Plot Summary Of 'Crimes Of The Heart'

Words: 2112
Pages: 9

The “Crimes of the Heart” that the characters commit drive the play into the main events that unfold. Instead of facing the truth behind her infertility issue and telling her pen pal boyfriend about her serious health problem, Lenny breaks up with him. She sadly accepts that she will live a lonely life, without a husband or a family to call her own. Babe only married Zachary for his wealth and power in the community because she was influenced in doing so. She was so young to marry, and she did not do it out of love for the man. The man seemingly did it so he could have one of the prettiest ladies in town on his arm. It lead to an affair with Willie Jay, which back then interracial relationships were not accepted in that part of the country. …show more content…
This is very important since it is a comedic play. It would not have been very funny if the sisters’ relationships were not repaired and everyone was left on stage unhappy. All of the sisters’ conflicts are resolved (at the moment) during the end of the play. The root cause of Lenny’s mental anguish over being infertile is lifted when she gets her man back. He was completely okay with her not being able to have children because he loved her so dearly. It was a bit worrisome to see Babe have multiple attempted suicides, although who thought a topic like that could be made funny? Banging her head on the oven door and her sister rescuing her let the audience have some comic relief. Although it is in this scene that Babe comes to terms with why their mother killed herself and their family cat. Babe says (with enlightenment), “It’s ‘cause she was afraid of dying all alone,” (pg. 60). It is in realizing that her mother just did not want to go by herself where Babe finds the most comfort in Crimes of the Heart. We saw the foreshadowing when Meg is upset upon learning that Doc has a wife and two children, but she gets her man back just like Lenny! Their romantic night under the stars is just what Meg needed in her life. She lifted all of that weight she carried with her off her chest by taking the risk and telling Doc about her failed career and hospitalization in Hollywood. He could have turned around and walked away in that moment, but he chose to be happy and stay with her. All three sisters get what they didn’t have in the beginning of the play. With Granddad slipping into a coma and final arrangements being made, their lives will be cleansed of all the pain that took place during the past five years in their southern