Labute’s Fat Pig is play of its kind. Its title is offensive and even meant to shock. The play revolves around four major characters; Helen who is a heavy woman; Tom a young professional man and who feel so uncomfortable and insecure more than one could wish; Carter who is a handsome male colleague who has the tendency of saying horrible prejudices that honest individuals restrain and lastly is Jeannie a beautiful and attractive young lady who is completely opposite of the heavy woman. The play displays challenges faced by Tom after he falls in love with Helen. He is not comfortable to be seen with her by her workmates. In regards to Tom his could be regarded as a tragic.
Based on the informal survey it is usually evident that young men talk too much about girls’ physical appearance without touching on their personalities. The assumption is that a woman is subject to evaluation in an attempt to put her on a given scale. Ladies also are not left behind on this. They discuss about men to each other and even to men (Mackintosh, Robert, 43). Based on this informal survey, the reason why Tom is scared being seen with the heavy woman comes out clearly. The challenges faced by Tom can well be illustrated by use of Hegel ideas. In his theory, Hegel believes that what is considered rational is the only real thing. The major aim was bring reality into a more synthetic unity. Tom ought to take things they are and accept them the way they are. For instance, she feels ashamed of Helen physical appearance. Reality is the key to all Hegel’s arguments. He is convinced with the logic notion of being. In his argument being is not stationary as assumed by Aristotle (Aristotle, Ross, Ackrill, &Urmson, 106). It is therefore dynamic since as time passes by, it eventually changes into nothing and later changes into a better thing by, becoming. For Aristotle being was similar to itself and nothing was definite than being equaled being.
In his argument Aristotle distinguished thing created by art and those of nature. According to him, thing made by art are described as thing hood (Aristotle & In Ross, 98). On the other hand living things are self generating are therefore always developing their being. Being is therefore very dynamic. He further brings out life as not being but coming into-being.
Hegel further develops philosophy of state, history and absolute mind. He argues state of an individual is mind objectified (Toews, John, 66). Therefore personal mind is made up of his passions, prejudices and blind impulses that is only to some extent free but is subject to repression. The repression of necessity is initially realized by acknowledging the rights of others, followed in morality and lastly in social morality in which initial institution is family. All the characters within the play have some kind of envy over each other. Carter in spite of being a great friend of Tom, he is often sarcastic in an attempt to harm him. He does everything to increase Tom’s tragic life within the office. By the idea of Hegel, Carters mind is made up of his passions, prejudices and blind impulses that is only to some extent free but is subject to repression. He does not rights of Tom such as privacy. This evident when he steals Helens Photo and sends it via mail to all the employees within the company (Mackintosh, Robert, 98).
Carter is much attracted to the physical appearance of women and more so views them as sex objects. Despite him talking ill about other, he is also very undesirable. In the notion of Hegel he is striving of becoming better. He does this by regular visits to the gym. After few days, he has the guts of saying some reality about human beings; he says that some individuals are not contented with variation. “You Know? Fags hold up, cripples, fat individuals and old folks. They scare us or somethingThe thing that they symbolize that is so fearsome is what we could be, how vulnerable we are. I mean any of us. Some wrong gene splice, a bad back-flip off the trampoline—too many cartoon of Oreos! d just one step away from what makes us worry and run away. What we despise. So we despise it when we see it in another person.” This is a clear insight of others. In the understanding of Helen this means anybody and she feels that Carters is targeting her. On the other hand Tom understands this means an individual who is attractive and beautiful (Sinnerbrink, Robert, 67)
This can be connected to the philosophy of nature as discussed by Hegel. In this point, the idea of Hegel focuses on the investigation of the development of idea when it focuses on otherness in nature. Based on his assumption this means that the idea has lost its unity. In his opinion, nature shows itself in a situation where successful trials of notions to develop from the state of otherness and comes out to other people in a better, fuller idea, namely, spirit or mind. Therefore, all individuals within the play should understand that nature has a role to play at all times. Therefore the big size of Helen should not be a point of ridiculing her and demeaning her. Additionally, Tom should focus on her love for Helen and do away with any suggestions brought by his workmates.
Hegel father discusses the philosophy of mind. In his argument this starts with accessing of personal or subjective mind (Toews, John, 78). Carter is depicted to be subjective and judges others for their actions. For instance when he discovered about the unusual relationship between Tom and Helen she say, “Tommy joints the Circus.”46 Additionally other characters are also subjective and judgmental. For instance Jeannie says that Tom is a chubby follower. Carter believes that Tom is leaving against his society norms and therefore placed in “Other” status. Further, Carter says, “don’t be surprised when you turn few heads down at the mall.” 71. He also stresses that Tom is now an object to be observed by different individuals within the society. All the above discussion related to Carter clearly brings out the next phase which is objective mind. This is also referred to as mind objectified in law or morality. According to Tom, one should not be restricted by his art, religion or philosophy. In his knowledge one should be free and go through restriction imposed by otherness (Mackintosh, Robert, 188). According to the play, there is believes among characters individuals should be judged based on physical appearance. However, as a result of freedom that Tom has refuses that this could hinder his love for Helen. He therefore falls in love with her despite lot sarcasm from his colleagues.Tom believes that she has found the love of her life, however showiness on the American culture is a major threat. On his argument, the major hindrance is not on Helen’s Obesity. The major problem is how to deal with the perception brought in by his colleagues of being with her. This fear can be witnessed in that it he is comfortable with her while in private than in public. He goes further to hide her at behind cafeteria and while in the movie theatres (Toews, John, 188).
In the assumption of Hegel, this is connected to influence. Influence can be said to be reaction that an individual has as result of his or her peers regarding a given issue. According to Hedge one is influenced as a result of certain enormity of the scheme of philosophical interpretation which one conceives and partly recognizes. Tom’s decision is influenced by his peers. He feels uncomfortable and he even loses Helen as a result of comments from Jeannie (Toews, John, 201). This is a depiction of lack of principles that will at the end lead Tom in a tragic situation in regards to his social life and also career life.
In his explanation of philosophy of absolute mind, Hegel argues that despite being in the State, mind is restricted by subjection to other minds. Therefore there is always something remaining in an attempt to get freedom. This is usually restricted by such aspects as art, religion and philosophy. This has a lot of influences decision making process. In art, the mind usually has a complete picture as contained in the art material. On the other hand in religion, the mind feels that there is some kind of limitation and finite being. Lastly is philosophy which represent believes and norms put forward by religion and other believes. In his argument both art and religion are comprised in philosophy (Toews, John, 56). Philosophy is therefore freest and highest stage of union of subjective and objective mind and the major aim of development. This argument is connected to the Tom’s decision is leave Helen. His decision was based on the fact that Jeannie’s insult was too much.
In conclusion Labute’s Fat Pig is play of its kind. Its title is offensive and even meant to shock. The play revolves around four major characters; Helen who is a heavy woman; Tom a young professional man and who feel so uncomfortable and insecure more than one could wish; Carter who is a handsome male colleague who has the tendency of saying horrible prejudices that honest individuals restrain and lastly is Jeannie a beautiful and attractive young lady who is completely opposite of the heavy woman. The play displays challenges faced by Tom after he falls in love with Helen. He is not comfortable to be seen with her by her workmates. In regards to Tom his could be regarded as a tragic. The play is tragedy when focused to the Toms perspective. His relation with Helen was a clear indication that this could be his end in growth within the organization. This is clearly supported by the Hegel in his various philosophies. It is therefore worth being keen on all our dealing since it has some impact in our life in one way or another as it was for Tom.
Work Cited
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Aristotle, , W D. Ross, J L. Ackrill, and J O. Urmson. The Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford (Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1998. Internet resource.
Toews, John E. Hegelianism: The Path Toward Dialectical Humanism, 1805-1841. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1980. Print.
Mackintosh, Robert. Hegel and Hegelianism. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1903. Print.
Sinnerbrink, Robert. Understanding Hegelianism. Stocksfield: Acumen, 2007. Internet resource.
Seth, Pringle-Pattison A. Hegelianism and Personality. New York: B. Franklin, 1971. Print.
Wood, Gerald C. Neil Labute: A Casebook. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print.
LaBute, Neil. Fat Pig: A Play. New York: Faber and Faber, 2005. Print.
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