Fifth of July (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Lanford Wilson
- First Published: 1978
- Type of Work: Play
- Genres: Drama, Psychological drama
- Subjects: Values, Tradition, Love or romance, 1940’s, Midwest, Individuality, War, Accountants or accounting
- Locales: Lebanon, MO
The first of Wilson's plays about the Talley family, Fifth of July explores two of the playwright's preoccupations: the need to preserve the past in order to live humanely in the present and the importance to both self and society of embracing one's vocation. Although Fifth of July is an ensemble piece with several protagonists, the focal character is Kenny Tally, who arrived back from the Vietnam War with five citations for bravery but without his legs.
It is 1977, and Kenny is determined not to return to his calling as a high school teacher. Feeling discomfort...
[The entire page is 698 words long]
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