A Literary Analysis of Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare Essay

Six Degrees of Separation In the play, Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare, the character Paul visits several couples throughout the play. Paul is the one and only character in the play that is Black and the readers do not know much about his past, which isolates him from the rest of the characters in the play. Readers can argue whether if Paul is beneficial to the people he visits, such as when he visits Ouisa and Flan, where he helps them out in several ways or if he is harming the couples he visits, like when he visits Rick and Elizabeth and takes nearly everything that they own. From all the evidence in the play one can argue that Paul is benefitting the richer couples, while he is harming the not so rich couples as well. The first couple Paul visits is Flan and Ouisa Kittredge, who are in the higher end of middle class. In many ways, Paul is beneficial to Flan and Ouisa and there is one harmful act he does to them and that is he takes fifty dollars and uses it for a hustler. Other than that, Paul is more beneficial to Flan and Ouisa than he is with than the not so rich couple. Paul benefits them also in the smallest ways like how he saves them money, like when Ouisa and Flan ask them if he wants to go to him to a restaurant, but he rejects the offer and says that he can cook for them, which he does. Flan tells Paul on the phone that he is helpful getting me this contract (105), this shows how Paul benefits Flan, but in the whole, Paul benefits Ouisa much more. Even though Paul gets Flan a contract, he benefits Ouisa by making her realize a few...