Carmen Jones Free Essay Example, 1000 words

The period is indicative of World War II and how that war seemed to overshadow and even influence virtually all relationships or lifestyles for those living in the times. The piece can be said to be a tragedy-period piece which is also a musical, but even though the predominant aspects of love, loss, relationships and even race are on the surface of the story, all of these aspects are attached to the idea that there is a war going on and every person for whom this play is about, is touched by that aspect. Carmen Jones is the main character of the play, and she is working within a parachute factory which creates parachutes fro the military. She meets Joe, who is incidentally a flyboy. The back and forth of emotions between these two is constantly overshadowed by the complexities of war going on around them. Ultimately, Carmen decides on someone else but is then murdered by the heartbroken Joe. This is an all too familiar reminder of the many soldiers who were in love with a woman bac k home and eventually, received a â€Å"dear John† letter saying that the woman they love has opted to be with another man. We will write a custom essay sample on Carmen Jones or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now These were soldiers who were able to cope with the horrors of war by means of their love for another individual who waited fro them at home. That type of diversion kept many soldiers sane. On the inverse however, many who were dismissed by the woman that they loved, for another man, found themselves completely unable to cope and often times acting out in a violent rage. Similarly, from Carmen’s perspective, Carmen seems to be floundering about for the best possible outcome with men and life itself. She initially is smitten with Joe the flyboy but later switches her affections to Husky the boxer, as she is caught up in the notion of riches and grandeur that a life with him will offer. This view point says a great deal about women in general at this time in America. Women were considered to be more of a second class citizen and the only real avenue a woman could peruse in order to do well for herself, was to marry rich or at least to marry well-off. Carmen may not have necessarily been acting on feelings as much as she was acting on instincts and a primal survival mechanism instilled into her as she was a woman in a man’s world. Carmen’s initial infatuation with Joe, quickly turned to Husky when she realized the riches and securities he could provide. For a woman in America, during World War II and an economic depression, choosi ng a man based on his income, social ranking and status, meant making a lifetime decision to either be cared for or to live in want for the rest of her life.