A Comparison of Three Plays The play Shopping and Fucking by Mark Ravenhill depicts the effects of consumerism in the society. In the opening scene we see the protagonists of the play Lulu, Mark, and Robbie. Mark is leaving for a rehabilitation center. He has a problem with emotional attachment. He only feels human when he has an emotional attachment. He is a drug addict as well. He returns from the center after a while and develops a relationship with a male prostitute, Gary who is fourteen years old. Meanwhile, Lulu and Robbie try to get by, after a series of complications Robbie gives away the ecstasy they are meant to sell. Brian, who gives them the drugs, demands his money back, they have phone sex to gather the money. The four of them come together at the end, replaying the scenes from Gary’s sexual abuse. When he demands to be penetrated with a knife, they refuse him. Brian ends the play with a lesson, money is civilization, civilization is money.…show more content… The play has elements of gender, sexism, questioning of higher education, and elitism. Carol has a failing grade that she wants to discuss with John. John is expected to be somewhere else, but he does not rush the conversation. He questions Carol’s beliefs about higher education and offers her to meet her a few more times and that her grade for the whole course is an A. Just when Carol is about to reveal a big secret about herself, John gets a call and leaves. Carol writes a complaint to the Tenure Committee, saying that she was offered grade in exchange of sex. John tries to convince her to withdraw her complaint. Carol is adamant. When she tries to leave the office, John holds her in place leading to rape accusations. John loses his tenure and beats