Page "Long Day's Journey into Night" Paragraph 12

When Edmund reveals that he has consumption ( tuberculosis ), Mary refuses to believe it, and attempts to discredit Dr. Hardy, due to her inability to face the reality and most importantly severity of the situation.

She accuses Edmund of attempting to get more attention by blowing everything out of proportion.

In retaliation, Edmund reminds his mother that her own father died of tuberculosis, and then, before exiting, he adds how difficult it is to have a " dope fiend for a mother.

" By herself, Mary admits that she needs more drugs and hopes that someday she will “ accidentally ” overdose, because she knows that if she did so on purpose, the Virgin would never forgive her.

When James comes back with more alcohol he notes that there was evidence that Jamie had attempted to pick the locks to the whiskey cabinet in the cellar as he had done before.

Mary ignores this and bursts out that she is afraid that Edmund is going to die.

She also confides to James that Edmund does not love her because of her drug problem.

When James attempts to console her, Mary again accuses herself for giving birth to Edmund, who appears to have been conceived to replace a baby Mary and James lost before Edmund ’ s birth.

When Cathleen announces dinner, Mary indicates that she is not hungry and is going to lie down.

James goes in to dinner all alone, knowing that Mary is really going upstairs to get more drugs.