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RuinedPlay by Lynn Nottage

Flashcards for Ruined

40 cards · 10 characters · 12 key quotes · 6 symbols · 12 literary devices. Nothing is saved and nothing is asked for — close the tab and the deck resets.

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Characters · 10

  1. Christian

    Christian is an itinerant trader and serves as the play's moral compass, with his persistent hope and romantic idealism continually tested against the harsh realities of war-torn Congo.

    character

  2. Commander Osembenga

    Commander Osembenga is the main antagonist of Lynn Nottage's Ruined.

    character

  3. Fortune

    Fortune is a young Congolese soldier, one of the most emotionally raw characters in the play.

    character

  4. Jerome Kisembe

    Jerome Kisembe is a rebel commander and warlord, acting as one of the main antagonists in the play and symbolizing the militarized violence prevalent in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.

    character

  5. Josephine

    Josephine works at Mama Nadi's bar and brothel in the war-torn Congo, navigating her world with sharp instincts and a self-protective edge.

    character

  6. Mama Nadi

    Mama Nadi is the tough owner of a bar and brothel in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, serving as the play's moral and dramatic anchor.

    character

  7. Mr. Harari

    Mr. Harari is a Lebanese diamond and mineral trader who operates as a pragmatic businessman navigating the tumult of the Congolese civil war.

    character

  8. Salima

    Salima is one of the most heart-wrenching characters in Lynn Nottage's Ruined, acting as the play's moral and humanitarian conscience.

    character

  9. Simon

    Simon is a secondary but emotionally significant character in Ruined, Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play set against the backdrop of civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    character

  10. Sophie

    Sophie stands out as one of the most morally and emotionally essential characters in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined.

    character

Key quotes · 12

  1. “I have survived this long by knowing when to speak and when to be silent.”

    This line is delivered by a key character in Ruined, Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play set during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi

  2. “This is not a place for sentiment.”

    This line is delivered by Mama Nadi, the tough owner of a bar and brothel in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009).

    Mama Nadi

  3. “You can't own me. No one owns me.”

    This powerful declaration — "You can't own me.

    Salima · Act Two

  4. “We are still here. That is enough.”

    This impactful line is from Ruined by Lynn Nottage, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play set during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi

  5. “The war is everywhere. There is no place that is safe.”

    This haunting line is from Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009), which takes place during the civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi / ensemble characters

  6. “I am not a good woman. I know this. But I am not a monster.”

    This haunting line is delivered by Mama Nadi, the practical and deeply self-aware owner of a brothel/bar in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009).

    Mama Nadi

  7. “She is ruined. You know what that means? She can never go home.”

    This line is from Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009), which takes place during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi (or a character speaking about a ruined woman)

  8. “This is my place. I built it. And no soldier, no rebel, no man will take it from me.”

    This bold statement is made by Mama Nadi, the strong and practical owner of a bar and brothel in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009).

    Mama Nadi

  9. “I will not be moved by your tears. Tears don't mean anything to me anymore.”

    This line is delivered by Mama Nadi, the tough and practical owner of a bar and brothel in the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo, in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009).

    Mama Nadi

  10. “Love is a luxury we cannot afford in this place.”

    This striking line — "Love is a luxury we cannot afford in this place." — comes from Ruined, Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play set against the backdrop of civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi · Act 1

  11. “A ruined woman is a woman who has lost everything.”

    This blunt statement comes from Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined (2009), which is set during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Mama Nadi

  12. “I have given everything. What more do you want from me?”

    This anguished cry — "I have given everything.

    <UNKNOWN> · <UNKNOWN>

Symbols · 6

  1. Diamonds and Minerals

    In Lynn Nottage's Ruined, diamonds and minerals highlight the harsh reality that natural wealth can lead to human suffering.

  2. Sophie's Song

    In Ruined, Sophie's song symbolizes resilience, buried identity, and the enduring humanity of women who have faced violation and abandonment.

  3. The Bar / Mama's Establishment

    In Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined, Mama Nadi's bar and brothel in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo serves as a complex symbol of survival and sanctuary.

  4. The Dress

    In Lynn Nottage's Ruined, the dress symbolizes violated femininity, lost identity, and the delicate effort to reclaim dignity.

  5. The Jungle / Forest

    In Lynn Nottage's Ruined, the jungle surrounding Mama Nadi's establishment in the Democratic Republic of Congo symbolizes the constant threat and chaos of war.

  6. The Parrot

    In Lynn Nottage's Ruined, the parrot at Mama Nadi's bar represents captivity, survival, and the façade of normalcy in a violent world.

Literary devices · 12

  1. Dramatic Monologue

    Several characters in Ruined deliver extended solo speeches that act as dramatic monologues, revealing inner lives that the surrounding action can't fully convey.

  2. Symbolism

    The bar stands out as the central symbol of the play.

  3. Irony

    Nottage fills Ruined with dramatic irony.

  4. Juxtaposition

    Nottage consistently contrasts beauty with brutality.

  5. Metaphor

    Mama Nadi's insistence that the bar is "my garden" serves as a powerful metaphor for cultivation, ownership, and the delicate care required in a world filled with destruction.

  6. Motif

    Music appears as a recurring theme in Ruined, with songs highlighting key moments, signaling transitions, and fostering a shared emotional experience that dialogue alone can’t provide.

  7. Allegory

    While Ruined is rooted in specific realities—like the eastern Congo, coltan mining, and named military groups—it also serves as an allegory for the impact of resource wars on women's bodies everywhere.

  8. Pathetic Fallacy

    The bar's physical environment — its leaking roof, its unreliable generator, and the rain that cuts it off from the outside world — reflects the emotional turmoil of the characters and the moral climate of the play.

  9. Narrative Poem

    Ruined is crafted as a play-within-a-narrative, where separate stories come together to form a collective account of survival.

  10. Apostrophe

    At key emotional moments, characters speak to absent figures — dead children, lost husbands, a home village that no longer exists.

  11. Euphony

    Sophie's songs feature passages of intentional euphony—smooth vowel sounds and gentle rhythms—that create a striking contrast with the play's content.

  12. Volta

    Though Ruined is a play instead of a poem, Nottage crafts pivotal moments that feel like dramatic shifts.