Norman, Marsha : 'night, mother

Literature Annotations

Genre	Play
Keywords	Communication, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Suffering, Suicide
Summary	A daughter and her mother play out a psychological drama that is the culmination of a lifetime of poor communication and limited understanding. Laced with humor and a bit of the macabre, the scenes in this short, two-act play work inexorably toward the climax--suicide of the daughter and incomplete resolution of the mother’s confusion.
Commentary	A useful study of one presentation of suicidal ideation, and the potential effects of caregiver denial. The dynamics of poor communication and inadequate listening are beautifully dramatized, giving the opportunity for the student to examine how family disconnects can occur in such a setting.
Publisher	Noonday
Edition	1983
Place Published	New York
Miscellaneous	First published: 1983 (Hill and Wang)
Annotated by	Willms, Janice L.
Date of Entry	05/11/95
Last Revised	09/01/06