Act 1, Part 1 Summary

This emotionally and dramatically intense play explores both the lies and the truths at the heart of the various relationships within the members of the Keller family. The play uses a central and powerful symbol, deceptively straightforward but powerfully evocative dialogue and explosions of raw emotion to explore themes relating to the nature and necessity of delusion, loyalty, and integrity.

As Joe sits in his yard and reads his paper, he and his neighbors, Jim and Frank, make small talk about the weather and all the bad news the paper contains. Joe comments that he only reads the want ads because he's interested in what people want. They also talk about the tree in the back of Joe's yard, with their conversation revealing that it was planted at the same time Joe's oldest son Larry was born, that it was blown...