All relationships go through both good and bad times. Some endure through the ages, while others quickly fade into nothingness. In Terrence McNally's "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," the heart of this haunting play is a dramatically incisive portrait of two married couples: the Trumans and the Haddocks. Uncomfortable with each other and each other, they are forced to spend a Fourth of July weekend in the Fire Island house that the brother of one of the women left to his sister when he died of AIDS . Although the house is beautiful, it is as empty as their lives and marriages have become, a symbol of their dashed hopes, their rage, their fears and the capricious nature of death. The theme of love and death in relationships develops quickly, along with a pervasive fear of homophobia. The two couples that McNally brings to life are both going through difficult times in their marriages. As Chloe and John battle John's esophageal cancer, Sally and Sam expect and fear that this time it will be another miscarriage. Show how society has instilled fear in couples about AIDS. As everyone except John worries about catching "AIDS," the play begins to reveal troubled marriages and superficial values ​​and prejudices. The conflict between love and death plays out quickly and fully in both relationships. There are three very important symbols that are taught to us from a young age. The first symbol is the golden ring worn on the left hand, on the third finger. It is a widely known symbol of marriage, a bond that we are taught to believe is always and forever. Although it may no longer be the case today, at one time that golden ring meant more than a piece of paper with names written on it. The ring...... middle of paper......en among people and facilitated relationships. After all, we all feel angry, love nervousness; many of us are afraid of death, of rejection. “Lips together, teeth apart” is about more than realizing that everything must end, it is ultimately more about self-exploration. Each character takes turns revealing their insecurities, making them vulnerable to the audience. Every character is related in one way or another, at some point. Not only does McNally show that every marriage goes through a struggle, but McNally shows that every person goes through a struggle. Taking society's point of view on topics such as AIDS and homosexuality through Sam or the nervousness of becoming a father through John. “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” brings more to the table than one might initially think: once the story begins to unfold, the audience is lost in a sea of ​​comfort and understanding..