Caroline, or Change synopsis

Events take place in this musical in 1963, during the movement for the cessation of abolitionism, in the black state Louisiana. We meet the main character named Caroline, who works as a housekeeper (mostly as a laundress) doing the rough work (laundry, ironing, drying) in certain middle-class Jewish family. They pay her for the work humiliating USD30 per week, in exchange for her services in the constantly wet basement. The son of a family by the name of Noah Gellman experiencing heavy loss of his mother, that died of cancer, and Caroline helped him survive this, diverting him from black thoughts. There is a kind of mental connection between them, which is akin to friendship.

Noah has a bad habit of leaving the money in his pockets and give clothes to the laundry with pockets unchecked. Foster mother of Noah is not able to raise the pay of Caroline, but she said that it would be fair if she would take all the money that she will find in the pockets of hers stepson, as part of the educational process, in order to teach him not to forget the money there. He, on the contrary, started to leave more money before washing, over generous motives, hoping that Caroline’s family thinks of him during their dinners, eating more and having more satiety than before. Caroline at first has negative attitude to such humiliating handouts from a boy, but prose takes over the pride, when she remembers that her children do not have the most basic things, including money for the dentist. The educational element is completely goes out when he actually forgets a huge bill at the time of $20 in his pocket, and their ownership is being disputed, even at high tones between Caroline and a boy.

After a week of reflections, Caroline realizes that she needs to return money to the boy to restore her job, albeit very low-paid, but still paid. Events unfold in the background of Afro Americans fight for their rights and very strong segregation between different-skin-colored population. She fears that she could not find another job, and so she reproaches herself for being arrogant & rude to the son of her employers, and therefore returns to them. The entire second act of the musical takes place along with reflections on the unenviable fate of those people who cannot do anything special in their lives, they are not educated and therefore may not become somebody, so they are eternal servitors for meager money.
Last Update:April, 06th 2016

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