Today I watched the play, An Inspector Calls at the Oxford Playhouse. A dark expose of the evils of capitalism and social stratification, it tells the story of an upper-class family in 1910 who is enjoying their evening of wine and merry-making until a mysterious inspector calls. As the plot unfolds, the inspector reveals each family member’s role in the suicide of Eva Smith, a nothing girl from the working class. At the end, some characters return to their lives of ignorance and callousness, as if nothing had happened. The play emphasizes our social interdependence and communal responsibility, prompting us to think twice about what effect our actions, no matter how negligible they may seem to us, may have on others.  When I returned from the playhouse, I was so jarred that I could not start working until I had mellowed out for a while. Even now, as the  music from the official website plays in the background, thinking about it gives me chills. I highly recommend watching this if you are looking for something to see on West End.

As I left the playhouse, a homeless man asked me for some change. Out of habit, I responded that I was sorry and didn’t have any change. He then said, with a tone of desperation, “please”. I saw in his eyes a spark of genuineness, as if he wouldn’t really be begging for money if he actually had any other choice. Yet, I just continued walking. Am I like the characters in this play? Have I been illuminated about the evils of our society, only to return to that  lifestyle?

5/4/3 Almost done with classes, but its 2 am and I have to wake up at 8!