Dear Evan Hansen issue... — Page 4

As someone who has dealt with a severe, diagnosed anxiety disorder for the past 6 years, I too feel very polarized by the musical and it's attempt to comment on mental illness and suicide's place in modern society without taking any responsibility for how it is handled. I have seen the show multiple times in attempt to understand where they intend on coming from, but I feel remarkably displaced and alienated each time.

The creators and cast have stated over and over that Evan's illness is unclassified - so to all the posters assuming the show intends him autistic, etc, you are wrong. By having Evan referred to as "socially anxious" is a severe disservice, as his condition is obviously much more intense than that - he tries to kill himself - this is not an example of someone who is merely socially anxious.

There is no justice for Connor Murphy, and no repercussions for Evan Hansen -the theme of "You Will be Found" quite literally appears out of nowhere, and does nothing to solve any of the shows core problems. What is the actual theme of this show? I would argue an extreme answer could be: "lying will cure your anxiety/mental illness," as in the final scene we meet Evan one year later - new sense of style, his ticks are gone, he's self proclaimed "better," and hasn't had to answer for his actions.

It's come to the point where I just accept that people like this show, but damn do I feel it is flawed and at times, sending dangerous messages about ways to cope with mental illness. I think it stems from the fact that I assumed I was supposed to relate to Evan Hansen more than anyone, but I literally want nothing to do with him. I can't stand him, truly.

Just my thoughts. You don't have to like them, but please, do not ever say "It resonates with everyone who sees it (even those who may not like it) in very deep, textured and nuanced ways." again, and like our antihero Evan Hansen, you are lying to yourself and hiding from the truth.

Great post VotePeron, couldn't agree more.

I have to agree with VotePeron. I have struggled with anxiety my whole life, but Evan's actions are inexcusable in my opinion. Evan being excused for his actions is ridiculous.

VotePeron said: "What is the actual theme of this show? I would argue an extreme answer could be: "lying will cure your anxiety/mental illness," as in the final scene we meet Evan one year later - new sense of style, his ticks are gone, he's self proclaimed "better," and hasn't had to answer for his actions."

Just because I am curious, what would you have wanted to see happen for Evan to "answer for his actions"?

I have only seen the show once a few months ago when I was in NYC so I don't remember all the details of the book. But while I too left the theatre feeling a bit underwhelmed compared to my expectations mainly because I did not feel the "You Will Be Found" type messaging had fit with the rest of the piece (which I enjoyed and appreciate more and more for the darkness and complexity of the situation), from how I interpreted it, I felt that Evan did come to understand the impact of what he had done and feel deep regret for it. I would have liked to see more of how the other characters were impacted later, and as someone mentioned Zoe saying that the Murphys had been brought together by the lie rang quite false - but I did not feel the need to see any further narrative "punishment" for Evan and didn't felt like I got a "lying was fine" message just from seeing him in a better place in the finale.

So I am just curious what direction you would have wanted to take it :)

I love this thread by the way, it is so fascinating to read all this detailed discussion and different views!

Updated On: 4/28/17 at 10:19 AM

I know the story doesn't have a resolution, but having read Steven Levenson's other plays, that makes sense. I think it fits Evan's personality. As someone with social anxiety, I've been through a lot of what Evan's been through. Evan knows he's probably never going to get better. He'll never be comfortable around others, he'll never have a lot of friends. To him, he'll always be broken. The fact that it ends so harshly and so darkly is the only kind of ending Evan's ever perceived. It's a sad ending, but at the end, Evan seems to reach a resolution, that despite it all, he is himself, and that will be enough.

Alex Kulak2 said: "I know the story doesn't have a resolution, but having read Steven Levenson's other plays, that makes sense. I think it fits Evan's personality. As someone with social anxiety, I've been through a lot of what Evan's been through. Evan knows he's probably never going to get better. He'll never be comfortable around others, he'll never have a lot of friends. To him, he'll always be broken. The fact that it ends so harshly and so darkly is the only kind of ending Evan's ever perceived. It's a sad ending, but at the end, Evan seems to reach a resolution, that despite it all, he is himself, and that will be enough.



"

How is it a sad ending? Zoey forgives him and says he has helped them (which is ridiculous and frankly offensive IMO)

That's the thing about living with Social Anxiety. It doesn't end with "So Big/So Small", where you hug your loved ones and feel like things are alright. It goes on the next day and the day after and so on and so on, and you have to keep promising yourself every day that things have gotten and will get better.

I have to admit, the first time I saw the show, I was a fan. The second time I saw it, I became keenly aware of the tricks and emotional manipulation the authors use to make you feel for characters who frankly do not deserve our support.

Honestly, I think a lot of the issues mentioned above could have been resolved if the script never had Zoe say that Evan's actions brought the family closer together. That plot contrivance is not only unfounded and unearned, but it's also incredibly insulting to what the Murphy family just went through as characters (it undermines their pain and the consequences of Evan's actions). I personally reconciled this issue by assuming Zoe meant that the Murphy family forgave Evan in spite of the awful things he did because they saw a bit of what Connor went through in Evan. If that sentiment had been made explicit in the script, I feel some who are currently uncomfortable with the show may find it more digestible.

I still contend, however, that the biggest problem in DEH (as others have brought up here) is the promotion of #YouWillBeFound. If #YouWillBeFound is truly the message of the show, then no wonder some see DEH as promoting the fact that Evan's lie is justifiable (particularly given what Zoe says at the end). I find "Disappear" and "You Will Be Found" to be the most disturbing songs in the show, not on the basis of the songs' content itself but rather on the fact that they've become fodder for people to claim that what's being promoted in those songs are what we're supposed to take away from DEH. In the context of show's narrative, those songs are intimately intertwined with the lie Evan created for himself (i.e., despite the positive messages being portrayed in the songs themselves, the character's intent behind putting forth such messages is really twisted, to say the least); so is #YouWillBeFound really the most appropriate message to be taking away from the show?

What we are supposed to take away from DEH, I argue, is the fact that Evan learns how "stepping into the sun" means facing the worst in oneself rather than creating the "perfect" life through a lie (given, ironically, that creating the "perfect" life revealed the worst in Evan, as was beautifully stated in "Words Fail" ). Yet that message gets completely lost in the mess of #YouWillBeFound and what the book writer has Zoe say at the end.

Updated On: 4/28/17 at 12:17 PM

3NU said: "Honestly, I think a lot of the issues mentioned above could have been resolved if the script never had Zoe say that Evan's actions brought the family closer together. That plot contrivance is not only unfounded and unearned, but it's also incredibly insulting to what the Murphy family just went through as characters (it undermines their pain and the consequences of Evan's actions). I personally reconciled this issue by assuming Zoe meant that the Murphy family forgave Evan in spite of the awful things he did because they saw a bit of what Connor went through in Evan. If that sentiment had been made explicit in the script, I feel some who are currently uncomfortable with the show may find it more digestible.

I still contend, however, that the biggest problem in DEH (as others have brought up here) is the promotion of #YouWillBeFound. If #YouWillBeFound is truly the message of the show, then no wonder some see DEH as promoting the fact that Evan's lie is justifiable (particularly given what Zoe says at the end). I find "Disappear" and "You Will Be Found" to be the most disturbing songs in the show, not on the basis of the songs' content itself but rather on the fact that they've become fodder for people to claim that what's being promoted in those songs are what we're supposed to take away from DEH. In the context of show's narrative, those songs are intimately intertwined with the lie Evan created for himself (i.e., despite the positive messages being portrayed in the songs themselves, the character's intent behind putting forth such messages is really twisted, to say the least); so is #YouWillBeFound really the most appropriate message to be taking away from the show?

What we are supposed to take away from DEH, I argue, is the fact that Evan learns how "stepping into the sun" means facing the worst in oneself rather than creating the "perfect" life through a lie (given, ironically, that creating the "perfect" life revealed the worst in Evan, as was beautifully stated in "Words Fail" ). Yet that message gets completely lost in the mess of #YouWillBeFound and what the book writer has Zoe say at the end.



"

Slow clap. Much more eloquent than what I've been trying to say for months.

I remember reading on another thread that in the early workshops, the Murphy's tell everyone what Evan did, and he's spent the past year being crucified online. Would this have been possibly a better ending? It wouldn't have forgiven what Evan did, but it would have given him some comeuppance.

I'm not saying I think that should happen, but I don't understand how this lie goes big and viral and yet no one ever finds out that it's all fake. For all the talk of how the show gets social media right, the fact that it's barely hinted at is a big mis-step.