The Bald Soprano Isolation Quotes

Though the Smiths are a married couple sitting in the same room together, they both seem really alone. Mrs. Smith goes on and on about unimportant things, while her husband basically ignores her. There's pretty much no communication going on here at all. Do you think that neither one really cares about their isolation from each other? Could it be that they choose to ignore it? Perhaps, they're not even aware they both are essentially alone.

Whoa, it looks like the Martins are even more isolated than the Smiths. They're so far removed from each other that they don't even remember who the other one is. The fact that they sleep in the same bed every night doesn't even help them remember each other. What could this absurd exaggeration be saying about the state of many married couples? Or people in general for that matter?

In some ways, you could see this "reunion" as a happy moment. The forgetful Martins have managed to remember each other again. However, the fact that they forgot each other in the first place undercuts the happiness of this event. You could interpret this seemingly happy event as satirizing the whole idea union. It could be that though they seem happy now, the Martins are just as isolated from each other as they were before.

Here you go. Mr. Martin says that they should "live as before." If they do that, won't they just forget each other again? It seems like the Martins may never escape their isolation. The play may be asking its audience whether any of us ever truly escape our own loneliness.

Check out all the silence in this "conversation." There's tons of distance between these characters even though their supposed to be old friends. The silence could indicate that they are really quite isolated from one another. It could be said that, in a way, there's silence between all people.

A kiss is pretty universal symbol of union between two people. The Smiths' reluctance to kiss each other may be another indication that they are truly isolated from each other.

Wait…so, Mrs. Smith wouldn't kiss her husband before, but she seems to have no problem planting one on the Fire Chief. What do you think this might say about the Smiths' isolation from each other?

The fiancé in the story gives his bride-to-be some flowers then takes them back for no reason at all. We think there might just be a pretty cynical view of love buried in this little tale. What do you think Mrs. Smith's story might be saying about human isolation?

Here we have another seemingly happy reunion. The Fire Chief and Mary have found each other again after all these years. Notice, though, that later on in the scene the Fire Chief makes no effort to help Mary as the Smiths push her offstage. Also, as far as we know, he doesn't try to see her again before she leaves. It's quite possible the play is satirizing love affairs in general with the Fire Chief and Mary's relationship. What's your opinion? Is love powerful enough to bridge the gap between all people?

The play ends with a long chain of non-sequiturs. Basically, the characters spout a lot of stuff that doesn't seem to be connected in anyway. In some ways, they barely seem to be communicating at all. This lack of communication could be seen as an indication that they are all quite isolated.