Scene one of act two highlights the differences between Prior and Louis in the traumatic context of the worsening of Prior’s condition. Their reactions to an episode of poor health are indicative of their personalities and perspectives on Prior’s condition. Prior is clearly desperate and pleading with Louis for help and support when he’s in his moment of need on page 49 and 50. Louis responds to this by immediately leaving the room and announcing that he’s going to call someone else to deal with it. This dichotomy is clearly drawn and illustrates the incompatibility of Prior and Louis in their current states. Louis’s aversion to any sort of trouble or challenge or hardship is incredibly hard on Prior as he grows increasingly conscious of the possibility of Louis leaving him at the hospital as he explicitly stated on page 50. The scene ends with Prior unconscious and Louis quietly saying, “…I can’t I can’t I can’t,” (50). As if to verbalize what the readers knew from their prior conversations about Louis “walking out” on their relationship: his inability to cope with the impending death of his partner (40).
Within the differences highlighted in this scene, there are a few similarities. Both Louis’s and Prior’s reactions to this apparent manifestation of Prior’s condition are rooted in fear. Louis fears the death of his partner. He experiences denial earlier in the play on page 39, but when faced with symptoms correlating with worsening condition, Louis can no longer ignore the fact that his partner is dying. This causes him to be hysterical and likely feel incapable of taking care of him, thus calling the ambulance to take Prior somewhere where he can be better taken care of. Prior’s fear is very complex. He is afraid of dying, of course, but he is also afraid of being abandoned by the person that he loves. If he was dying beside an unquestionably supportive partner who took care of him and didn’t break down and “get too upset” at the mention of a development in Prior’s condition, Prior would potentially be less averse to being hospitalized (39). The knowledge that Louis could leave Prior at the hospital brings that fear of abandonment together with any minute apprehension surrounding the hospital, resulting in Prior’s desire to stay in their home with Louis for as long as possible.
I think Louis handles his emotional problems through escapism and self-indulgent behavior (ex: having sex with Joe). As the idea of death is frightening to him, he tries to ignore it/act like it doesn’t exist to keep his composure. Prior, on the other hand, must grow accustomed to the idea of dying because he has AIDS. He can’t really escape that reality (unlike Louis, as he isn’t suffering through having AIDS). Though Prior also seems to have some escapist tendencies, as he didn’t properly communicate with Louis about his diagnosis because he wanted their relationship to remain the same (comfortable).