The era of the 1970s was the backdrop for Cristofer's The Shadow Box, an era marked by uncertainty.First, American political condense was in crisis after Nixon's resignation from office. At no other time in history had a president violated the sanctity of public office as Nixon had. The country also had to cope with the aftermath of the Vietnam conflict and the failure it came to represent. Vietnam veterans returned home, greeted by indifference rather than applause. This climate led America to question its values, and image, on a national level. Part of the political as well as social climate fixated or focused on issues surrounding the right to die and the nature of life. This concern is indeed reflected in Cristofer's in-depth exploration of mortality in his own work. The case of Karen Anne Quinlan, like Cristofer's play, explores questions concerning quality of life...