Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika Act 4, Scene 8 Summary

  • Louis sits in his apartment, looking through a box of photocopied articles. He is reading as Joe enters.
  • "'Have you no decency, sir? At long last? Have you no sense of decency?' Who said that?", Louis asks Joe (4.8.2).
  • Joe doesn't know who said it. He tells Louis he's been doing terribly and it's really good to see him.
  • Louis can't believe Joe doesn't know who said, "Have you no decency?" (4.8.8).
  • Joe wants to know what's wrong with Louis.
  • Louis tells him that he's spent the afternoon reading all the decisions that Joe has written for the judge he works for.
  • Apparently Joe pretty much did all of the judge's work for him, including... like... judging things.
  • Louis thinks Joe's decisions are disgusting. In one case he ruled against a family that sued a toothpaste factory for toxic smoke that was blinding children. Joe ruled that the Air and Water Protection Act couldn't be used to sue the company because it only protects air and water, not children.
  • Joe also ruled on a case in which he denied that homosexuals are a legitimate minority deserving equal protection under the law.
  • Joe tells him he's overreacting and starts to leave.
  • Louis asks him again who said, "Have you no decency?" (4.8.33).
  • Joe screams that he doesn't know, yelling that he loves Louis and can't understand why he's attacking him.
  • Louis roars, "JOSEPH WELCH, THE ARMY/McCARTHY HEARINGS. Ask ROY. He'll tell you. He knows. He was there. Roy Cohn. What I want to know is, did you f*** him?" (4.8.41).
  • Joe shoves Louis and tries to leave.
  • Louis screams about how Roy has AIDS. He mocks Joe for not knowing Roy was gay.
  • The two start fighting.
  • Joe punches Louis in the stomach. Louis tries to hit him back but Joe punches him repeatedly.
  • Joe stops and apologizes. He feels really bad for hurting Louis.
  • Louis tells him to go away. "I just want to lie here and bleed for a while. Do me good," Louis moans (4.8.65). Looks like he finally has those bruises that Prior thought he deserved.