Angels in America Book Report

Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” is a fascinating tapestry of characters to write a book report on – historical and fictional, effective and inept, compassionate and corrupt.  Prior Walter is one of Kushner’s complex creations, a decent homosexual man felled by the scourge of AIDS.  It is to Prior that the Angel of America appears, though the reader of the book report is privy to the interactions between mortal and messenger as well.

When the Angel first crashes through the sealing of Prior’s room, he is disturbed by the event.  Is he hallucinating?  Is this strange being illusory, just part of his degenerative disease?  Prior becomes more vexed as his interactions with the Angel continue.  She represents “retro” in the extreme, convinced that God has abandoned humankind because of our wanderings – or some might say our progress.  Bestowing the title of “prophet” and its inherent burden on Prior, she exhorts him to “stay put” and to act as a agent for regression to a time before human beings began their never-ending search for something better, or at least different.  With the Mormon presence such an important one to the play, one cannot help but see connections between the pilgrimage of the Latter Day Saints to Utah and the “migrations” that the Angel claims are so abhorrent to God.

Book Reports and Book Reviews on Angels in America

A book report typically begins by identifying the author, title of book and publishing details in the introduction. Then a student should continue with the book report by stating the thesis or controlling idea of the book. Typically, in a book report, the first paragraph is the summary of events that develop the thesis. In the body of the report, a student should include the key characters and concepts of at least three characters or personalities. Finally, end with a conclusion of at least 1/2 page with final thoughts about the book and an interesting ending.