It is one of the most energetic social criticisms by the playwright, known for his constant questioning of the foundations of theatrical making and the refocusing of its political function. The text speaks of dehumanization and normalization. The story is set in a possible English colony in Asia (but which could well be in Europe in the 1940s), where the people are mistreated and belittled by the occupying forces. Galy Gay, a stevedore who lives with his wife, leaves the house to buy a fish for dinner, never to return. In an almost burlesque comedy tone, Brecht presents us with a series of questions about what defines a man and his individuality: what will it take for a man to become another man? At what point does someone stop being that to become another? How does the context in which we operate transforms us? Galy Gay is a man who cannot say no.