Dorothy's breakdown

Just my take, but I think she had the breakdown after seeing the movie poster of her boyfriend who was now a successful actor. She realized that even though they loved each other that they could not openly love each other in any place but in their apartment. Also her sister pretty much took over her apartment, with her partying, etc..so Dorothy felt lost for both her boyfriend, privacy and freedom.

Her character was the least developed, but here's what I think. She was really curious about the world (the World's Fair, eavesdropping on the conversation and looking up 'capitalism'), but also saw how limited things were for her. She was really happy with her boyfriend, and loved having her own place (they made sure to show her dusting the drapes and sweeping the carpet). She turned him down, afraid of what would happen 'out there' in California, so when it came down to it, she shut her self away from the wider world that she wanted. She goes to the movie and sees that her ex has what he wanted (maybe she even watched the movie). Then she comes home, depressed and finds that the one space she had, her apartment (which he made possible), wasn't even hers anymore. And she lost it.

This movie really hit home with me & I really identified with the Dorothy character. My Mom moved in with me a few years back which was suppose to be temporary, but it turned into me being her crutch & she started taking advantage of me. My place is no longer mine & I have lost my privacy. I didn't have a breakdown, but I can sympathize as why Dorothy did because she felt she made a bad decesion in letting her boyfriend go to CA without her, plus having to come home & not having her place to herself. This is just my take on it.

No wonder she had a breakdown. Her boyfriend was forever gone - and successful.
She was not. Her sister took over her apartment. Dorothy therefore lost control of one of the few things she COULD control: her privacy. I think I'D have a breakdown, too.