financial insecurity/poverty
Set during the Great Depression, the play follows Bessie Berger and her family as they struggle to survive the economic collapse. Bessie is quite bothered by the sight of people being evicted from their homes and their belongings being tossed into the street.
idealism vs. realism
Many of the men in Bessie's family are idealists who push for socialism. Bessie is more of a realist who focuses on running their home as best as she can.
materialism
This is particularly seen in Ralph, Bessie's son. He complains about the material things he doesn't have, such as skates and tap shoes. Two other characters who represent materialism are Uncle Morty and Moe. Uncle Morty's business thrives despite the state of the economy, and he shows this off by driving a nice car and smoking Cuban cigars. Moe, despite having a disability pension after losing his leg in the First World War, steals in order to live in luxury.
family
Bessie strives to keep her family united and defends each person's character. Another character who represents family is Blanche, a young girl who is constantly placed with other family members because her mother is unable to care for her.
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