What the Constitution Means to Me

Content Warning: This guide includes discussions about domestic violence, violence/rape against women, incestuous rape, child abuse, human trafficking, and abortion.

Heidi is a 45-year-old woman who is both the playwright and playing herself as the lead character. She is also the person whose memory and perception provide the lens through which the audience sees the world of the play. As a teenager, Heidi discovered that she had a talent for arguing in favor of the Constitution. It’s not surprising that as she traveled around the country, participating in a contest that urges debaters to make personal connections to the document rather than take a critical stance, Heidi grew to love the Constitution. One of the stated purposes of the competition is to teach young people to appreciate the Constitution and understand their responsibilities and obligations as citizens. By alternating between her younger self and her current self without affecting teenager mannerisms, Heidi shows the contrast between herself at 15 years old and now as an adult. As a teen, Heidi’s enthusiasm for the Constitution is sincere. It hasn’t failed her yet, and she is still caught up in the possibilities of its promise.