The Road to Mecca

Analyze Elsa’s story about the woman on the side of the road. Why does it speak to Elsa the way it does, and how does it tie into the play’s larger themes?

Examine the relationship between Marius and Helen. Is he in love with her as Elsa claims? How does Helen appear to feel toward him, despite her eschewing the Christian church and shutting herself in?

The play frequently brings up the notion of racial inequality in apartheid-era South Africa. How does this idea tie into Helen and Elsa’s story, beyond serving as a backdrop to the society they’re living in?