Long Day’s Journey into Night, by Eugene O’Neill

Every character in Long Day’s Journey into Night has a personal issue that is very troubling to themselves and to the rest of the family. Tyrone is a money-grubbing man who is so lost in his own tumultuous childhood that he refuses to see how he is hurting his family. Jamie is irresponsible and has never worked for anything in his life, letting his jealousy towards Edmund rule over him. Mary is still resentful of not becoming a nun or a concert pianist, and Edmund is suffering from the trials of tuberculosis. Each character avoids their problems in their own self-destructive way, whether through alcohol, drugs or loose women. Never does anyone face anything head on. What is it that O’Neill is saying about avoidance in his play, “Long Day's Journey into Night? Does it ever actually solve anything? How has their avoidance only worsened the problems of the Tyrone’s?



Use examples and quotes from the story to support your theory.

The response should be at least three paragraphs in length.