True West Freedom and Confinement Quotes

Ah, the gentle sounds of the suburbs. They also happen to drive Lee absolutely insane.

Lee sees the life that Austin has chosen for himself as absolute confinement. So much so that he drops a ridiculous excuse as to why he won't go stay with Austin just to change the subject.

Yep. Even the coyotes are better in the desert.

See, it's not just coyotes. Everything about the desert is better as far as Lee is concerned. The desert offers freedom. Society offers nothing but confinement and weather that is either too hot or too cold.

Sometimes it's tough to get a read on Lee. It looks like he's just pointing out how a normal life brings nothing but confinement and death, but he goes on to say that he wishes he had grown up in a place like the one he's describing. Beneath all of the violence and yelling, Lee is actually a pretty complex cat.

It's not just the sounds of the city that are the problem for Lee—it's also Austin. Lee lumps his brother in with everything that bothers him about the city.

The outdoors are calling to Austin. He's lost his project and now he's ready to find freedom outside (or at least inside other homes when he's stealing their toasters).

Austin taps into something that Lee might not be willing to accept. Even if they leave and head to the desert, they will never be fully free. Someone will always know where they are or will be able to find them. Not even their father could totally vanish.

Sure, Lee, it's the heat of the 'burbs keeping you from writing your script, it's not that you're totally crazy.

"Once and for all" makes this line near the end of the play stand out. Lee has left many times before, but something has always brought him back. This time, he might just make a clean break for good. Of course, Austin won't hear it, so he starts a full-on brawl with his brother.