Detroit

            In the play Detroit there are quite a few examples of ambiguity. One of the major examples is the truth about Kenny and Sharon’s past. They say that they met at a rehab facility and then became romantically involved. Shortly after that they tell a story about how they were at a nightclub in Atlanta and Kenny had an allergic reaction to caviar. This pokes a whole in their story about how they met in a rehab facility. They shrug it off by saying they realized sometime after that they had that random encounter in Atlanta. It is also hinted later on when Mary goes in the house and discovers that have hardly any possessions in their home. This is shrugged off by Ben because like Ken and Sharon said they were “starting over”. It’s discovered at the end of the play that they were lying and staying at the home illegally. There is also an example involving Ben and his connection with British culture. Sharon makes the assumption that he is British. This isn’t true but we find out later that he does spend a lot of his free time on a website called “brit-land”.

            An example of dramatic irony occurs towards the end of the play when Mary and Ben tell Frank that they might be moving to England and that Ben’s name is Ian. This is obviously not true but they get this idea from Ben’s avatar from the website “brit-land”. An example of reality check also occurs at the end of the play when Frank tells Ben and Mary the truth about Kenny and Sharon. He tells them that they were staying at the house illegally and that Kenny’s real name is Roger. Out of all these elements I believe ambiguity to be the most central to the play. The reason is because throughout the entire play, the truth of who they are is always in question but they are still accepted by Mary and Ben.