Write a well-organized essay in which you defend, challenge, or qualify this claim. Use specific evidence from the play—including dialogue, dramatic structure, and the characters' engagement in "games"—to back up your argument.

Guiding Questions to Consider

• What role does the imaginary son play in George and Martha's dynamic, and what does his "death" at the end of the play represent?
• In what ways do Nick and Honey serve as contrasts to George and Martha regarding illusion and reality?
• Does Albee portray the removal of illusion as freeing, tragic, or ambiguous? How does your interpretation shape your main argument?
• How does the title itself—referring to Virginia Woolf—enhance or complicate the themes of the play?

Requirements

Minimum 5 paragraphs | Textual evidence required | MLA or Chicago citation format

Compose a well-structured essay arguing how the "games" George and Martha engage in serve both as a coping strategy and a means of self-destruction. Be sure to:

Support your argument with specific textual evidence, including dialogue, stage directions, and dramatic structure.

Suggested length: 4–6 paragraphs | Timed write or take-home essay

• Analyze how Albee employs the fictional child as a key symbol of illusion versus reality.
• Examine how the power dynamics between George and Martha evolve throughout the three acts ("Fun and Games," "Walpurgisnacht," and "The Exorcism").
• Discuss what Albee ultimately conveys about the human need for illusion — does its unraveling offer freedom or lead to devastation?