I became involved in this play, "The Conversion of Ka'ahumanu" more so than "Talk Story," and I'm not exactly sure why. Throughout the opening of the play I was hesistant to connect or sympathize with Sybil and Lucy mainly because I'm not a fan of missionary work when it's so black and white...or so focused on Christianizing people because without a Christian God, all are doomed. However, as the story progessed it was really interesting to watch the character development of these two women in particular. I think that Kneubuhl does a great job of showing an almost natural prejudice or an innate "hatred" for anything that is different, even people. Even as Lucy screams out at the "filthy" Pali, I could almost pity her, because as hard as she's trying to be good and working in the light of Christ, she still goes back to her hatred...she "forgets" herself (pg. 194). And though Lucy is a bit of a hypocrit, it echoes back to Lon in "Talk Story" and this idea that even though we want to believe we are good or accepting or "liberal" or Christian, it is very difficult to let go of an almost natural prejudice that at times seems innate and uncontrollable.

I also liked how Kneubuhl did not make it completely about white people hating people of color. In this play, for the first time that I can remember, I've seen both sides of the story. The native people also judged the white women as they came over and even were extremely awful to their own kind, beating them almost to death. It made the situation in my opinion all the more complicated and it made me focus on the individual characters and what they were each saying and doing, rather than grouping the people and then labeling one good and the other bad.

I was saddened at the end by Ka'ahumanu's letting go or her "conversion" but at the same time, it did not seem completely awful. Her final assertions were not bitter or cold, but rather they were simply given with a tone of acceptance. She does not fully give up her past, but seeks to unite the past and the present.

I am excited to discuss this play in class.