Escaping Societal Pressures
...ling Jack of his reason for inventing Bunbury. "When one is place in the position of guardian, one has to adopt a very high moral tone on all subjects. It’s one’s duty to do so. And as a very high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very much to either one’s health or happiness, ….." This statement here Foster 2 states his motives for becoming someone else. He is not happy being who society expects him to be, so his makes up a persona to be able to act as he wishes. Another reason Algernon states for inventing a fake persona is, "You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often as you like." This is a much more solid reason for inventing Bunbury and Ernest. Within the story, Algernon decides to become Jack’s Ernest to visit the house in the country . By becoming Ernest, Algernon is free to allow himself to fall in love. "It is much pleasanter being here with you." Though light in depth, this statement reveals Algernon’s search for internal happiness. He feels that the only way he will be able to be happy is to get away from the expectations of the English society. Both men receive love from others because of who they are thought to be because they are able to show emotion and react without the restrictions of society. Jack and Algernon feel that their persona’s are useful because they can become whomever they please and they are able to go wherever they want whenever they want without having to face any kind of limitations that are usually placed on them by English’s society at that time. Lady Bracknell is the epitome of the English society. She represents everything that society is at that time and place. For example, when Lady Bracknell sees Algernon she says to him, "I hope you are behaving well." Algernon responds to this comment by saying, "I am feeling very well" and Lady Bracknell says, "That’s not quite the same thing. In fact, the two things rarely go together." This states how English society in this time has high standards that focus on the actions of people more so than their emotions. Lady Bracknell points out that the English society is more of where you come from and Foster 3 what you have than who you are as a person. It’s very hard for anyone to act in any other way than what is expected of them if they wanted to succeed in the English society. This just reinstates Algernon and Jack’s reasons for taking on a...