In Lynn Nottage’s play Sweat, there are no characters that do not play a vital role in storytelling, even the minor ones. For instance, Jason’s interactions with a parole officer Evan become significant in his development. The author manages to successfully use this character to advance the drama in the story. As an example, he genuinely tries to support Jason in his struggles to integrate back into society after imprisonment. It seems as Evan sees through Jason’s aggressive demeanor and recognizes the fact that he is feeling shameful about his conviction. The officer encourages Jason to be frank with him about his problems, even though Jason is reluctant and rude.
Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that Evan is patient and willingly takes every offensive word that Jason says. When the man clearly expresses his anger and refuses to cooperate, Evan threatens him to write a report, which is going to declare that Jason is “belligerent, defiant and reluctant to observe protocol” (Nottage 8). While this characteristic correctly describes Jason, it can negatively impact the former prisoner’s life. That is why the police officer’s threat calms Jason down, and his answer becomes a starting point for a productive conversation.
Nottage does not only use Evan to advance Jason’s story. He becomes a voice of reason for the irritated and racist Jason, in a direct manner, recommends him to get rid of his offensive facial tattoos because they might create more trouble for him. In addition, the officer is the first man who teaches Jason a valuable lesson about reconciliation as he advises making peace with Oscar and Stan. This conversation at the very beginning of the play turns out to be one of the key points that lead to a positive conclusion of the story. It would seem that the author created this character to use him as a stimulus for Jason to change for the better.
As short descriptions are important for all plays, in Nottage’s case, they set a special atmosphere. For instance, one of the key points of the first scene is the statement, according to which, “the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points, making the large single-day decline in stock market history” (Nottage 7). This particular quote mentions the stock market crash that occurred in 2008 and negatively impacted the lives of almost all Americans. By referring to this event, the author tries to make the audience relate to the story. Furthermore, Nottage decided to focus on events that occurred no longer than 20 years ago. Due to the relevant nature of these incidents, many viewers will recognize them and create a connection between what happened in real life and on stage. By using this method Nottage is trying to make the audience immerse in the story and make associations with the characters fully.
Jason and Chris are one of the most important pairings of this play since their story conveys a vital message about forgiveness to the audience. At first sight, these two people seem like an unlikely duet. While Chris is an African American man with great ambitions and a more considerate nature, Jason is rude, racist, and unapologetic. In addition, he did not have any aspirations aside from getting a motorcycle. It is ironic that both of them succumb to blind rage and get into trouble by beating Stan and Oscar. However, their stories of reconciliation are similar since, in the end, they manage to overcome their self-destructive habits. By pairing these characters, Nottage wants to demonstrate that everyone is capable of redemption.
Work Cited
Nottage, Lynn. Sweat (TCG Edition). Theatre Communications Group, 2017.