Script Analysis: RUINED

1.      In Ruined, the major conflict is between the woman and war.

2.      The women represent hope and the war represents despair.

3.      The turning point occurs in Act II, scene vi, the end of page 92 to page 93. Up to this point the war and the despair it brought, had the upper hand. The women and the war seemed to be getting along quite well, but truly its overwhelming despair was eating the inside of each of them. In this scene war shows its face to Mama Nadi and comes with fierce brutality towards the women through the hand of Osembenga and his men. From this point on, war can no longer pretend to be at peace with the women.

4.      On page 94, as Salima enters the brutal scene, herself already wounded, stops the soldiers in their action with her “defiant” voice. 'Fortune'(maybe the name has an underlying meaning of hope for Salima), breaks through the soldiers, the war, and holds Salima. In her dying yet victorious last breath, Salima mentions “You will not fight your battles on my battle anymore.”

5.      From this moment on, the war leaves the room and 'business' is not seen anywhere. Hope won over Salima's life and despair found it wasn't welcome any longer in the house of Mama Nadi.

6.      As the despair slowly dissipated and war left her house, Mama Nadi accepted Christian's invitation (returned and back to his old self) to dance with him. The strongest character in this story, Mama Nadi who herself was ruined, accepted the dance as the song The Rare Bird played in the background. The rare bird who sang its song even though it could be killed if it was heard. The rare Parrot who strangely sat in the corner of the room with a cover on the cage in the beginning of the story was now calling to Mama. As Mama decides to dance, Lynn Nottage writes the word “Possibility”. Hope wins over the house of Mama Nadi.

7.      The women hope for peace and the war wants destruction. (Metaphorically, the destruction and despair of the women).

8.      Hope.

9.      Even through the worst of life, hope is in your midst, waiting to be picked up and held.

10.  Throughout the play the women are degraded and torn to shreds. Even though some of them are ruined, they want to live on, to strive for something more even though they may not see that hope and peace in their midst. These women hold each other up, and although they argue and steal from each other, they love each other greatly. This is seen as Mama prepares to give her whole fortune, the diamond, away for Sophie and as Josephine hugs Sophie tightly on page 84 . Despair has introduced them to each other, but hope holds them together. It is their bond. And eventually it holds the victory over the seemingly overwhelming despair of war.