ENG3704 Assignment 3
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
2025 - DUE 15 September 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, The Bildungsroman Journey of Arnold Beckoff in Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy may be read as a powerful and deeply personal
bildungsroman, or a narrative of personal growth, in which its protagonist, Arnold Beckoff,
navigates a complex journey toward maturity and self-actualization. Arnold’s maturation is not a
simple linear progression but a difficult and often painful process of overcoming significant
emotional and psychological hurdles. The central conflicts he must resolve are twofold: an
internal struggle to define himself and find happiness outside of conventional norms, and an
external battle against pervasive social prejudice that challenges his very right to exist as a gay
man. While Arnold’s emotional growth is a key component of the trilogy, it is inextricably
linked to, and in many ways defined by, his endurance and eventual triumph over a hostile
society.
The first major obstacle Arnold faces is his own deeply ingrained need for conventional love and
acceptance. In the first play, “International Stud,” Arnold's lament for a stable relationship and a
traditional family unit is palpable. His affair with Ed, a bisexual teacher, highlights his
vulnerability and desperation. Arnold wants what he believes everyone else has: a loving partner,
a house, and a family. He is not just looking for a fling; he is looking for a lifetime. His heartfelt,
tearful monologues to the audience and his willingness to endure Ed's ambivalence and eventual
marriage to Laurel demonstrate a certain emotional immaturity, where his self-worth is still
contingent on the validation of others. He is still in the process of learning to love himself first,
independent of external affirmation. The second act, "Fugue in a Laundry," sees Arnold still
grappling with this unfulfilled desire. The fugue-like conversations between Arnold, Ed, and
Laurel reveal a desperate attempt to find a sense of family and stability, even if it is a messy and
unconventional one. Arnold's inability to fully detach from Ed, even as he builds a new life for
himself, shows his enduring struggle to overcome the pain of unrequited love and the desire for a
happiness he has been told he can’t have.
However, many of Arnold’s personal challenges are directly attributable to the social prejudice
he faces as a gay man in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Society's refusal to recognize gay
relationships as legitimate is the foundation of his emotional turmoil. The most poignant example
of this social prejudice is his relationship with his mother. Her visit in “Widows and Children
First!” is the dramatic culmination of this conflict. Arnold's mother represents a traditional,
conservative societal view that sees his life as a tragedy and a choice to be pitied rather than a
valid existence to be respected. Her repeated criticisms, from her disapproval of his flamboyant
lifestyle to her refusal to accept his desire to adopt a child, are a constant source of pain. The
obstacle for Arnold here is not just his mother's personal opinion, but the larger societal
judgment she embodies. She tells him, "I don't know what you want from me. You want me to be
proud of you for having a family? Is that what it is? Why is it you never listen to the people who
love you?" Her words, framed as a concern for his well-being, are in fact a powerful
manifestation of homophobic prejudice, denying his right to love and be loved in the way he
chooses. Arnold's growth is demonstrated in this act not by his capitulation but by his firm and
dignified stand against her.
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
2025 - DUE 15 September 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, The Bildungsroman Journey of Arnold Beckoff in Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy may be read as a powerful and deeply personal
bildungsroman, or a narrative of personal growth, in which its protagonist, Arnold Beckoff,
navigates a complex journey toward maturity and self-actualization. Arnold’s maturation is not a
simple linear progression but a difficult and often painful process of overcoming significant
emotional and psychological hurdles. The central conflicts he must resolve are twofold: an
internal struggle to define himself and find happiness outside of conventional norms, and an
external battle against pervasive social prejudice that challenges his very right to exist as a gay
man. While Arnold’s emotional growth is a key component of the trilogy, it is inextricably
linked to, and in many ways defined by, his endurance and eventual triumph over a hostile
society.
The first major obstacle Arnold faces is his own deeply ingrained need for conventional love and
acceptance. In the first play, “International Stud,” Arnold's lament for a stable relationship and a
traditional family unit is palpable. His affair with Ed, a bisexual teacher, highlights his
vulnerability and desperation. Arnold wants what he believes everyone else has: a loving partner,
a house, and a family. He is not just looking for a fling; he is looking for a lifetime. His heartfelt,
tearful monologues to the audience and his willingness to endure Ed's ambivalence and eventual
marriage to Laurel demonstrate a certain emotional immaturity, where his self-worth is still
contingent on the validation of others. He is still in the process of learning to love himself first,
independent of external affirmation. The second act, "Fugue in a Laundry," sees Arnold still
grappling with this unfulfilled desire. The fugue-like conversations between Arnold, Ed, and
Laurel reveal a desperate attempt to find a sense of family and stability, even if it is a messy and
unconventional one. Arnold's inability to fully detach from Ed, even as he builds a new life for
himself, shows his enduring struggle to overcome the pain of unrequited love and the desire for a
happiness he has been told he can’t have.
However, many of Arnold’s personal challenges are directly attributable to the social prejudice
he faces as a gay man in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Society's refusal to recognize gay
relationships as legitimate is the foundation of his emotional turmoil. The most poignant example
of this social prejudice is his relationship with his mother. Her visit in “Widows and Children
First!” is the dramatic culmination of this conflict. Arnold's mother represents a traditional,
conservative societal view that sees his life as a tragedy and a choice to be pitied rather than a
valid existence to be respected. Her repeated criticisms, from her disapproval of his flamboyant
lifestyle to her refusal to accept his desire to adopt a child, are a constant source of pain. The
obstacle for Arnold here is not just his mother's personal opinion, but the larger societal
judgment she embodies. She tells him, "I don't know what you want from me. You want me to be
proud of you for having a family? Is that what it is? Why is it you never listen to the people who
love you?" Her words, framed as a concern for his well-being, are in fact a powerful
manifestation of homophobic prejudice, denying his right to love and be loved in the way he
chooses. Arnold's growth is demonstrated in this act not by his capitulation but by his firm and
dignified stand against her.
