She has not yet discovered what is important and meaningful in life so instead of choosing wisely which decisions she will make, she asks Val, "what on earth could you do on this earth but catch at whatever comes near you, with both your hands, until your fingers are broken? (31)" She specifically is redundant by saying "on this earth," implying that there is another way of life after the passing from this earth. There is a certain obsession with corruption and she becomes paranoid that Beulah and Dolly are referring to her as corrupt. She then defends herself as something other than corrupt by describing herself as an exhibitionist. "I want to be noticed, seen, heard, felt! I want them to know I"m alive! Don't you want them to know you"re alive (39)?" Val believes that he is different from Carol and responds, "I want to live and I don't care if they know I"m alive or not." Carol believes they are alike in the way that they put on their own kind of show, to prove to an audience the life they both possess. Carol's character is ironic, because she used to have strongly rooted religious beliefs, and when her efforts to be charitable were far from embraced, her life became a "different kind of exhibitionist," one corrupted by society, or in her own words, a "lewd vagrant" with a seemingly purposeless life. .
Val Xavier is the most visibly alive character in the play, with his "wild" good looks and snakeskin jacket that almost serves as an extra coating of skin, and when it is removed he submits himself to vulnerability as his jacket is a symbol of wild vitality like that of an animal. The dogs constantly baying in the background and his warm temperature like that of a dog's are symbols associated with Val, as he is in some ways not quite human. He has the ability to influence and persuade people so easily, while at the same time bringing life and fulfillment to a dry town.
