“Mary Page Marlowe” by Tracy Letts (post 3): Protagonist changes her name. Scenes not chronological. Quirks, gimmicks, or multiple personality?

Mary Page Switches to Mary

In Scene Five, the title character, now age thirty-six, is seeing her psychotherapist. This is not their first session. The therapy is well established. And until now, the therapist had been addressing her as “Mary Page,” apparently with her agreement.

Then, unexpectedly, when the therapist addresses her once again as “Mary Page,” she replies, “Mm, it’s just Mary now. No Page.” The therapist, who is very surprised, asks why she has changed her name, but the more the therapist tries to understand it, the more confusing and evasive her answers.

Shortly after the protagonist changes her name to “Mary,” the author inserts this stage direction: “(MARY shakes her head.)” Is the author certifying that it is now the alternate personality, Mary, speaking, and no longer the host personality, Mary Page? Or is he just humoring this character in her latest whim?

Why are the scenes not chronological?

Only if Mary Page Marlowe were a person with multiple personality might it make sense for the personalities to make their appearance in no particular order, since all of the personalities would exist simultaneously, and it would only be a matter of chance and circumstance as to which personality was out and in control at any given time. Otherwise, it makes no sense.

Concluding Comment

Multiple actresses for the same character; the protagonist suddenly claims a different name; lack of chronological sequence, are given no rationale, seem like theatrical gimmicks or arbitrary character quirks, but are consistent with multiple personality. And if the author did not intend to suggest multiple personality, it would be what I call “gratuitous multiple personality,” and could reflect the author’s multiple personality trait.

Tracy Letts. Mary Page Marlowe. Samuel French, 2017.