Water by the Spoonful

In Water by the Spoonful, Hudes provides us with two distinct worlds: the "real world" and the "online world."  Initially, these worlds exist almost independently from one another.  However, as the play progresses, these two worlds intersect.

One scene in which I think this choice is particularly highlighted is Scene 7.  It is the first time that we see Odessa and John in the "real world," and we learn that they also exist as Haikumom and Fountainhead in the "online world."  I think that this was done in order to highlight the differences in these characters' "real world" personalities versus their "online" personalities.  It also matches a physical form to a digital being.  This can be a very shocking experience, as people are capable of only publishing information online that they want other people to know about them, whether or not it is necessarily even true.

In the online world, Haikumom presents herself as very loving, nurturing, and motherly.  She constantly censors the other chat room attendees' profanities.  She is also very encouraging towards the others in their steps towards drug rehabilitation.  In the diner in Scene 7, however, she does not behave in the same manner.  Odessa, as she is called in the real world, is very cynical towards rehabilitation, and she is also relatively foul-mouthed.  When she's on the phone at the table, she says, "What? I told you, the diner on Spring Garden and Third.  I'm busy, come in an hour.  One hour.  Now stop calling me and asking fucking directions."  This really displayed how we are capable for putting up a total display in front of others while secretly being an entirely different person.