Evan Hansen Is NOT a sociopath

So strange to keep reading here that Evan Hansen is a sociopath- c'mon- he was a high school student with a difficult childhood to overcome- he learned some life lessons- and got on with it. To call a 17 year old student a sociopath- especially when he seems to overcome and grow- is missing th point of adolescence- a time where we begin to sort out who we are and what we want to become- and this is just the beginning of the trek to adulthood. Who hasn't been an adolescent riddled with angst, devious deeds and self-doubt?

Updated On: 2/5/18 at 12:21 PM

You are right- I corrected. Sorry.

Uh oh, TotallyEffed, now you've done it.

Yeah he is.

---

A sociopath has no feelings of guilt or remorse over any wrongdoing. Even before the truth comes out, I think it's pretty clear that Evan is at least somewhat conflicted about his situation. He's not a sociopath.

This discussion is so 2016-2017.

I don't think he is, but I do think the idea that he is one is pretty entertaining.

Kad, I want to see the sequel where the family starts to put those pieces together.

Wow...congratulations, I believe you now hold the record for longest stretch used for a defense.



People are allowed to have their opinions -- you saying otherwise doesn't change anything. (And in case you care, I don't think he's a sociopath nor do I think he needs to be punished. But I'm a relatively rational human being and can't get upset by the way folks "think" about a fictional character.)

---

BroadwayRox3588 said: "TotallyEffed and dramamama hit the nail on the head. He's a fictional character."

Right again. Of course, he's a fictional character who fabricated a huge lie and extended coverup in order to get his object of desire into bed. So there's that to consider.

And no, he didn't just "tell a lie" and got caught at it. He told a lie, then got his friend to engage in an extended series of lies (and perhaps crimes) in order to keep bedding her.

Theatre is full of fictional character (and fictionalized characters, ala Hamilton). That doesn't mean that we cant gain through considering their (make believe) behavior.

Everyone entitled to their own opinions- but characters in books, theater, movies, tv,- are frequently dissected- to suggest that because Evan Hansen is not a real person- the plot of the show cannot be analyzed- we certainly did it for Nora- in Doll's House Part 2- Scarlett and Rhett- and many people- not me- are obsessed with Game Of Thrones and Star Wars characters- every revue of a movie or play analyzes the key characters- and the messages they telegraph- and what the writer was trying to communicate. My point- that adolescent behavior- as a teacher of LD/BD students in high school- can be transitional- many life lessons are learned during this period of development- and many times- even when mistakes- some really big mistakes- these mistakes lead to reckoning and self awareness.Judging kids too harshly- generally speaking- is not always best- though young people certainly have the ability to be really dangerous to society- particularly when violent crimes are committed- snd it cases like this- leniency and patience does no one any favors..

Updated On: 2/5/18 at 10:11 PM

Wow. It’s unsettling how many people here are saying who cares and everyone has a right to their opinion. Arent we here on this board (at least partially) to argue sound opinions? These are the kind of remarks that I get from middle school students the first time they have a Socratic seminar and they can’t get past the “everyone’s entitled to an opinion” nonsense. If you have a sound opinion to counter the OP, then go for it. Otherwise these other posts are just taking up space.
Back to the thread topic, I find the real objectionable character in DEH to be Alana. The way she immediately turned the suicide into an attention-getting ploy for herself sickened me. I wish she had a song about how empty she felt inside because of her actions.
Lots of people are like that though. In the weeks after 9/11, a friend was visiting me in New York City and she saw firetrucks racing through Times Sq with their lights on. She immediately called her mom back home and asked her to turn on the news to see if they were heading to another terror attack and I could tell she was actually disappointed when there was nothing on the news—-no way to finagle a tragedy into attention on her. Needless to say we aren’t friends anymore.
Evan Hansen had so much happen to him and he passively let it happen. The icky part for me was how the writers were trying to make us pity him when I just wanted to tell him he is a jerk if he doesn’t speak up now before this goes a second further.

Phantom4ever said: "Back to the thread topic, I find the real objectionable character in DEH to be Alana. The way she immediately turned the suicide into an attention-getting ploy for herself sickened me. I wish she had a song about how empty she felt inside because of her actions.
Lots of people are like that though. In the weeks after 9/11, a friend was visiting me in New York City and she saw firetrucks racing through Times Sq with their lights on. She immediately called her mom back home and asked her to turn on the news to see if they were heading to another terror attack and I could tell she was actually disappointed when there was nothing on the news—-no way to finagle a tragedy into attention on her. Needless to say we aren’t friends anymore."

I know this isn't really on the thread topic, but...SERIOUSLY???? That's just a disgusting attitude for her to have.

Updated On: 2/6/18 at 12:38 AM