Hexagonal Thinking Chart Explanations

Chart 1: GlenGarry Glen Ross

Connection 1 (Success + Competition + Greed): I chose these terms on my chart because I felt
as though they were closely related to each other. The entirety of GlenGarry Glen Ross revolves
around the competition announced at the beginning of the drama. The theme of greed throughout
the play stems from the competition announced in the first place. Because of the competition in
addition to their job (which is already mainly driven by monetary value) , the characters were
greedier and more focused on physical profit. Success is also closely related, because the success
of the characters is dictated by their success in the competition and their success in the
competition relies on the amount of greed they have.

Connection 2 (Survival + Weakness + Levene): In the play, Levene is a character who is

considered weak. He is the least successful salesman within the company and is on the brink of
financial ruin. Amongst his peers, he is thought to be easy to push around and easy to
manipulate. Additionally, Levene struggles financially as well. He is unable to afford a place to
live or provide for his daughter. He often has to turn to others for favors so that he is able to
survive. I connected these three terms because I felt that they related to Lenvene’s character
trope.

Connection 3 (Women + Masculinity + Misogyny): These three terms are heavily related in
theme and in definition. A common discrimination that women face within society is misogyny,
often because of the toxic masculinity of male characters. Within the novel, “toxic masculinity”
is a character trait found in many of the characters in the play. The term comes from the
misogynistic objectification of women. A main theme in the drama is value based on physical
possessions, whose values have been pre determined by society: money, status and especially
women. Overall, these terms are related because they are all reliant on each other.

Connection 4 (Women + Lingk + Survival + Weakness): I lumped these four terms together
because I felt they all related to aspects of the character Lingk. One of the defining character
traits of Lingk is his relationship with his wife. In the firm, he is viewed as weak because of the
power that his wife has over his decision making in a majority male run society. This related
Lingk to both weakness and women. Additionally, if it weren't for Lingk's wife intervening in his
plans to purchase a property, he would not have been able to say no to Roma, and ultimately out
himself in a worse situation. This also shows how his relationship with women relates to his
survival.
Connection 5 (Levene + Moss + Aronow): I connected these three characters because they had
very influential relationships with each other throughout the novel. Moss and Aronow started the
plot to steal the leads from the firm in the first place. Their relationship is what started the
cataclysmic event that kicked off the story in the play in the first place. Additionally, Levene is
ultimately the one who ended up carrying out the plan in the end. Him and Moss conspired to
steal the leads from the firm in the end. Overall, these three characters had a pivotal relationship
that developed the story of the play.

Chart 2: A Doll’s House

Connection 1 (Manipulation + Infantilization + “Doll- Wife”): Infantilization and the concept

of a “Doll- Wife” are both forms of manipulation found within the play. Infantilization is used to
diminish the opinions and thoughts of women by treating them as though they are naive and
unintelligent. This manipulates whomever you are treating because they are not able to speak out
and they are not able to advocate for themselves. Additionally, a doll wife is closely related to an
infantilized wife. Both are seen as objects incapable of disobedience. Both of these forms of
manipulation were used by Torvald to manipulate Nora into conforming to his will.

Connection 2 (Money/ Debt + Freedom): In the play, there is a large concern around money
and debt, specifically the money that Nora is secretly dealing with. Although they have their
differences, Torvald and Nora are constantly in pursuit of the same thing: financial security. I
believe this is because financial security allows for freedom. For a man, you are un-plagued by
debts, able to pursue a career, start a family. Money, even in today’s society, dictates the amount
of freedom felt by someone. Additionally, in the play, money is a tool that Torvald uses to
control Nora. Because Nora is unable to have any savings of her own, she must rely on Torvald
to provide for her.

Connection 3 (Manipulation + Masculinity + Krogstad): Krogstad is depicted as the

quintessential male manipulator. Living in a predominantly male run society, Krogstad (along
with many other male characters) is able to take advantage of his heightened status above Nora’s
on the social hierarchy. Although he is technically under Nora’s husband, he still manipulates her
and the things she is able to do. He is able to get away with it simply because she is a woman. If
it were Torvald that he was threatening, he would not get off as unharmed. Krogstad’s character
is a strong portrayal of toxic masculinity and how it can be used to manipulate women within
society.

Connection 4 (Deception + Appearances + Public/ Private View): Deception is a common

theme throughout the play. It is used not only by the male characters, but also by female
characters. Deception is closely related to a character's ability to manipulate their appearance in
the public and private view. Nora is able to deceive Torvald because she manipulates her
appearance by acting more naive in order to conceal her secrets. Additionally, the character Ms.
Linde is perceived differently because of the way she presents herself in the play as well as the
way she is perceived by the public. Being viewed as a hopeless widow, she is thought to be of
less value. This shows how appearance and view in the public and private eye can aid in
deception of others.

Connection 5 (Nora + “Doll Wife” + Deception): Related to the previous connection, Nora
utilizes her “Doll- Wife” label to deceive the people around her. From the beginning of the play,
the audience is introduced to Nora as a naive, incapable girl. However, we later learn that Nora
has been cleverly utilizing this false perception to hide the secret of her money borrowing from
Torvald. Additionally, Nora does not just deceive Torvald, but also deceives characters around
her such as Ms. Linde into believing that she is innocent. Overall, Nora is able to use the “Doll-
Wife” label to deceive characters around her.

Chart 3: The Lying Life of Adults

Connection 1 (Sex + Rebellion + Freedom): Throughout the novel, sex is used as a symbol of
rebellion for Giovanna. In her coming of age story, sex represents her growth into adulthood and
freedom from her family. It is also used as a form of rebellion against the sheltered life that she
grew up in with her family. Additionally, it represents the freedom that she feels from the lies
that her family has told her throughout her life. At the end of the novel, when she finally has sex,
it is like a reveal of the truth. That life is much more underwhelming when you know the truth.

Connection 2 (Identity + Religion + Class): Identity can define the ways you act, think and the
way that you view the world. When defining one’s identity, two of the most important features
include which religion you identify as and your social class within society. In The Lying Life of
Adults, class is a very defining feature of not only Giovanna’s identity, but many of the
characters around her, such as Andrea or Vittoria. It determines many of the character
interactions and perceptions within the novel. Religion is als a defining aspect of the characters’
identity. It has major impacts that they perceive things such as the main theme in the novel: sex.

Connection 3 (Coming of Age + Identity + Giovanna): Holistically, the novel follows the story
of Giovanna as she navigates her coming of age journey. Through puberty, family relations,
sexual exploration and identity, Giovanna explores herself and who she wants to be. She learns
the truths about life and the common lies told by those older than us. I connected these three
terms because I felt that they summarized the main theme followed throughout the novel.

Connection 4 (Beauty + Ugliness + Truth and Lies): I made this connection because I felt that
the contrast between beauty and ugliness is inversely related to the contrast between truth and
lies. In the story, Giovanna struggles with ideas of beauty and ugliness in her exploration of her
identity. It is often a defining characteristic of the way she views herself. Similarly, the novel
tackles the relation between truth and lies. I talk about the inverse relation because I feel that
often beauty, although considered pure, involves lies and deception. On the contrary, Ugliness is
usually considered to be a more accurate representation of truth.

Connection 5 (Class + Andrea): One of the strongest term relationships within the chart is the
relation between Andrea and his sense of class. From the beginning of the novel, Andrea’s
character is defined as someone who is extremely class conscious. He is a character who
sacrificed his relationship with his family for a boost in status and class. Additionally, he
influences Giovanna’s perception of class. Class is a very important theme throughout the novel,
and associating it with Andrea, Giovanna’s parent, only further emphasizes its importance.