ANNIE is now alone on the stage. She turns, gazing around at the stripped room, bidding it silently farewell, impassively, like a defeated general on the deserted battlefield. All that remains is a stand with a basin of water; and here ANNIE takes up an eyecup, bathes each of her eyes, empties the eyecup, drops it in her purse, and tiredly locates her smoked glasses on the floor.

Question

—The Miracle Worker,
William Gibson

How does the setting reflect how Annie feels at this point in the play?

The emptiness of the room matches her feeling of loss.
The messiness of the room matches the wildness of Helen.
The messiness of the room matches her feelings of jealousy.
The emptiness of the room gives her the privacy she needs to bathe her eyes.

Answer 1

The emptiness of the room matches her feeling of loss.

At this point in the play, ANNIE is alone in a stripped room, which symbolizes her sense of abandonment and defeat. The vacant space reflects her emotional state, as she bids farewell to a significant chapter in her life and contemplates the struggles she has faced. The setting enhances the themes of isolation and introspection, emphasizing her feelings of loss as she prepares to leave behind her experiences and memories associated with this place.