Conflict & Pardox Paragraphs for LDJiN

Conflict -

The Tyrone family, characters within the work Long Day's Journey into Night, are imprisoned by their surroundings. The Tao House, the one setting throughout the play serves as the holding cell for the family. Never experiencing the truest sense of the word home, the Tyrones have moved location to location for James' career. As an actor, James and Mary were consistently on the road oftentimes with baby Jaime in tow. During the entirety of the play, Mary complains to James how they have never had a permanent residence; they only ever live in apartments or the summer house. This detachment from the house creates and sets up the idea of detachment within the family. The characters merely exist in this house rather than live, just passing through the days under the pretense of living. This isolation from not only themselves but from others derives from the lack of connection with the world; due to that, the Tao House could never truly be a home. Strong bonds with self and society are pivotal for such a feat; the Tyrones will never have that nor will they be able to. Constant fighting, drugs, alcohol - the phrase "Home Sweet Home" could not be portrayed any better.



Paradox -

The entirety of Long Day's Journey into Night takes place in the Tao House, the summer abode for the Tyrones. Tao represents the flow of the universe, usually in a peaceful and tranquil way; the events that occur within this house are a perfect example of a paradox. The characters consistently attack each other, resorting to mental and emotional abuse through the recollection of memories. Mary brings up the fact that her morphine addiction lays solely on James and his laissez-faire attempts for sanatoriums to cure her problems. This one act sends James on a tyrannical venture to make Jaime realize his failure in life and point out that he is a hopeless case stuck in a never ending cycle of mediocrity. When the characters are not demeaning their fellow family members they attack themselves by bringing attention to their failed attempts and insecurities. Mary and Edmund have even gone so far as to attempt suicide in order to achieve true inner peace. The great irony behind the name of the Tao House can only be appreciated and noticed after analyzing O'Neill's play. The Tyrones are all attempting to seek tranquility while roaming through the microcosm of chaos; however, the characters are dead set on the past, projecting themselves onto the path to the dark side.