Rent Story Question.

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:17pm

In the song "Goodbye Love" the lyrics go.

ROGER
From Facing Your Failure, Facing Your
Loneliness
Facing The Fact You Live A Lie
Yes, You Live A Lie - Tell You Why

You're Always Preaching Not To
Be Numb
When That's How You Thrive
You Pretend To Create And Observe

When You Really Detach From Feeling
Alive

MARK
Perhaps It's Because I'm The One Of Us
To Survive

ROGER
Poor Baby


So, is this stating, tha Mark has never had HIV/AIDS, or is this saying that he did once have them but has later beaten them?

[RENThead414]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:19pm

...HIV/AIDS isn't something you can "get over" at this point, so no, Mark has never had AIDS. I think he's using "survive" as just...he's the only one that hasn't (during the course of the musical) broken up with someone, or ran away from his past, etc. (of course, running away from your present isn't an ideal way to survive, either, but we love him anyways.)

[MOOINGFORRENT]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:23pm

yeah I agree... I think that mark is saying how he is able to survive in the world that is just kinda falling apart around him... (I love that song by the way)

[ashley0139]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:25pm

It's kind of a double meaning. Literally surving. And he is still living his life. The ironic thing is he's living his life at a distance. He only survives because he doesn't really live. It's quite brilliant.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:27pm

EDIT: What they said. ^ (got to it before I did, heh)

Updated On: 2/1/06 at 04:27 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:29pm

I think the quote has to do with a LOT more than AIDS.

Roger is emotionally shut off. He's hardly left their apartment in how long? He's sick, his girlfriend is dead, and now he's about to lose Mimi, on top of the fact that Angel has just died. He's only gotten by because he's shut down. But is that living? Just sitting and staring out your window, hating yourself? Mark says no. And Roger throws back in his face that Mark does not much better; he pretends to feel as he creates, but he, too, is numb.

Also, I think that even in his anger, Mark is more sensitive than to throw the fact that Roger has AIDS back at him, in terms of "survival." I don't think he'd be like "you're dying and I'm not." I think he means that he's still living for something, and Roger isn't even trying.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:43pm

"So, is this stating, tha Mark has never had HIV/AIDS, or is this saying that he did once have them but has later beaten them?"

Is that even a real question? How can someone with HIV/AIDS later beat them?
And the character of Mark does not have AIDS/HIV, if that is more your question.

[RachLaura]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:51pm

I agree with the people above. I also took it as the fact that Mark is the only one without AIDS, and the only one with the rest of his life ahead of him, he kind of takes it for granted and feels as though he doesn't have to live every second as if its his last, because he has more time than everyone else. Because of this he detatches himself, and doesn't really live life as those who know they are not going to have it in the near future.

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:59pm

"Is that even a real question? How can someone with HIV/AIDS later beat them? "

Maybe you should do a bit of research.

[broadway_baby4]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:59pm

Is Mark actually the only one with AIDS out of the group? We can guess Benny has AIDS becuase he was with Mimi, but from what I know it was never actually stated. Same for maureen and Joanne, it was never, to my knowlege, said that they had AIDS.
Sorry for the threadjack! Updated On: 2/1/06 at 04:59 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:02pm

"'Is that even a real question? How can someone with HIV/AIDS later beat them?'

Maybe you should do a bit of research."

Not quite sure what you mean "do your research." HIV is an incurable virus. While there are medications today that can delay the virus from developing into AIDS, there is certainly no cure and you don't "beat them."

[Cenoern]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:02pm

Benny, Mark, Joanne, and Maureen are HIV-neg.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:03pm

It obviously depends on what you mean by "beat." Poor word choice, in any event.

[jeremykushnier1fan]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:06pm

Mark, AIDS? No.

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:06pm

I never thought Benny had HIV. It's very difficult for a woman to infect a man with it via heterosexual sex. Not impossible, but difficult.

[broadway_baby4]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:10pm

I never thought he did either, Kringas..I was just checking the possiblity of it, since many people were saying Mark was the only one who does not infact have AIDS. I never thought Benny was actually HIV positive, but I was just toying with the idea that he might indeed be HIV positive, however unlikely that idea is!

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:13pm

"Perhaps It's Because I'm The One Of Us
To Survive"

Well... my 2 cents... I see this as a moment between Mark and Roger and the angst in their relationship. At the time this takes place, AIDS was a definite death sentence. It's still incurable, but people are living longer and productive lives these days.

I must admit that I always found that comment out of character for Mark.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:23pm

"'Is that even a real question? How can someone with HIV/AIDS later beat them?'

Maybe you should do a bit of research."

Not quite sure what you mean "do your research." HIV is an incurable virus. While there are medications today that can delay the virus from developing into AIDS, there is certainly no cure and you don't "beat them."
___________________________________________________
Thank you, I didn't even need to reply myself.
So, if you're wondering if some other characters in the play are HIV positive, the answer is no.
This is because Jonathan Larson made clear that this was just what specific characters are going through, and would have done the same with others if that was the case.

and for this

"I never thought Benny had HIV. It's very difficult for a woman to infect a man with it via heterosexual sex. Not impossible, but difficult."

Remember Roger and April's story.

[broadway_baby4]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:28pm

Blaxx, Roger and April also shared heroin needles, so it could jave been transferred from that as well!

[Becky]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:01pm

I must admit that I always found that comment out of character for Mark.

Except that they are in the middle of a heated argument. I think it kind of slipped out actually (or at least that's the way I interpreted it from the reaction of the actors I've seen immediately following the comment).

I always took that line to mean that Mark was litteraly saying he was the one (out of them all) who would be left living. I felt he was telling Roger that when you're all gone I will be the one left to have to cope with it all. That's why Roger says "Poor Baby", as if to say "So you get to live - screw you". Mark is detaching himself from everyone/everything to make it easier when they are gone.

Mark's detachment is his defense mechanism for dealing with everything going on around him - I never thought he was saying that he was the one who was actually "surviving" as in dealing with life. I'd have to think about that some more......

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:02pm

"I never thought Benny had HIV. It's very difficult for a woman to infect a man with it via heterosexual sex. Not impossible, but difficult."

Remember Roger and April's story.

Bottom line: nobody knows who gave it to who. It's totally open to interpretation.

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:09pm

I always assumed because he's the only who doesn't have HIV/AIDS

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:11pm

Um, what about Maureen and Joanne?

[StageWhore]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:16pm

I think another reason for "Perhaps it's because..." is that the original NYTW version had Roger saying something to the effect of, "At least you're the one of us to survive," and Larson chose to alter it only slightly for the sake of rythmn/rhyme.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 7:55pm

Yes, that's what I thought too, StageWhore. Alive and survive rhyme, so it works, but there could be underlying meaning to it, as well.