Proof by David Auburn

¶ … naturalism" is depicted in the play, "Proof," by David Auburn and provide 3 specific examples from the play.

The drama "Proof," by the modern American playwright David Auburn, possesses a character-driven and linear narrative that revolves around the scientific nature of mathematical discovery. It deploys stage naturalism in the sense first and foremost that characters behave in fairly psychologically consistent ways, and have motivations that are comprehensible to the audience. Also, it makes use of stage naturalism in the sense that natural or biological attributes cause Catherine's mathematical father Robert to fall into dementia, seeking messages in the Dewey decimal system code on library books, and this behavior is accepted as a mental illness rather than ignored or admired by the main characters. Robert is not possessed by demons as he might be in a fantastical drama, nor is his dementia simply accepted as part of the scenery of life by the other characters in "Proof," as in an absurdist drama.

Rather, Claire and Catherine, like any daughters of a mentally ill parent, must care for their father. Realistically or naturally, the two sisters come into conflict over the issue over who has the primary responsibility of caring for their father. The care issue is dealt with realistically, as Claire pays her father's medical bills and Catherine provides the daily care taking for the incapacitated professor. This scenario causes the play to ask the question, however, is it natural for the child Catherine to sacrifice her life for her father, as well as her own mathematical prowess? Stage naturalism and realism is used to give rise to a debate about what is a natural or quality life for a human being, especially in relationship to a genius parent.

Also, the plot of the play is naturalistically linear and logical, revolving around the question of academic ownership and authorship -- is the breakthrough mathematical proof dealing with prime numbers discovered by one of Robert's students, Hal, actually the work of the professor himself? Or is it Catherine's work? The dilemma of "Proof" is thus almost like a mystery, as well as a philosophical exercise in dramatic speculation.

Analyze how the term "absurdism" is depicted in the play, Proof, by David Auburn and provide 3 specific examples from the play

However, the subject of the play is also fundamentally absurdist as well as naturalistic, as "Proof" is also a debate revolving around the ownership of ideas. The idea of owning an idea is a kind of fiction, as ideas come from previous ideas, just like parents give birth to children. The level of debate and concern over issues that have little significance to anyone's real life, outside of mathematicians, also seems absurd, especially given the gravity of the situation for Robert's family about the loss of his mind, a dilemma as pressing as any issues over mathematical ownership, proof and speculation.