“Nothing is stronger than me”, Violet declares by the play’s end. In what ways is she right? In what ways is she wrong? How does Violet conceive of strength? How does Barbara? Ivy? Karen? Compare and contrast the different generations in the play. How do the eras in which the characters were raised affect their view of the world? Consider what other influences might engender their perspective. What universal truths about families does the play embody? To what degree is the Weston family representative of the American society in the 21st century?

August: Osage County is a Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comic play by Tracy Letts that takes place inside the Weston family home in Oklahoma. The mother of the Weston family, Violet, says toward the end of the play, “Nothing is stronger than me.” Violet’s conception of strength makes these words true in some ways. When the extended family swoops into the Weston home after Violet’s husband Beverly’s mysterious disappearance, she does not seem to want or especially need their comfort or support. As a child of poverty, neglect, and abuse, Violet carries a will to endure that can be seen as strength. However, her conception of strength is tied up with aggression and the desire to lash out against her family as she psychologically terrorizes them throughout the play. However, she can be seen as weak in her dependence on cigarettes that has led to mouth cancer and prescription drugs that render her often incoherent and hysterical. Barbara’s conception of strength is tied to control, evident in her desire to try to save her marriage and hold together her unraveling extended family. Ivy’s sense of strength is also related to control, demonstrated in her desire to maintain secrecy over her affair with “Little” Charles, who she believes to be her cousin but is actually her half brother. Karen’s sense of strength also involves control and how she deludes herself into believing in her own happy ending with her “perfect” fiancé.
The different generations in the play often conflict but reveal similarities. The older sisters Violet and Mattie Fae frequently criticize the younger generations. However, the younger family members all show indications of past, present, and future emotional trauma at the hands of their parents. Both the younger and older generations self-medicate in response to emotional and psychological issues—through cigarettes, alcohol, prescription drugs, marijuana, and sexual misbehavior. Ironically, it is through these methods of self-medication that family members of different generations often bond. For example, Johnna allows Jean to smoke pot in her room, and family conversations are almost always accompanied by alcohol.      
The Weston family depicts an extreme portrait of universal truths about families and may be seen as a hyperbolic representation of American society in the 21st century. A major theme this play explores is secrecy. Nearly every family member in this bleak play holds a secret about themselves or someone else. Often, secrets are used as weapons and are revealed to inflict pain. Another major theme is substance abuse, the impulse to numb or ignore emotional or psychological pain rather than confront or heal it. The play also explores the issue of sexual misconduct and how it can have long-lasting repercussions across generations. Another major theme is death and blame as the family tries to make sense of Beverly’s mysterious suicide. While most families will deal with these issues at some point, the Weston family confronts them all in an emotional hurricane that leaves them torn apart.