N2N Question *SPOILER*

[sayokay]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 2:47pm

SPOILERS ARE BELOW

Hey!! I saw Next To Normal on July 1st. It was really good, definitely one of my favorite shows. They were all such good singers, they never had any pitch problems or anything not even once which I thought was outstanding. Anyways, I had a question. Why at the end did the father suddenly see Gabe? Was he really seeing him? It confused me so much, and now listening back to the OBCR I still don't understand it. Was it just a metaphor that he was finally understanding what she was going through? Thanks! :)


Updated On: 7/15/09 at 02:47 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 3:07pm

That's a big debate. The answer is there is no one answer. It's really up to your own interpretation, and that's how the writers intended it. I personally think it's just metaphorical.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 3:43pm

heo is right...there is no one "right" answer.

My take: Dan has never really had the chance to mourn Gabe (whether by choice or circumstance), he's taken all his energies in helping Diana. Now that Diana has left him, he can begin to heal himself.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 3:49pm

You might want to consider warning others that you are revealing plot developments in your post by adding "Spoiler Inside" or something like that to the header.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 3:53pm

spoilerssss.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 4:22pm

This is a huge spoiler and there was a huge debate over this. I'm in complete agreeance with the two previous posts about what it means. I don't think he actually SEES Gabe. He clearly (to me at least) hasn't grieved his son's death because he was so busy looking after Diana so the final moment between Dan and Gabe is, in my mind, the beginning of Dan's healing by acknowledging his son's passing and beginning to grieve. But I've said that before and gotten into huge fights with people who are 1000000% adamant about the fact that Dan sees Gabe as Diana does.
Updated On: 7/15/09 at 04:22 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 4:25pm

As others have said, it's an ongoing debate. In a recent twitter, Bryan Yorkey revealed that he believes one thing while Tom Kitt believes another. So, even amongst the creators there is no consent.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 4:54pm

Not to threadjack, but did anyone see the interview with Kitt on NY1's "On Stage" this week? Great spot !!!!

And AG.... love the avatar !!! One of the best books that I have ever read !!!

[sayokay]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 5:19pm

Thanks for all of the answers! I understand it now. The cast is so amazing, and I recommend the show to anyone. Although, I have no idea how they do it almost every day. It's such a depressing and sad show, it must put them all in such solemn moods after the show.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 5:22pm

By stage door they have all snapped out it. As an actor you MUST be able to leave it on the stage...it is dangerous not to.

And again....PLEASE edit you original post and put the words SPOILER in the Subject line. PLEASE.

[sayokay]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 5:32pm

Yeah that is true, it's bad not to leave it at the stage. Sorry, I added the spoiler now. :)

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 5:50pm

Psychologically, Dan literally seeing Gabe would make no sense. So I like to believe that it's symbolic.

[Sparklesss]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 6:00pm

I completely agree with everyone posting before me. I also do understand when some people say he always saw Gabe like Diana did, but I just personally took it more the other way, as the above posters did(I sometimes feel like Gabe sings part of I'm Alive to dan - until you name you can't...etc.). When I first discovered N2N I felt like the dad seeing Gabe at the end let us know that at times he was struggling w/the same thing Diana was on a more miniscule level, or at least it was in the back of his mind occasionally, but he pushed it away by worrying about Diana. So basically I can def. see where its a debatable question. I also find it interesting that in one stage version Gabe sings "look at me" to Dan, but on the Tony's sang it to Diana.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 6:27pm

Psychologically, Dan literally seeing Gabe would make no sense. So I like to believe that it's symbolic.

Says the person who's never seen the show before and only has limited knowledge of the characters.

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 7:04pm

"Psychologically, Dan literally seeing Gabe would make no sense. So I like to believe that it's symbolic."

Some people argue that Dan literally sees Gabe throughout the entire show, he just chooses not to acknowledge it and focus on making Diana well.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 7:31pm

And I think the line that people back up that thought is (and I may be paraphrasing)

Why didn't you go with her?

But I still think that for him to physically is wrong for Dan. Maybe he thought that all the thoughts he had of his son were because Diana makes them so vivid and he can't get away from him being on his mind.

Updated On: 7/15/09 at 07:31 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 8:13pm

^Yeah that line definitely gives that argument some credibility. Also, the staging in "I'm Alive" is kind of vague. Gabe is singing in the middle of the second level and Natalie is taking the pills on the right hand side of that level. Dan comes up the stairs on the left and takes a few steps in to the middle section while Gabe sort of sings at him, then Dan turns around and goes back downstairs. Some people think that Dan sees Gabe and that's why he turns away, but I think he sees Natalie starting to take drugs, and rather than confront it, he just acts like it doesn't exist. Which is how he deals with all problems.

Hope explaining the staging made some sense lol.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 8:58pm

Okay, my take.

Diana deals with the baby's death by refusing to accept it, and spends the next sixteen years watching her son grow up, etc.

Dan deals with the baby's death by denying there ever was a son. He recognizes that Diana has a mental problem caused by the death, but never, until the end of the play, accepts that his way of dealing/not dealing is also a form of mental illness.
There are some clues along the way, as at the end of I AM THE ONE in Act 1, the very last line is Gabe's, directed at Dan: "You just don't know who I am". Also at one point I believe Gabe says something like "I've never heard you say my name" which sets up that final scene between Dan and Gabe. No, I don't believe that Dan "sees" Gabe, but finally is acknowledging that there WAS a Gabe, and accepts the doctor's offer as he realizes he will need some help in adjusting to a fact that denied for so long.

Just my take, however ....

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 9:05pm

adamgreer: I don't have to have seen the show to know that's just not how hallucinations or psychoses work.

But, whatever, feel free to discount my opinion.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 9:13pm

It's a musical for chrissakes. It isn't an actual clinical psych observation/analysis. Updated On: 7/15/09 at 09:13 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 9:20pm

TimeSquareRegular, COMPLETELY agree and very well said.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 9:20pm

I know, but it makes me feel better to think of it that way.

But, anyway, I'll leave this thread alone now.

Updated On: 7/15/09 at 09:20 PM

[Elphie3]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 10:27pm

I personally think he was always able to see Gabe - esp. since Gabe represents what needs to be grieved. But he was supressing his feelings, living in denial. Only at the end does he finally admit it...

at least that's what I got on my first viewing

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 10:56pm

I got that Dan too was somewhat crazy and really was seeing Gabe.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 7/16/09 at 12:09am

The first time I saw it, I was convinced that Dan could see Gabe the whole time. The second time, it seemed that Dan couldn't see Gabe at all, and just acknowkedged his existence at the end. I like that it's ambiguous.