Drama Discussion

Drama Discussion

By the due date assigned, post your response of at least 150-200 words to the Discussion Area. By the end of the week, comment on at least two of your classmates’ submissions.

Before beginning this assignment, read Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie.

Prompt: You may choose to discuss a character or the setting of the play. Choose ONE of the following:

Option 1: In one or two well-developed paragraphs, analyze a character, explaining the person’s actions, conflicts, and motivations. Include examples and at least one quotation from the play as supporting evidence.

Option 2: In one or two well-developed paragraphs, discuss some aspect of the setting (space, place, and time) and how it forms the backdrop and defines the atmosphere for the play. Setting can include props, as well. If you would like to focus on the symbolism of some of these stage elements, you may do so. In your response, include examples and at least one quotation from the play as supporting evidence.

Resource: Refresher on Character
A reader or viewer of a play can learn about a character in a number of ways. Here are some questions to think about before drafting your response:

• Dialogue/monologue – How do the words the character says reveal information about who he/she is? Does the character have a noticeable speech pattern? Does the character’s use of language reveal his/her emotional state? What is revealed through what others say about the character?
• Action – What is shown through the character’s actions or lack of action?
• Stage directions/movement/props – What is revealed through the character’s placement on the stage, movements, and use of props?
• Relationships/interactions – What is understood about the character through relationships and interactions with other characters?
• Development – Does the character grow and change during the play, or is the character static and unchanged? How developed or round is the character?
• Role – Is this character the narrator? If so, is he/she reliable or unreliable?

Resource: Refresher on Setting

• Settings can symbolically present character issues. For example, a locked door could represent an obstacle within a character’s life. At other times, the setting can limit or allow the characters’ actions.
• Setting can be the physical space in which the story is placed (confined or open, small or large, limited to one place or not).
• Setting can be the cultural and social landscape in which the story is situated, including the time in which the action takes place (time of day, year, era, or century).
• Setting can include the stage directions, including lighting, music, and placement of props.