True West Act 2, Scene 7 Summary

  • Lee struggles to write and to figure out how typewriter ribbon works. (This is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Typewriter ribbon can be mean.)
  • Since Lee has turned himself into a writer, Austin decides to turn himself into a thief like Lee. This might be the clearest picture of these two brothers secretly wanting to be the other that we see in the play. They argue and fight and attack each other, but they're willing to admit earlier in the play that they were each always a little jealous of the other. Now they have their chance to see how the other half lives. Lee writes, and Austin starts talking about robbing people.
  • Lee again asks Austin for help writing. As is often the case with these two, this leads to an argument and a discussion about their father.