Question

ELI: It's real! The wishes are real! They come true!

JOSIE: Eli, you're starting to scare me.

ELI: (Takes JOSIE's hand and leads her to the couch, where they sit.) I was in the park today having my usual lunch—

JOSIE: Ahh. Did you eat that old leftover potato salad? (Aside) Maybe that explains it . . .

ELI: No! I had a ham sandwich, like I do every day. But never mind that, you need to listen to me. (ELI gets up, crosses into his own story, and sits down at the park bench. He pantomimes taking a sandwich out of his briefcase and putting it on his lap.) I was sitting on the park bench, enjoying the sunshine, when an old man who looked as if he was something right out of a black-and-white movie sat down next to me.

OLD MAN: (Gesturing at the seat next to ELI.) Is this seat taken?

ELI: Ah, no. Not at all. Go right ahead.

OLD MAN: Thank you. (Sits down very close to ELI and stares intently at him. ELI smiles and takes a bite of his sandwich.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true.

ELI: (Nodding and beginning to pack up his lunch.) Right. I think it's time for me to get back to work.

OLD MAN: (Putting a hand on ELI's arm to stop him, smiling broadly.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true.

ELI: Thank you, but I really do need to get to work—

OLD MAN: (Moving his face close to ELI's, still smiling.) Three wishes you will have if you wish to wish a wish to come true. (Repeats the same phrase over and over until ELI finally explodes in frustration.)

ELI: Okay! Okay! I'll make a wish if it will make you stop! I wish to become famous! There you go! That's a perfect little wish for you.

OLD MAN: (Suddenly stops.) Very well. If it is fame you seek, then it is fame you will receive.

ELI: (ELI jumps in surprise as if seeing something startling as the OLD MAN exits.) Then, just like that, the old man disappeared. He was gone. I stood up from the bench, and I tried to find him; but when I turned around, this guy came running up to me with such a wild look in his eyes that I was in fear for my life.

YOUNG MAN: (Running toward ELI and jumping up and down excitedly.) Eli? Is it really you?

ELI: Excuse me, do I know you?

YOUNG MAN: No, but I know you! I've finally found you! Hey everyone! (Motioning toward the audience to join him.) I've found Eli! I've finally found him. Over here! (ELI runs back to JOSIE, pantomiming fending off a crowd of people. YOUNG MAN exits.)

ELI: Everywhere I went, I was suddenly being pursued by strangers who screamed and yelled my name.

JOSIE: Good heavens!

ELI: It was all I could do to stay one step ahead of the mob. I ran home and locked the door, but they followed me and started knocking. But then I made another wish—

JOSIE: (Suddenly realizing what is going on.) You wished that they would go away.

ELI: (Grasps JOSIE's shoulders and looks directly into her eyes.) I wished that they would go away, and they did. Somehow that old man has the power to grant wishes, and I frivolously wasted two. But, now. Now, I have one wish left, and we have to be very careful how we use it.

JOSIE: What will we wish for? How will we decide? When will we make such a wish? Do you really think such a thing to be true? Who is this old man? Why did he come to you?

ELI: Darling, please. I need time to think. (Shaking his head and beginning to pace in a small circle.)

JOSIE: What if we wish for more wishes? Our good fortune would be endless. Oh, Eli, this is so exciting!

ELI: Please. I just wish you'd be quiet long enough for me to think!

JOSIE: I'll call my mother and—(JOSIE continues to speak, but her voice is silent.)

ELI: Oh no! Josie! (JOSIE begins to panic. Her hands fly to her throat.) Our final wish! There must be more left. I wish for my wife to speak again! (JOSIE is still silent as tears begin to stream down her face. ELI embraces her.) I wish for her silence to end! I wish for everything to return as it had been! Oh, no! The old man! I'll find the old man! He has to give me another wish! He has to fix this!

(ELI rushes out the door. JOSIE tries to call out to ELI, but of course, her voice is silent.)

END OF SCENE




How do Eli's actions help to illustrate the theme of the text?


He tries to protect his wife from danger.


He runs away from his responsibilities.


He talks to a stranger.


He makes bad choices.

Answer 1

He makes bad choices.

Eli wastes two wishes thoughtlessly (asking for fame, then to make the crowd go away) and uses the final wish in panic, which illustrates the theme that impulsive, careless decisions have serious consequences.