In the play "Andre's Mother" by Terence McNally Andre's mother does not speak in the play, her silence supports the theme because it shows the way people still view homosexuals even in this modern society.

In the play "Andre's Mother", Andre's mother does not say a word during the entire play although the character Cal, who is Andre's gay lover, speaks to her for a great length of the play. I believe the silence represented the way homosexuality is treated today. Andre's mother was silent during the play much like society is silent about the sensitive subject. it's a topic no one feels real comfortable talking about out in the open, So Terence McNally made Andre's mother silent to represent how our modern society keeps there views silent because of fears of being ridiculed. There was some good in the silence in the play too, in the end Andre's mother remained silent, but the family was speaking words of remembrance of Andre and letting go of balloons in a symbolic way of saying good bye and making peace with god, and although Andre's mother still did not say anything even to the balloon she did give it a kiss before letting it go, which shows how society is becoming more and more accepting of different people's sexual orientation as time goes by, So it also shows a positive in a sad play.

There is another meaning to the silence of Andre's mother in this play. The silence could also represent how homosexual people have to keep there mouths shut about there sexual orientation because of fear of being ridiculed by people who are ignorant and don't understand that not everyone is the same. In the play it is said that Andre never tells his mother about him being a homosexual because he...