Long Day's Journey Into Night

What issues do the family members bring up about one another? Does anyone stand out as being more problematic than the others? Is any one person at fault for the family’s misery?

As the play progresses, so does Mary’s use of morphine. Based on the text, is Mary’s use of morphine abnormal compared to her previous issues with substance misuse? What might be different this time?

Why might Tyrone’s drinking be different from Mary’s use of morphine? How is Jamie’s experience of alcohol addiction different from either his brother, Edmund’s, or his father, Tyrone’s?

Each of the characters claims to love the other members of the family. Are there any instances of them showing this love beyond just words? Why are these instances sufficient or insufficient to help the family as a whole?

What roles do Cathleen and Bridget play in the work? What can be assumed about the Tyrone family since they have servants? How do Mary’s perceptions and interactions with Cathleen and Bridget differ from the other family members?

Tyrone buys Mary a car so that she is not stuck at home, but she does not use the car except to get more morphine. Why does Mary say she does not use the car? How could her family help her to socialize more?

What is Mary’s initial complaint about her marriage? Tyrone says that Mary could not have been a nun or a pianist, but is that true? What might Mary have done if she had not gotten married, and how does her desire to change her life affect her family?

Jamie confesses to sabotaging Edmund, but why does he do this? How does the text characterize Jamie and Edmund’s friendship, and what does that reveal about the family as a whole?