Themes
Name one of the central themes within the play.
Survival; Morality; Actions have consequences; Selfishness vs Selflessness; Perception vs Reality; Compassion/Humanity; Desperation leads people to act in uncharacteristic ways.
Name the three main characters in the play.
How does this quote show an instance of foreshadowing: “Then why waste it? He won’t live through the day.”
It alludes to Hudak's death
"Then why waste it? He won't live through the day."
Corey
Fill in the blank: "I know what happened. We never left the _____. That's why nobody tracked us."
Earth
Which theme is demonstrated when Donlin gives Hudak water despite having limited resources?
Selflessness OR Compassion
What is Hudak's job for the space mission?
Hudak is the navigator.
What type of irony is most prominent in this play? (Hint: it is the only one)
Situational
"I want to stay alive. So don't give him my water."
Corey
"The barren, rocky face of a blistering desert. The mountains in the back-ground are pure bedrock, jagged shapes from another world." How do these details of the setting increase the audience's surprise at the end of the play?
It convinces the audience that the men are stranded on a foreign asteroid or planet.
What theme does this demonstrate: "Donlin... Pierson... Hudak... I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I'm sorry.
Remorse; Actions have consequences
Name two character traits that fit Corey.
Selfish, cruel, uncompassionate, cunning, determined, irrational.
Pierson is curious and observant throughout the play. This foreshadows what important discovery he makes later.
He notices clues (ie., the sun, telephone poles) that reveal the truth about where they are.
"... we're in bad shape and that's no mistake, but we're still a crew."
Colonel Donlin
"'I swear, this is where he was.' 'But he's not here now.'" Why is Corey surprised to find that Pierson's body has moved from where he left him?
The crew's belief that they are on a distant asteroid drives them to act in ways that they normally wouldn't. What theme does this show?
Desperation, Loss of order and reason
Donlin faces a moral conflict during the play. What is one thing he is struggling with as the leader?
How to keep the crew alive and maintain order under pressure.
What is the largest instance of irony present in the play?
That they were on Earth the whole time.
"This dirty little grave robbing..."
Pierson
Corey is in a state of shock. He cries for his crew members whose lives he took, but laughs because he knows he will survive.
What major theme does Donlin's treatment of others in the play represent?
Morality (never losing sight of your morals even in times of hardship)
How does Pierson attempt to tell Donlin that they are still on Earth?
By drawing telephone poles in the sand.
What hint does the crew ignore that indicates they are still on Earth?
The sun
"Her name is Arrow One. She represents four and a half years of planning, preparation and training."
The Narrator
What is Donlin getting at when he says to Corey: "So accustomed to it [the heat], Corey, that you didn't drink any water."
Donlin knows that Corey did something to Pierson and stole his water.