Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Aging cannot be helped. It happens. Then why fear it when you know it is unavoidable? Few people know how to be old. You can't hide your true colours as you approach the autumn of your life and whilst youth is a disease from which we all eventually recover we must also learn to accept that the key to change... is to let go of fear, that is, a fear of growing old or a fear of moving on in life.  
Such fears can strongly be seen in the play, “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll”. The author Ray Lawler had demonstrated a variety of themes and ideas through his famous Australian play and from the beginning to the end of this speech I intend to take you all on a unique journey through two main ideas that are exerted and constructively used throughout the text type. These include the theme of aging and time and the strange concept of ideals and dreams verses reality.
One particular excerpt of the play that seemed to demonstrate these two themes to a superiorly high standard was that of Act 3 scene 1 where Emma's talk to Roo spells out to him a lot of what is really happening. He finally comes to terms with getting old and moving on.
In this scene we see how far away Roo is in his own fantasy world where he is still at the top of his game before Emma finally brings him back into reality. For example, when Roo states, ‘I ain’t old! Old is - what you are, and - and -…Tony Moreno.’ In this quote the author firstly uses colloquial language to emphasis Roo’s strong desire to remain young and it also continues to give the play a distinctly Australian appeal. Secondly, Lawler gives the character a desperate tone, to demonstrate his longing to stay in his own make believe world, during his prime.
The concept of Ideals and dreams verses Reality can also be viewed throughout the rest of the play. One particular character that constantly journey’s into this idea is the genuine and surprisingly loyal character, Olive. Throughout the story she struggles to live with society in...