Albee, Edward: 1928 - 2016

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1962 - Thematic Parallels: Destruction of Illusions

Albee, Edward: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1962, ~140pp
The play explores the complexities, illusions, and harsh realities within marriage and American society. Ultimately, it explores the destruction of illusions.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Chopin, Kate: The Awakening, 1899, ~200pp
  The protagonist’s awakening to her own desires and identity leads to the destruction of her illusions about marriage, motherhood, and societal expectations.
  - Both books share nuanced alignments regarding personal identity, the contrast between outward appearances and inner realities, and the psychological toll of societal expectations.
- Cunningham, Michael: A Home at the End of the World, 1990, ~340pp
  This novel explores the search for meaning and belonging, often confronting characters with the harsh realities that contradict their idealized visions of life and relationships.
  - Both works dissect the fragility of human relationships, the illusions that sustain us, and the desperate longing for connection in a world that constantly threatens emotional disintegration.
- Fitzgerald, F. Scott: The Great Gatsby, 1925, ~190pp
  This novel is a profound exploration of the American Dream and the disillusionment that follows when dreams and illusions are shattered by reality.
  - Both works explore illusions, disillusionment, and the corrosion beneath the surface of the American Dream and idealized relationships.
- Shakespeare, William: The Tempest, 1623, ~130pp
  This play features themes of illusion, transformation, and the manipulation of perception.
  - Both align in their explorations of illusion vs. reality, power dynamics, performance, and emotional manipulation.
List of general discussion questions on destruction of illusions (pdf)
List of essay prompts on destruction of illusions (pdf)