Which lines from Brighton Beach Memoirs help the audience understand the historical setting?

Question

Listen, I hope you don't repeat this to anybody... What I'm telling you are my secret memoirs. It's called, "The Unbelievable, Fantastic and Completely Private Thoughts of I, Eugene Morris Jerome..."
"Attention, ladeees and gentlemen! Today's game will be delayed because of my Aunt Blanche's headache..."
Was I fresh? I swear ... that's what she said to me yesterday... One day I'm going to put all this in a book or a play.
I'm going to be a writer like Ring Lardner or somebody -- that's if things don't work out first with the Yankees, or the Cubs, or the Red Sox, or maybe possibly the Tigers... If I get down to the St. Louis Browns, then I'll definitely be a writer.

Answer 1

In the lines from Brighton Beach Memoirs, the historical setting is conveyed through several references that ground the audience in the time period of the play:

1. References to baseball: The mention of teams like the Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox, and Tigers indicates a specific cultural moment in American history, particularly the early 20th century when baseball was a significant part of American life. This reflects the era's social dynamics and the importance of sports in the lives of people.

2. The name "Ring Lardner": By referencing a contemporary (at the time) writer known for his humor and sports writing, Eugene anchors his aspirations in a recognizable cultural context. Lardner was prominent in the 1920s, aligning with the play's setting in the 1930s.

3. "Aunt Blanche's headache": This line suggests the personal and family dynamics typical of the time, where family pressures and health issues were commonplace in household conversations, echoing the era's social norms and familial roles.

Together, these references help establish the play's historical backdrop, providing insight into the cultural and historical context of Eugene's world during the late 1930s.