For example, at the beginning of the second act the stage manager states “You’ve got to love life to have life, and you’ve got to have life to love life…it’s what they call a vicious cycle” (Wilder, 49) establishing a paradox of life, one that must be lived in order to be truly appreciated. Moreover, opening the third act the stage manager tells the audience “we all know something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars…everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that has something to do with human beings” (Wilder, 87-88) creating the central idea that the things in life don’t matter, but rather the relationships established are what is truly important. Furthermore, following her death Emily tells Mrs. Gibbs and the rest of the dead, “I’ve never realized before how troubled and how…how in the dark live persons are” (Wilder, 97) which establishes Wilder’s ideal that live people are missing out on living. Additionally, Emily asks “do any human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute” (Wilder, 108) further establishing that so many people are missing out on their lives instead of appreciating it while they can. In addition, defeated Emily states “they don’t understand, do they” (Wilder, 111) furthering the strong sense that there is…