In "Andre's Mother" by Terrance McNally, a family leaves their beloved Andre who has died of AIDS. Andre is gay with a boyfriend Cal who he hid from his mother. The setting of this play takes place in the late 1980s in New York, a time when homosexuality was not accepted throughout society and demonized as the root of the disease HIV/AIDS. Art forms have responded to this problem in the same way as this piece. Andre's mother never knew his secret and never took her own verbal stance on it. The symbols – the language used, the hamlet and the white ball – throughout this play show that McNally is persuading his audience to accept homosexuality and AIDS. The language in this play, or lack thereof, changes the entire mood and theme of the play. The use of Andres' mother, devoid of language and only giving actions, persuades the audience to accept Andres' secret as his mother does. “His lips are trembling. She looks like she's about to collapse. She is about to let go of the ball when she pulls it towards her. She looks at him for a moment before kissing him gently. » (McNally 3) Her actions noted in the setting show her acceptance of André in whatever form he may be. At this part of the play, when she learns his secret, she still respects him and shows her love for him by kissing the balloon. “Cal: I wish I knew what you were thinking. I think it would help me… When he was sick, if I asked him once, I asked him a thousand times, tell him. She's your mother. It won't bother her. » (McNally2) Andre and Cal always talked about Andre's fear of telling his mother that he was gay because of his narrow views. Without really knowing what Andre's mother thought, her son's love was greater than any disapproval of his sexuality. Penny Cal's sister...... middle of paper ......ed via unprotected homosexual/heterosexual sex. During this period, this information was reliable and was not readily available. Cal, on the other hand, was very open and intimate in his relationship with Andre. Cal loved Andre like they were already married. Even with this deadly syndrome and his personal beliefs, he still ascends to heaven like anyone else. In conclusion, “André’s Mother” was a play intended to persuade audiences to accept AIDS and homosexuality during the 20th century. Instead of pushing the audience into his opinion, he gently guides the audience towards his perspective on the famous social issue. Use of symbols: language used, hamlet and white balloon completing André's admission. Works Cited McNally, Terrance. “André’s mother.” Backpack literature. Fourth edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2012.Print in detail