The Last Night of Ballyhoo Chapter Summary & Analysis - Act 2, Scene 5 Summary

Act 2, Scene 5 Summary

At the dance, Lala and Sunny rush off to the bathroom, leaving Peachy and Joe alone. After small talk about why girls always go to the bathroom together, Peachy asks Joe whether this is his first time at the Standard Club, which he refers to as being a lot better than the Progressive Club. When Joe seems confused, Peachy explains that the Progressive Club is where "the other kind" of Jews belong, and the Standard Club is only for German Jews. Joe asks whether Sunny knew this, and Peachy tells him that Adolph used to be a past president of the Standard Club. Joe angrily leaves.

Act 2, Scene 5 Analysis

The "us against us" aspect of the play's central conflict as foreshadowed by the many previous references to "the other kind" of Jew comes to a head in this scene. It seems unlikely that Peachy acts maliciously with clear and pre-meditated intent to humiliate...
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