new gamblin' house open before you boys leave'" (O'Neill 600). All of these characters see a very bright future up ahead for them. They are all fooling themselves because their pipe dreams will never be realized. Their pipe dreams are just those, pipe dreams. "The key word is 'pipe dream.' It occurs a myriad of times Lessard 3during the course of the play from the mouth of almost every figure even when, as is usually the case, its existence is being vehemently denied" (Orr 89). Larry Slade is just waiting to die. This is his pipe dream, although he may not realize it. He thinks he has everything figured out. He knows he will never amount to anything, and does not want to try. Rocky says, "'S'pose you don't fall for no pipe dream?'" Larry replies, "'I don't, no. Mine are all dead and buried behind me. What's before me is the comforting fact that death is a fine long sleep, and I'm damned tired, and it can't come too soon for me'" (O'Neill 591). Larry has nothing to look forward to. Death is Larry Slade's pipe dream. "The alternative to the alcoholic pipe dream, the residue of the ideal as O'Neill conceives it, is death" (Orr 91).Larry, along with all the other drunkards, is waiting for Hickey to show up. Hickey rolls around about twice a year and indulges the drunkards by buying them free drinks. "The arrival of Hickey is awaited with great eagerness, not only because he has the money to buy round after round of drinks, but because he has the knack of encouraging a drunken camaraderie that the inmates of the saloon are too demoralised to generate of their own accord" (89). His arrival is highly anticipated by all of the characters, as it brings joy, spontaneity, and free alcohol.When Hickey finally arrives, he brings with him an unexpected attitude. All of the roomers are expecting free drinks upon Hickey's arrival, but are disappointed. They are surprised to see that Hickey is a changed man. He has given up alcoho...
