Title:"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"

        For this book talk, I read an Edward AlbeeÕs play, "WhoÕs
Afraid of Virginia Woolf." I saw the movie version of this book,
which I found excellent, so it inspired me to read the book.

        The book begins when George, who is an associate
professor of a New England college, and Martha, who is the
daughter of the college professor comes home after a faculty
party. Although it is well after midnight and they are heavily
drunk, Martha invites another couple, Nick who is a new and young
professor in the college, and his wife Honey. The two couples
continue drinking at the living room of George and MarthaÕs
house, and Martha starts complaining about George. She reveals
GeorgeÕs failure to advance in the college even if he has an
advantage as the son-in-law of the president. George tries to
revenge by telling MarthaÕs weaknesses to the guests, and the
fight becomes impossible to stop making the new couple who tries
to stay detached also become caught up in it. As the fight goes
on and they become more drunk, Martha comes to mention about
George and sheÕs imaginary son, who has been a secret between
them and a forbidden topic to tell others. Nick also tells their
painful secret that he married Honey because she thought she was
pregnant but that it turned out to be false. When everyone is
tired and humiliated as a result, George, who was very angry
about MarthaÕs mentioning his son to the guests, he decides to
tell something that will change their lives forever as a final
revenge, and then the party comes to an end.

        The main theme of the book is the sadness and
difficulties of the adult life. In the story, George and Martha
cannot have a child because either of them is impotent, so they
had to make up an imaginary son. HereÕs a quotation about their
son form Martha. QUOTATION(p219) MarthaÕs this description about
him shows how much they cared for him and wanted the real one.
Furthermore, they constantly fight with each other for trivial
subjects even though they really want to communicate more
seriously and understand deeper. The difference between their
view of life also worsens their marriage because Martha always
expects George to be more ambitious while George does not
understand why. To the young couple, Nick and Honey, the adult
world is also cruel and bitter. The quarreling of the older
couple makes Honey sick because she realizes the hardship. They
understand and love each other only superficially because HoneyÕs
hysterical pregnancy forced them to marry. Even after the
marriage, they deceive each other, and their lives are also
tragic. For example, Nick tries to make love with Martha while
Honey is sick and sleeping, and Honey deceives him by using birth
control secretly.

        The title of this book represents the theme very well.
Virginia Woolf was a gentle and sensitive author, so it is ironic
that any one is afraid of her. However, at the end of the story,
Martha says she is afraid of Virginia Woolf because after all she
found that the life is not easy as she thought.

        The difference between movie version and the book is very
little except that the movie has some music that make you feel
nervous and that the story takes place in various places, such as
a bar or road, while in the book, everythingÕs done just in the
living room. However, it is very helpful to understand the story.

        This book is one of the best books IÕve read and I
enjoyed it very much. The movie version is also very good and
interesting because it is an old black and white movie. I would
recommend you this book for the next book talk and I think you
must read it especially if you have not read any play recently.