The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley Essay

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley - Essay Example However, ultimately they manage to resist and continue feuding. It eventually comes out that Tommy has been sleeping with Donna's sister, Mona, who is still only a teenager. Donna takes the affair very personally, as if she has been betrayed by both her sister and her exboyfriend. She demands an explanation from Tommy who hedges and fails to offer a complete explanation. He waffles between admitting that he is still in love with Donna and acting like none of it bothers him. Donna demands that Tommy promise never to sleep with Mona again, but Tommy counters by insisting that Donna wouldn't care so much if she weren't still in love with him. Donna implies that Tommy is in danger because he has admittedly used both herself and her sister. They obviously share a father and fathers are protective of their daughters. To have offended two of them in one fell swoop is surely cause for Donna's father to assault Tommy. This does not compel Tommy to reverse his stance in their ongoing argument in the scene, however. Tommy claims that he loves her but he has to do what is best for himself, and Donna claims she has to get away from him to save herself. In the second scene, Donna goes to visit her father, announcing her arrival in the same angry fashion as she did in scene one.