Fires in the Mirror

Well for starters, I’d tell them we can’t cut it because that’s the way Smith wrote it. It’s her piece; who are we to change it just because we can’t find its purpose, not to mention that scratching those sections would delete almost half of the play. That being said, the first section of the play is vital to the rest of the performance because it deals with the incident indirectly. The text of those first few interviewees not only give individual perspectives on life as a black and a Jew, but also sets the tone for where they stand at the present with each other and America. Tensions are high between the two groups because essentially, they are viewed as the same from outsiders of the community-outcasts. If you ask me, the first section shows both blacks and Jews as just people; normal, hardworking, everyday people who want to be respected and accepted. They also mention the significance being together. The most important part of this section is the fact that no one truly picks a side. They simply state who they are, what they believe and continue on. In the next section, everyone’s on a side whether they’re aware of it or not and the community is split. The second section is a lot grittier than the first, diving straight into the beginnings of the incident and its aftermath. If we start the play off like that, the audience would leave thinking that all of the Crown Heights residents were uncivilized creatures full of hate, rage and ignorance. The first part has to be there because it establishes everyone (involved or not) as innocent and rational. Both sides are struggling to not only rise, but to maintain their status in the community and although the second half presents us with the fruit of the piece, we have to cut through the peel first. The exterior may not be what we want, but it’s just as relevant as the interior.