The Invisible Figures Between the Machines

In the many years that I have been alive, I have read my fair share of non-fiction – from stories that brought forth tears of sympathy to those that have made me clench my fists and grind my teeth in frustration. Yet, I have been stunned to silence by Lynn Nottage’s play “Sweat”. It seems The New Yorker’s description of Nottage as having “built a career on making invisible people visible” is a rather accurate statement, and she displays her ideas post prominently in her play “Sweat”. As background for those who have never read it, “Sweat” follows the lives of ordinary people and their struggles as they experience a variety of modern-day problems, including unemployment, drug abuse, and violence against each other. The very first thing to notice is that Nottage’s people of focus are all those who are ordinary. Each person is struggling in their own way: Brucie and his drug addiction, Cynthia and Chris looking to gain a better future, and the others, who find themselves stuck in the past, wishing for the easier times. All of a sudden, there is no longer a strict difference, or rather the 4^th wall thins to reveal that not much divides the character and the viewers or reader, but rather makes each character so much more visible, and relatable, then in stories where their struggle and problems are farfetched. Not only are the characters relatable, but they also represent a group of people often ignored: the workers behind the product. In this world of technology, it is so easy to forget those who work alongside the machines. Cynthia dramatizes her experience at the mill, explaining to Tracy the unrealistic expectation of being “fifty and standing on your feet for ten hours a day” – a fate that they are going to inevitable face one day- even adding that she “… got bunions the size of damn apples” (25), on her own feet. Cynthia’s description of her workplace offers a view into the lives of the invisible people who spend their days hidden behind machines. It allows the reader/viewer to form a connection to the characters and better understand their situations. However, the most realistic way that Nottage uses her writing to remind us of the invisible people would have to be through her utilization of emotions. Feelings of anger, frustration, stress, as well as joy and happiness are very familiar to us. It could even be the fundamental presentation of a person’s character. Nottage cleverly uses those emotions to remind viewers/readers that the characters, while “invisible”, are still humans who are alive and have their own ideas and thoughts and most importantly emotions. There are two distinct scenes in the play that bring out the best and worst emotions of being human: joy and anger. The first is when Tracy, Cynthia, Jessie, and Stan are first introduced. The atmosphere is light and full of laughter and music. “Tracy and Cynthia dance together with the intimacy of close friends” (14). There is palpable joy as the friends celebrate Tracy’s birthday. In startling contrast, the same group of friends find themselves at each other’s necks at a later meeting because of a devastating betrayal. This atmosphere is no longer light and joyful, but rather heavy with tension. Tracy expresses her sadness, recalling how Cynthia was “tough as hell” and that she fought for “what she loves, even if it means getting scrappy and looking ugly” (82), and subtly suggesting that Cynthia did not love them since she did not fight for them to keep their jobs. The tension is thick as the friends find themselves at a crossroad on Cynthia’s birthday. This makes the characters more visible since their emotions are something that we can share and relate to. The experience of the loss of friends is also something that many of us have felt. The combination of these little details allows Lynn Nottage to successfully give her characters a complete image, reminding readers/viewers that there are people like them too – those who work hard to make ends meet and yet somehow, remain invisible to everyone. I think her ability to do this is so powerful since it reminds us of who we are. It reminds us that our community is comprised of all sorts of people who are going through all sorts of things. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles, that there are others in similar positions to us. I think that is what makes Lynn Nottage’s writing so powerful - her ability to remind us that while we may be invisible to certain people, it doesn’t mean we are alone in our struggles.

 

Signing off for now,

Reality Sucks

Ps. I thought this was a good reference to Cynthia and Tracy's conversation: