Flashbacks In Margaret Edson's Wit

Wit Life altering experiences has the power to change people. In the play “Wit” by Margaret Edson, Vivian began to value kindness. While on her death bed, she realized the of importance human interaction. The overall theme is the significance of humanity. Edson’s use of flashbacks emphasizes Vivian’s transformation from a researched based individual to someone who values humanity. The first flashback emphasizes how controlling and arrogant Vivian was at the beginning of the play. During her appointment with Kelekian: KELEKIAN. Insidious means undetectable at an— VIVIAN. Insidious means treacherous. KELEKIAN. Shall I continue? VIVIAN. By all means (8).
Vivian felt the need to prove to Kelekian that she knows more than him by correcting
him. This an example of Vivian showing off her familiarity with words. During the transition between the first and second flashback Vivian says about herself: “And I know for a fact that I am tough. A demanding professor. Uncompromising. Never one to turn from a challenge” (12). Here is an example of Vivian’s arrogance. Instead of inner monologue about her diagnosis, her aside was focused on what she can accomplish. This flashback emphasizes how Vivian was in the beginning of play. Vivian’s controlling nature becomes apparent when Kelekian advises her not to teach, “Out of the question” (11). Instead of taking Kelekian’s advice; she still wants to control her life. She is unable to understand anything besides her research and scholarship. Vivian busied herself with “Insidious. Hmm. Curious word choice. Cancer. Cancel” instead of listening to information related to treatment (8). This is an example of Vivian trying to take control of the situation. She uses her knowledge of words like a defense mechanism. Vivian was unconsciously uncomfortable with the subject matter. So she thought about something more comforting. This highlights how much Vivian values words over herself.
Vivian’s paralleled reactions to her diagnosis and paper reveals how detached she is from herself. Her reactions in both situations, “It was something of a shock. I had to sit down,” emphasizes her value in research and scholarship (7). She saw something as crucial as being sick with cancer equal to having to redo a paper. In this instance the audience gets a view of Vivian’s character. She takes her research in higher regard than her health. The end of her college flashback: “Simple human truth, uncompromising scholarly standards? They’re connected? I just couldn’t…I went back to the library” (15). Vivian has a difficult time understanding the concept of life outside research and scholarship. She is unable to comprehend that there can be a balance between humanity and her research. Vivian returning to the library instead of taking E.M advice establishes her choosing scholarship.
Vivian’s reaction to her paper in graduate school highlights how much she values research and scholarship. During her meeting with her professor, Vivian failed to understand the life lesson being taught to her. E.M’s advice: “It is not wit, Miss Bearing. It is truth. The paper’s not the point…Use your intelligence. Don’t go back to the library. Go out. Enjoy yourself with friends” (15). Vivian is so infatuated by her research that she is unable to see anything besides it. This scene provides context for Vivian as a character. She was unable to comprehend applying research to her life. Instead she hides behind her scholarship. This is why Vivian didn’t have friends; she couldn’t connect to others.
Vivian’s interactions with her father gives context to her detached behavior. On Vivian’s birthday her father is described as: “Disinterested but tolerant, never distracted from his newspaper” (41). Despite how detached her father was to her, Vivian saw their interaction as nothing out of the ordinary. Vivian’s reaction to her father telling her “Read another” was to “I think I’ll read another” (41). In this scene Vivian nor her father referred to each other by name. Her nonsocial behavior is in her nature. This is one of the reasons why Vivian is so disconnected with her students. She was never properly taught how to give affection to others. In addition, it’s a fault of her personality.
At a young age Vivian had a strong interest in words. On her fifth birthday, Vivian and her father had a conversation about: MR. BEARING. Sound it out. VIVIAN. Sop—or—fic. Sop—or—i—fic. Soporific. What does that mean? MR. BEARING. Soporific. Causing sleep. VIVIAN. Causing sleep. MR. BEARING. Makes you sleepy. VIVIAN. ‘Soporific’ means ‘makes you sleepy.’ Soporific (42).
This flashback helps the reader understand Vivian as a character. Vivian has been socially detached since she was a child. Her love for words also travels back into her childhood. This further emphasizes her change by the end of the play. Vivian’s flashbacks to her teaching days highlights her shift from solely valuing wit and research to gaining humanity. Her conversations with Jason parallels the relationship she once had with her students. Jason was more concerned about his research instead of Vivian: JASON. Professor Bearing, who is the President of the United States? VIVIAN. I’m fine, really. It’s all right. JASON. You sure? I could order a test— VIVIAN. No! No, I’m fine. Just a little tired. JASON. Okay. Look. Gotta go. Keep pushing the fluids. Try for 2,000 a day okay? (58).
Jason was inattentive to Vivian’s needs.
In this case Jason is Vivian’s double: “The young doctor, like the senior scholar” (58). This parallels to Vivian and how she treated her students. Instead of helping her students she only cared about her research. This line is evidence that Vivian is changing, “The senior scholar ruthlessly denied her simpering students the touch of human kindness she now seeks” (58). This tidbit right before Vivian’s flashback emphasizes her
transformation. The first flashback in the series, Vivian demonstrates that she regrets her past behavior.
She asked a random student: “How would you characterize the animating force of this sonnet?” and became upset when the student was unable to answer the question (59). Vivian replied to the student: “I’ll give you a hint. It has nothing to do with football” (59). Then tried to reason with the audience by stating, “Did I say…You don’t know a sonnet from a steak sandwich. By no means.” She notices that her behavior was unsolicited and tries to make sense of it. This is a sign that Vivian is regretting her past behavior. In the flashback she insulted the student, “You can come to this class prepared, or you can excuse yourself from this class, this department, and this university” (60). In the next line she tries to defend her behavior: “Defensively I was teaching him a lesson” (60). Vivian was able to realize her behavior was unnecessary. This scene helps to emphasize her
transformation. The second flashback in the series foreshadows Vivian’s reform. One of her students stated, “I think it’s like he’s hiding. I think he’s really confused, I don’t know, maybe he’s scared, so he hides behind all this complicated stuff, hides behind this wit” (60). This scene verbalizes that Vivian is hiding behind her wit. During the flashback, Vivian was unable to grasp that she “Hides behind wit” (60). Her conversation with a student references her other faults: “They can think for themselves only so long before they begin to self-destruct” and “Suspicious of simplicity” (61). This foreshadows Vivian’s break down and acceptance to simplicity. She couldn’t keep using words as a defense mechanism. Vivian had to face her problems head on; that she was dying. The third flashback in the series emphasizes how much Vivian changed. Vivian was annoyed with a couple students when they said; “pronuncia-see-on” and “gradua-see-on” (62). Vivian took the mocking of her lesson personally “Vivian glowers at them” (62). Vivian saw this as if they were making fun of her; “laughing at the expense of seventeenth century poetry, at my expense” (62). This is when Vivian regarded her research highly. Which is why she was unable to understand the joke. In the following line she realized that she “Admired only the studied application of wit, not the spontaneous eruption” (62). Her aside is evidence that she is changing and is regretting her past behavior. Vivian is staring to understand the importance of human kindness. The final flashback further accentuates Vivian’s reform and regret. Another example of Vivian’s ruthlessness is exhibited. She doesn’t help a student who suffered a loss; “Do what you will, but the paper is due when it is due” (63). Due to her detachment to humanity Vivian was unable to sympathize for her student. Vivian in her aside “I don’t know. I feel so much—what is the word? I look back, I see these scenes, and I…” (63). She regrets treating people cruelly. At this point she starts to understand what her professor was trying to tell her. Instead of using her intelligence for research and scholarship she needs to apply it to her life. She understands the significance of human kindness. The flashbacks helped Vivian realize how necessary humanity is. Before, she was unable to understand its significance due to how she was raised and her personality. After being thrown into a situation where she craved human contact; she finally understood. Humanity is important because it helps build relationships, create a sense of belonging, and trust. In Vivian’s case, she needed human kindness to help her deal with her illness. The flashbacks helps the reader understand how drastic Vivian’s change was. They also served to reveal how important humanity is.