How we cite our quotes: Act.Scene.Line
Quote #7
Lee: We could get the old man outa' hock then. (1.4.196)
If they make some Hollywood money, Lee wants to use it to get their dad back into their lives. Austin wants nothing to do with the old man, though. This is just another little way that Shepard demonstrates the differences between the brothers. Lee wants to get Dad back; Austin is busy taking care of his mother's plants.
Quote #8
Austin: I went out of my way. I gave him money and all he did was play Al Jolson records and spit at me! (2.7.138-140)
Ah, the source of Austin's disdain for his father. His dad, like Lee, didn't care that he had money to offer him. In fact, it just made him spit at the boy. In the eyes of his father and his older brother, Austin's monetary and career success don't seem to mean a whole lot.
Quote #9
Austin: Well I don't understand why you want to talk to anybody else anyway. I mean you can talk to me. I'm your brother. (2.8.115-117)
This is one of the moments in True West where if you can look past the insanity of the situation, you might actually feel a little sadness for these guys. Despite everything that has happened—the fighting, the betrayal over the scripts, and the disconnect—Austin still desperately wants a relationship with his older brother.