Discovery - Away + Theory of Everything Essay

Away + The Theory of Everything Essay

Discoveries are complex and can be found in different circumstances for different people. However, some individuals find that uncovering new understandings and perceptions of themselves or others may lead to confronting ideologies. In the play ‘Away’ by Michael Gow and the film directed by James Marsh ‘The Theory of Everything’, this concept is portrayed. Gow’s ‘Away’ is an elaborate play which explores the ideas of self- discovery and change. Through the war affected nation, three families, each from different social classes, depart on an iconic Australian holiday to the beach. Likewise, ‘The Theory of Everything’, explores Hawking’s fulfilling, and failed, first marriage with Jane Wilde, whom remained married to for 30 years. Both texts invite the audience to explore new understandings of themselves, relationships and the world around them.

Ultimately, our encounters with others and society have an indefinite transformative effect on our attitudes and values, leading individuals to fresh discoveries of themselves and others. In ‘Away’, Coral is the character that is seen to undergo the most profound change. In the beginning, Coral is in an emotionally delicate state, grieving the death of her dead son. The beach is a metaphor for her emotional journey to recovery of the self and the ability to ‘walk’ in the world of the living. The play, ‘Strangers on the Shore’, demonstrates to the audience Coral’s renewed insights of life. The line “I cannot walk, I am afraid” followed by using the exclamation mark and repetition of “walking” in “I’m walking, I’m walking!” Indicates her discovery, reflecting how small steps assist individuals to overcome grief, accept reality and move onto a new life. Therefore, Gow’s use of the play within a play, dramatises symbolically, the way Coral has passed through her grief and return to a life focused on living rather than the dead, gradually reflecting her self-transformation and changed perception of attitudes and values.

In ‘The Theory of Everything’, characters see themselves differently due to how their experiences influence their self-perception. Although Hawking has adapted somewhat to his illness, the discovery of motor neuron disease forces Stephen to view himself differently to others. At the dinner table where Stephen watches everybody talking, eating effortlessly, he is envious and saddened by their ability to do things that he can no longer do. In this scene, the camera angle forces the viewer to see Stephen through the interactions across the table. His struggle to feed himself is juxtaposed with the effortlessness of movement of the dinner guests, aggravating his condition. The camera transitions to a long shot of the table to a close up shot of the hands over faces, flashbacks to the opening scene where the old Stephen was mobile, riding his bicycle – a drastic contrast due to his condition. Stephen’s new interactions with his disease caused different perceptions of how he views the world, reflecting back on himself with new, emotional explorations.

Discoveries can be confronting as they often result in the reassessment of previous prejudices and social stereotypes, prompting change in an individual. This stoical attitude is heightened by Tom’s repeated assurances to his parents that he is ‘alright’ and ‘not tired’, communicating his desire to protect them from the suffering he knows is to come. It is not until Meg refuses his sexual proposition in act 4, scene 2, that Tom realises he must accept that there are discoveries he will not make, and admits to knowing that he is ‘going to get sick again’ and ‘won’t get better’. Through this dialogue with Meg, Tom is finally able to confront his fear of death, something he has felt obliged to hide until this point because his parents ‘don’t know’ that he is aware of his fate. It is through the admission of the truth and the process of reflection that