Brighton Beach Memoirs

“I hate my name! Eugene Morris Jerome…It is the second worst name ever given to a male child. The first worst is Haskell Fleischmann…How am I ever going to play for the Yankees with a name like Eugene Morris Jerome?”

This quote shows Eugene’s burgeoning struggles with his developing identity. Throughout the play he grapples with family relationships, teenage sexuality, and financial troubles. Poking fun at his name is one way Eugene tries to assert his independence and agency.

“How would you feel if your entire life depended on what your Uncle Jack decided?...Oh, God, I wish Daddy were alive.”

This quote is indicative of Nora’s arc throughout the play. She grapples with the implications of her father’s death and tries to assert her individuality by making her own decisions. It also pertains to gender, as she expresses discomfort at her future being in the hands of the men in her life.

“Except I’ll have to discuss it with Pop. I know we need the money. But he told me once, you always have to do what you think is right in this world and stand up for your principles.”

Stanley idolizes Jack and frequently places his opinion above all else. He is grappling with subjecting the family to further financial strain because of the weight of his father’s words.