I loved “The Metal Children”!! I couldn’t put the book down once: I read it in one sitting, tuning out the clamor in my house because I was so fascinated by the story.

In the play Vera tells Tobin “the novelist might be the only true cultural revolutionary left in America”. Vera is only sixteen and yet her words display more maturity than many characters in the play.

When first asked to do this assignment I assumed I would compare Vera to Travis of Taxi Driver (even though I know that Vera is not the protagonist of the play).

It just made more sense to me. Both characters are rebellious and are decided on the path with which they will achieve their goals. Tobin on the other hand appears to be so passive that at some points it disgusts me (as when he impregnates Vera). However, I digress. The more I think about it, there are a few similarities between the two characters.

Tobin, the protagonist of “The Metal Children” is a writer who is stuck. When we are first introduced to him we see that he is a liar, indifferent and a mess. Yet when we learn that his wife has left him we begin to pity him. However, Tobin is still very passive and shows little concern for the problems his book has caused. He does not even want to go to Midlothia to defend his book.

Throughout the play Tobin does not take a stand against anything; he is unsure of where he what path his life will take right up until the last scene of the play when he has finished writing a new novel. He has cleaned up his life and lost weight. Tobin’s tears at the end of the play shows that he finally cares for something.

In contrast, in the movie Taxi Driver I felt biased against Travis from the beginning. He was always alone, and the dirty colors and sad music that was supposed to draw me into his world only made me want to separate from it. Like Tobin, at first Travis is indifferent to the crimes he witnesses daily. He later becomes motivated to do what most people find hard to do: take action to better his own life and his environment. He does this by exercising to increase his strength and purchasing guns to make himself feel more powerful. In the movie he changes from passive to active, killing robbers and pimps to clean up the streets. He does not do this to impress Betsey or even for fame. He acts because he feels that he must, that it is his purpose in life.

Tobin reacts to authority by doing what he is good at: he writes. Although he did not write The Metal Children to criticize authority, his writing gives him a voice. His new novel at the end of the play is a criticism on consumerism. In real life Tobin is not out spoken, nor does he take action physically as Travis does. Instead Tobin uses his writing to tackle problems of society.

A common theme displayed by both characters is man’s strong desire to make a difference in the world. Both characters do so in a different way. Tobin makes a difference by writing while Travis helps Iris get her old life back.

Another theme the two works share is that in isolation one views society differently and is able to recognize its flaws. Travis is a loner: no one relates to him or understands him. Tobin is also alone; even though people often surround him they do not appear to understand him.

Also an important theme both works share is in individual’s responsibility of reforming society. As an artist, the author must inform the reader about what needs to be changed in a society. Once a good story impacts them, they are the ones who will take action. This also relates to Travis because he realizes he has a responsibility as he attempts to change his world. It’s like those Salvation Army people used to scream at me when I was younger, “only YOU can make a difference!”