The Humans

Throughout The Humans, the set plays a large part in Karam’s efforts to draw out the tension of the Thanksgiving dinner. Sounds contribute to the anxiety of the characters, with the mysterious thuds from the apartment above and the unsettling sound of the garbage compactor on the other side of the basement. The loss of light contributes to this sense of unease as well. At different points in the play, lightbulbs burn out, reducing the amount of space the characters can comfortably be in and pushing them closer together, hurtling toward the final revelation of Erik and Deirdre’s economic instability. The lightbulbs are therefore a symbol that represents the Blake’s inability to hide from each other. 

The first lightbulb goes out upstairs after Aimee reveals to Brigid that she will need surgery for her ulcerative colitis and the two discuss their suspicion that their parents are struggling: “No, yeah, do you think it’s because…he hasn’t been sleeping right? The light fixture above them burns out” (83). The lights continue to burn out, drawing the family closer and closer until Erik finally reveals his affair and the loss of his job. Afterward, with everyone outside coordinating their ways home, Richard is left alone in the apartment when the final light bulb goes out: “All the downstairs lights flicker out.