Amber Magny Magny 1

Fefu and Her Friends

Marion Wright- THE 2000 SEC 503

Written by Maria Irene Fornes, the play Fefu and Her Friends, circles around the

ideology of feminism. In that, it emphasizes gender roles, social stereotypes of women, and

identity crisis. While the play does not necessarily have a set pattern in the way that it was

directed, it portrays the pressure that women face trying to juggle all these difficulties in

everyday life. While feminism is the main thought, there is also a constant presence of male

dominance that permeates throughout. In defense against this aura, the female characters created

a sense of comradery. With this, they each shared their conflicts and how to cope with them. In

some cases, the characters did not have a specific strategy to handle the identity crisis. While this

plunges into topics that society typically avoids, this play brings awareness to the necessity to

answer questions pertaining to gender, sexuality, and roles.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION POINTS

1. The play is about eight powerful women who came together in Fefu’s house, to plan out

their speech for a fundraising event on education. Within one day of the characters being

together, they separate and move to different sections of the house due to a clash in

personalities and different agendas. Throughout the play, the audience is given a full

show of each character as they move throughout the sections of the home. Each character

struggles through some form of unhappiness, identity crisis, stress, drama, or even

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delusions. Despite these struggles, the women are also shown as strong and powerful

with their fight against the odds and not giving up.

2. The five most important characters of the play are Fefu, Cindy, Christina, Paula, and

Cecilia.

Fefu is the main character, the plot of the play revolves around her. She is

portrayed as someone who outgoing and friendly. She can be wild and unpredictable. She

is very knowledgeable about politics and is aware of the problems around her. She

impacts the world of the play by with her personality her ideas and ideologies. She dealt

with many issues that other women could relate to. Though, one could see that she was

also unhappy with her marriage. She felt lonely and sought for her husband’s affection

desperately. Her coping mechanism was to be silly and outrageous. Other took this to

mean that she was okay, when in fact, she was hurting underneath the shell.

Paula and Cecilia’s relationship seem to be one of distance. Despite this, it is also

hinted in the play that they could be possibly lovers whom are still working on their

relationship. Paula is an educated individual with a well-off financial status. Some

aspects of her life appear to be stable, however, she is also unhappy. Her insecurity about

her life and sexual preferences play a big role in her unhappiness. She wants to be with

Cecilia, however she also does not want to be abused. Cecilia on the other hand does not

have much structure to her character. She portrays the typical male, in that she does not

try to make herself available yet continues to string along Paula’s heart.

Cindy and Christina appear to have a good relationship. They were the first to

arrive at this gathering. They were a bit uncomfortable and did not know how to handle

Fefu’s personality. Cindy portrayed a considerate and kindhearted character. She knew
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that Christina was not familiar with this group of people, so she attempted to make the

situation as comfortable as possible. Cindy impacts the world of the play because she is

someone that a lot of people can relate to. She kept her feelings inside and does not speak

about her tribulations. She may have dealt with depression and unhappiness, but she was

afraid to voice her opinion due to the fear of other’s judgment. Christina impacts the

world of the play because as an outsider she quickly realized that the relationship

between Fefu and her husband was toxic rather than playful. She was able to see the

environment for what it really was.

3. The three most important themes include isolation, entrapment, and delusion.

Isolation is portrayed in the play using gender roles. If a woman were to have too

strong of a personality or trait, then she was considered manly. Take for example Fefu,

she was more outgoing and exotic than the other female characters. As a result, she was

isolated by them, being termed a fool. The others did not confine in her as much due to

her manly features, causing her to be somewhat isolated.

Another important theme is delusion. There was a constant trait of delusion in

each of the characters. Fefu was delusional about her husband’s love, thinking that she

needed him to continue, even though she knew that his affection was long gone. Julia,

however, personified delusion considering that there was an entire Act emphasizing it.

Throughout the entire play, she believed that her legs could not work, when in fact she

could walk just fine.

All of the women portrayed characteristics of entrapment by societal norms. Fefu

was entrapped by her idea that men were easier to deal with than women, causing her to
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refrain from truly being close to the other women. Entrapped in the womanly traits of a

man’s desire, Julia experiences an identity crisis. She continuously goes back and forth

between how a woman should be and men think a woman should be.

4. This play was written during the 1970s, the time in which social norms were officially

beginning to shift. During this time period, women, African Americans, and the LGBTQ

community fought for their equality and respect. The process included harassment, verbal

and physical abuse, as well as unfair treatment in the workplace against these members.

Society labeled these individuals as mentally ill, or socially inept. However, this did not

stop their pursuit and they quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Society was

forced to move in a different direction, as these groups strove to find their place. Their

efforts especially came to fruition with their first pride march (Morris).

On the other hand, the time in which the play was set is in the 1930’s. During this

period, women had no say in society, could not voice their concern, and essentially had

no place in society. They were seen as an ornament piece to be worn at the hip for all to

see. People with different sexual orientations were also being prosecuted at this time.

Many were literally killed within their homes for seeking love with the same genders.

The push for same-sex equality was not as popular in the 1930s, if not abhorred. Straight

male dominance took over society in the 1930s and still hold a powerful position in the

1970s, despite the efforts the fight against it (Plaster).

5. In a time were women equality was the focus, this play brought a new perspective to its

spectators. It portrays the struggle that many women face in a male-dominated society.

One can see the different type of demons that many women must fight. Just like some of
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the women of their time, they were dealing with things like loneliness, oppression, and

inadequacy. Those women felt powerless. They were fighting a fight that they know that

they could not win. The play brought to life some uncommon issues that people of this

time would not think of. It vividly portrays love between two women Which at the time

was taboo and not socially accepted.

6. Fefu and her friends was written by Maria Irene Fornes in the 1970s but was actually

performed in 1977. It first premiered at the New York Theatre Strategy, a team that was

formed by Maria in 1973. The play, since 1977, has been a classic that is commonly

played around the world. Many have fallen in love with its story, even in this current

generation 2019. In the upcoming future, it will even be played off Broadway at New

Year in December 2019 (Gale).

7. Like most people, I attempted to infer what the play was about through the title. At first, I

assumed that the play would be lighthearted and comical. I came to find, that it was

anything but that. While one part of my assumption was correct, Fefu and her friends is

something deeper than the comical front that it portrays. Behind the scenes, it emphasizes

the struggles of women in society. Behind the pretty face and outward appearance,

women go through much more than a man would think. Women struggle with finding a

balance between being sensual and caring, as well as being independent and dependent.

There are many assumptions that are put on a woman’s shoulders.

8. An important story that was told through the play is that a woman is much more than

what society portrays her to be. Despite how her outer ward appearance may look, she

also has internal conflicts. Each woman in the play portrays a different yet similar

conflict in that it derives from the same origin, men. Even though the issues derive from
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the same origin, the solutions were found within themselves. Each individual had to come

up with a different coping mechanism.

9. I feel that the play coincides with my life almost perfectly. I am entrapped in the

ideologies that other people have about me. Just like the women in the play, I concern

myself with society’s expectations. I am too concerned with other’s opinions of me, as

well as being infatuated with a significant other who lost affection for me. My goal has

turned into completing the goal of others. Just as Julia was obsessed about being an

object of adoration to men, I am also obsessed with being that feminine figure that

society deems attractive. A lot of the features of the play portray my past experiences, as

well as current.

10. Three new ideas that I discovered were parts, education being a shackle, as well as

female mockery being seen as entertainment.

The first thing that I noticed was the separation of the play. Instead of acts, the

play is separated by parts. This shows that there is a correlation between all the parts in

the play. With the play being orchestrated in a random part, this small difference in

wording helps the audience to subconsciously connect the messages together.

Education is not normally viewed as a shackle in society, but an advancement.

Education is a double-edged sword. While it may help to better an individual in life with

a career as the end goal, it can be negative with factors such as stress, as portrayed in the

play with the presentation.

Mockery of a women’s mistakes are sometimes viewed as a source of

entertainment, despite the negativity associated with it. It is a subconscious act of society
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that not many people tend to notice. Take for example Fefu’s constant mockery of a

woman’s foolhardiness in keeping up appearances.

11. The first question that I would like to ask the playwright is, “How did you come up with

the themes throughout the play? Did you personally experience all of them and how did

you overcome it, if you did?” Another question would be, “What inspired you to use

multiple setting throughout the play? What did you want to portray with it?”
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Bibliography

Fife, Stephen. One on One: the Best Monologues for Mature Actors. Applause Theatre &

Cinema Books, An Imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation, 2015.

Figure 8 Teatre Trouoe. “Fefu and Her Friends.” Kickstarter,

www.kickstarter.com/projects/figure8troupe/fefu-and-her-friends.

Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Maria Irene Fornes's ""Fefu and Her Friends, ""

Excerpted from Gale's Acclaimed Drama For Students. This Concise Study Guide Includes

Plot Summary; Character Analysis; Author Biography; Study Questions; Historical

Context; Suggestions for f. Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016.

Morris, Bonnie J. “History of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Social Movements.”

American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association,

www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/history.

Plaster, Joey. “Fears of Homosexuality, Sex Education, and Resistance to Social Rules.” Oberlin

College LGBT Community History Project, 2007, www.oberlinlgbt.org/behind-the-

masks/the-interwar-period/interwar-4/.
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