Question

Explain Eugene's perspective on what's happening in this scene. Support your response with details from the text.

KATE How many times have I told you not to leave your things around the house?

EUGENE A hundred and nine.

KATE What?

EUGENE You said yesterday, "I told you a hundred and nine times not to leave your things around the house."

BLANCHE Don't be fresh to your mother, Gene!

EUGENE (To the audience) Was I fresh? I swear . . . that's what she said to me yesterday . . . One day I'm going to put all this in a book or a play. I'm going to be a writer like Ring Lardner or somebody -- that's if things don't work out first with the Yankees, or the Cubs, or the Red Sox, or maybe possibly the Tigers . . . If I get down to the St. Louis Browns, then I'll definitely be a writer.

—Brighton Beach Memoirs,
Neil Simon

Answer 1

From Eugenes point of view he is tired of Kate nagging him. Hence the sarcasm in the quote “You said yesterday , “I told you a hundred and nine times not to leave your things around the house.” From looking at Blanche’s input we can also tell that Eugene is being sarcastic or “smart” towards Kate by the quote “Don’t be fresh to your mother , Gene!”

Answer 2

Answer:

Sample Response: In this passage, Eugene makes it clear that he doesn't understand why Kate gets mad at him. He doesn't think he was "fresh" to Kate because he gave her an honest answer. Based on what he tells the audience directly, he thinks the situation is so unbelievable, it would make a good book.