Essay Topics for Long Day's Journey Into Night

1. This play is rich in imagery. Select one of the following images and do the following with it. Discuss its context (where it shows up in the play), how it reflects and deepens a particular character, and how it amplifies a particular theme. Images to consider: fog/foghorn, the sea, ghosts of the past, the Convent, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the wedding dress. Have fun with this topic!

2. This play is filled with thematic threads that run through the work, creating a tapestry of ideas. Take one of the following "thematic threads" and discuss how it is worked throughout the play. Also, consider how this particular thread connects to the four principal characters in the play. Thematic threads:

**Mary's marriage to James Tryone; life "on the road" in "second-rate hotels"

**James Tyrone's "miserly" ways throughout their marriage

**the promise of Jamie's success versus his seeming failure in the present

**James Tyrone's early ambitions (career; property) versus his epiphany of his part in the disintegration of his family

**references to Ireland and the Irish

**Mary's recurring obsession with images of the past as accumulating "symptoms" of her imminent breakdown

3. This play is famous for its almost claustrophic setting (an old, two-story house). Write an essay in which you discuss the role that the setting has on the play as a whole (its relation to the characters, to thematic ideas, to the overall atmosphere).

4. Select one of the four characters from this play and discuss this character's "function" in the work. Consider how the play would be different if ANY one of these characters were missing. In essence, you're writing a full-fledged character analysis of your selected character, so consider such aspects as physiognomy (physical appearance), psychological depth, transformation/change/development, and the like.

5. Discuss the structure of this play. Why do you think O'Neill chose to tell the story in the span of about 18 hours? What is the effect of telling/structuring the play in this manner? Consider, also, the importance of the title of the play. Finally, think about the opening and closing scenes of this play. Do you see a particular pattern or progression?

6. This prompt is for actors/actresses! You've been given one of the four parts in O'Neill's classic play. If you were to perform this role, what preparation would you need? What techniques would you need to employ to pull this performance off? What are the pitfalls/obstacles to taking on a role of this stature? What would you bring (in terms of acting technique) to this role? This is a risky, but interesting, topic. Only the brave should attempt it. :)

7. This is a play rich in light and dark imagery. In fact, one can see this as a play overflowing with contrasts (light and dark, noise and silence, movement and stillness, downstairs and upstairs, inside and outside, drunk and sober, awake and dreaming). Write an essay in which you consider what you feel are the vital contrasts at work in this play.

8. How do drugs and alcohol function within this play? Discuss the role they have in the lives of the Tyrones and the role they have from a literary standpoint.

9. Discuss the role of lying/deception in this play. Who lies to whom, when do they lie and why? How are lies treated by O'Neill, and what part do they have in the play as a whole?

10. Discuss O'Neill's use of broken dreams in the play. What do they mean to the characters, and what do they symbolize? How are the dynamics between characters affected by broken dreams?