lives.

This product or service is clearly better than average.

It has certain qualities and features that set it apart from the ordinary.

However, it does not reach the lofty heights of greatness represented by 4, 4.5, or 5 stars.

There are still areas where it could potentially improve or enhance its offering to move closer to that level of excellence.

Nonetheless, being significantly better than average is no small achievement and indicates that it has value and merit in the marketplace.

Customers who are looking for something above the norm may find this product or service to be a good choice, even if it doesn't quite reach the highest echelons of quality.

Overall, it is a solid option that offers a good balance of features and performance.

Ex-wife. Estranged son. Young lover. These are the complex relationships surrounding a comatose man. The question of whether he should stay alive is a difficult one. The ex-wife may have her own feelings and considerations. Maybe there are unresolved issues between them, or perhaps she still cares on some level. The estranged son, too, presents a dilemma. He may have a distant relationship with his father, but the thought of losing him could still have an impact. And then there's the young lover. Her connection to the comatose man might be intense and passionate, but how does that factor into the decision of whether he should continue to live?

There are many factors to take into account. Medical prognosis, the man's own wishes if they are known, and the financial and emotional burdens on those around him. Each person's perspective will be different, and there is no easy answer. It's a situation that forces everyone involved to grapple with difficult emotions and make a choice that will have far-reaching consequences.

Life and death are essential aspects of our existence. They pose difficult questions that have intrigued humans throughout history. When exploring these profound topics, it is crucial to consider all the options available. We should not simply dismiss dissenting opinions but rather engage in a meaningful dialogue. By doing so, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex issues surrounding life and death.

Some may argue that life is precious and should be preserved at all costs. Others may believe that there are circumstances where death is a more merciful option. Both viewpoints have their merits and should be carefully considered. It is through this exploration and analysis that we can form our own opinions and make informed decisions.

In conclusion, when dealing with the essential and difficult questions of life and death, we must be open-minded and willing to explore all the possibilities. We should respect the opinions of others, even if they differ from our own, and engage in a respectful and rational debate. Only in this way can we hope to gain a deeper understanding of these profound and mysterious aspects of our lives.

It was not nearly as bad as I had initially feared. DeLillo's talent clearly does not reside in the realm of theater. However, considering his extensive body of work, does this really make a significant difference? The dialogue in this piece is incredibly stilted. I have never encountered anyone, let alone four people, who speak in the manner of the characters in "Love-Lies-Bleeding". Nevertheless, there were a few brief moments that hinted at greatness. If presented in novel form, these moments could potentially have been regarded as canonical.

Despite all of this, I would still choose to read this over the colossal messes that are "Cosmopolis" and "The Body Artist" any day of the week.

This is really only for the completists out there...

I simply can't wait for "Zero K"! It's coming out on May 10!

I believe this is the first time I have had the opportunity to read something by Don DeLillo. I attempted it in the past, but not recently. This is a play, his third, featuring four characters. The staging is minimal, with just chairs on the stage. Set changes are achieved through lighting, the presence of who is on stage, and clothing changes for one character in a wheelchair.

He practically touches on all the big themes: life, death, familial and sexual love, time, compassion, generosity, jealousy, resentment, desire, and beauty. A man, a painter, suffers one, then two, massive strokes. His family, such as it is, gathers.

They discuss him, but mostly they discuss themselves, their needs, wants, and desires. He has a second wife, much younger. She focuses on the painter, but in the end, it is her love that she wants to preserve. They debate what is fair treatment, what is right and good for his life now. How long should it be preserved? He dies.

The spare, dry air of the southwestern desert plains is vividly described in a few short sentences:

ALEX
I’m just here. In winter the sharp-shinned hawk comes down to the scrub. I can sit and watch a hawk in a tree for unnumbered hours. I’m on his time. He don’t move, I don’t move. I drive to the site and stay four five days at a time. Work and sweat. Talk Spanish to my crew.

That was before, before the strokes. Time grows short, and it is almost always time for bed. What is the good, the right, the fair thing to do?

Masterfully controlled, this short play condenses a wealth of experience into an hour or so, without making us feel that the answer provided here concludes the debate. It is a moment, on a wide open plain, when the sun slowly sets in the west and the Love-Lies-Bleeding evokes color, suffering, and mystery. “That’s what being in the world means. At times we suffer.”

Love-Lies-Bleeding, the common name for "Amaranthus caudatus", is not only a lovely plant but also a significant allusion in various works. In a play about death or as the opening track on a rock album, it holds a certain charm. I have a deep admiration for Don DeLillo as a novelist, and after reading his first play, I'm quite impressed. It offers a powerful exploration of end-of-life discussions, a space that DeLillo loves to delve into. He is fascinated by the edge of things, the terminus, and the edge of the horizon. Sometimes, the best way to understand life is to examine the choices we make regarding life and death.

The play's setup is simple and spare, featuring four characters: a dying artist, his son, his second wife, and his fourth and current wife. After suffering two strokes, the artist is in a permanent vegetative state, leading to intense debates and discussions. The play was performed in May 2005, shortly after Terry Schiavo's death in March of that year. While I'm not sure when the play was written, I'm certain that reducing the moral complexity of ending someone else's life to simple math shortchanges all of our lives. The Terry case is a complex one, and this play emphasizes the importance of having these discussions.
One interesting aspect of the play is a joke in scene 3 of the last act. It goes like this: "Two tiny young fish are swimming in the sea. They come upon an older fish. He says to them, 'Hey, fellas, how's the water?' They two young fish swim on past. They swim for many miles. Finally one of the fish says to the other, 'What the fuck is water?'" This joke is also related by David Foster Wallace in a commencement address at Kenyon College, which was later published in a small book called "This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life". The play was first performed in early May, and DFW's address was in late May. It's unclear if there is a connection between the two, but it's an interesting coincidence. Perhaps one day, I'll explore DFW and DeLillo's papers at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin and find out the truth.

"What good is a life that doesn't experience some trace of all possible lives?"
-- Don DeLillo, Love-Lies-Bleeding



"The roses in the window box
Have tilted to one side
Everything about this house
Was born to grow and die"
-- Elton John, Love Lies Bleeding

In my play reading era, it was a time filled with excitement and discovery.

I would eagerly pick up a play, whether it was a classic or a contemporary work, and immerse myself in its world.

The words on the page would come alive in my imagination, as I visualized the characters, their emotions, and the settings.

Reading plays allowed me to explore different themes, such as love, tragedy, comedy, and social issues.

It also gave me a deeper understanding of human nature and the complexity of relationships.

I would analyze the dialogue, the plot structure, and the stage directions, trying to uncover the author's intentions and the hidden meanings within the play.

Sometimes, I would even act out the scenes in my mind, imagining myself as one of the characters.

This play reading era was a precious time for me, as it nurtured my love for literature and the performing arts.

It opened up a world of possibilities and inspired me to dream big.

Even though that era has passed, the memories of those wonderful plays still linger in my heart, and I continue to carry the lessons and inspiration I gained from them with me.

Because I often say to myself, what good is life if it doesn't experience even a hint of all possible lives? What's the significance of being only who we are? Isn't this an unspoken limitation that most of us live with all the time? I mean, take the man on the subway train or the man sitting on a park bench. He has no shoes, is so beaten down that he can't even beg. He just sits there, frail and soiled. Shouldn't I be able to step into his life, be who he is, even if it's just for half a minute? This thought has been萦绕 in my mind. It makes me wonder about the vast differences in people's lives and how little we truly understand of the experiences of others. Maybe if we could all have a taste of different lives, we would be more empathetic, more understanding, and less judgmental. Life is so diverse, and there are so many stories out there waiting to be discovered and understood.

My First Play

I've never read a play before, except for Shakespeare during my school days. So, this was truly a novel experience that demanded a certain amount of adaptation. However, I can't claim to have been completely won over by this play.

It was quite short, consisting of less than 100 pages, yet it managed to create a rather atmospheric setting. The darkened areas of the room and the lifeless man in a wheelchair added to the overall mood. There were only three other characters - the man's young wife, an older ex-wife, and his estranged son. Each of them had their own motives for being there, and interestingly, they were all related to love rather than inheritance, which was a refreshing change.

The central theme of the play revolved around euthanasia. The man was clearly terminally ill, and I found myself sympathizing with the idea of putting him out of his misery. However, the young wife, who was the one taking care of him full-time, was against the concept.

There were also flashbacks to earlier times when the man, a somewhat renowned artist, spoke about his life, thoughts, and love for desert plants.

All in all, the play was rather abstract, but still interesting. It made me think about various aspects of life, love, and death.

I had taken a brief hiatus from DeLillo after delving into his most renowned work, White Noise. I was somewhat disheartened by it and felt that I required some distance, so to speak. However, upon returning to his body of work, I am vividly reminded of why I have such a profound affection for his prose and dialogue.

Of the three plays he has penned, Love-Lies-Bleeding is the first and thus far the only one that I have perused. It is set in the southwestern desert of the United States, a desolate and sparse landscape. The play features a mere four characters/actors. The central figure, Alex, is an aging artist who has recently endured a massive second stroke and is consequently in a "persistent vegetative state." As a result, his estranged son and ex-wife have arrived to persuade his second, younger wife to allow him to die or perhaps even assist in his passing, which is the crux of the matter at hand. It delves into profound issues such as mercy, mortality, and the true meaning of living in this world.

The language and dialogue in Love-Lies-Bleeding are deeply meditative. Those who are acquainted with DeLillo's style will instantly recognize its hallmarks. There is repetition, the naming of things in a distinct manner, and dialogue that sounds natural yet in reality, no one would ever utter in such a way. There is a poetry to his words that is truly captivating. It foreshadows Point Omega in terms of its setting, mood, and tone. Style-wise, Love-Lies-Bleeding does not deviate significantly from his novels and could very well have been yet another one of his novellas. Nevertheless, his words still send shivers down my spine.

Among DeLillo's 18 published works (excluding Amazons by Cleo Birdwell), I have five remaining. These consist of three novels (End Zone, Great Jones Street, and Ratner's Star) and two plays (The Day Room and Valparaiso). I look forward to exploring these remaining works and further immersing myself in the unique world that DeLillo has created.

Today we read this play in North American literature class.

Honestly, the class was a bit boring. However, I found the book really interesting.

The author's way of bringing up the delicate theme of euthanasia was very subtle. It's a crucial theme.

Lia didn't know if she could follow through with the decision even if Alex asked her to. The question of what peace we mean when we say "this person needs to rest, needs peace" is thought-provoking. Are we really talking about the person or ourselves? Our peace? For the sake of our conscience?

I also found Alex and Toinette's conversations, as well as Alex and Lia's, strong and profound. But the strongest one was the conversation between Alex and Sean, his son.

It was so sad. Sean didn't know his own father, didn't even know how to talk to him or call him. He couldn't even look at him but was still able to make such a big decision. Was Sean thinking about his own peace and rest? Peace from the awkwardness between them and the distance they had built over the years?

I think this play is a good one to reflect on matters like euthanasia and father-and-son relationships. Besides, I thought it was lovely the way they remembered Alex for his love for plants in that conversation.