Our Town Drugs and Alcohol

In Our Town, the abuse of alcohol is used to illuminate the dark side of small town life. Other than a brief attempt by Mr. Webb, no one reaches out to Simon Stimson (the town drunk). Instead, Simon’s antics are a source of gossip for the town. His presence in the play serves to show that not everything is peachy in Grover’s Corners.

Questions About Drugs and Alcohol

1. Is alcohol viewed in a positive or negative light in Our Town?
2. What is the effect of having the town drunk be a character? Of him being the church choir director?

Chew on This

Simon Stimson’s problem with alcohol shows that even small towns are not utopias.