Our Town:Characters
What problem is Mrs. Gibbs having with George?
He is not doing his chores
In your own words how would you describe the setting in ACT 1 of Our Town?
based on student response. What I'm looking for is something along the lines of a homey, sweet, ordinary, small town. With a lot of people who grew up around each other.
"Oh earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you!" Explain what you think Emily means by this.
What is one moral or theme you pulled out of this play?
varies by answer
What does George admire about Emily?
She is smart
What seems to be the point of the first Act in "Our Town"? (what purpose does the first Act have on the story?)
based on student response: along the lines of setting a foundation for the rest of the story
Mr. Webb - "We're all hunting like everybody else for a way, the diligent and sensible can rise to the top and the lazy and quarrelsome can sink to the bottom."
Hard work gets rewarded, laziness doesn't
What kind of Point of View is this story written in?
First person narration
What does George plan on becoming?
A farmer
What is the stage manager's attitude toward Grover's Corners?
He seems casual about it; thinks it's pretty average; but seems a little amazed by it
"You're pretty enough for all normal purposes."
Mrs. Gibbs says this to Emily, she doesn't want to hurt her feelings or get a big head
Who are the main characters in the story and how do they develop?
George and Emily.. answer varies
How does the Stage manager envision death?
there's something eternal about every human, and that deceased people linger on the earth for some time after death, becoming indifferent to earthly matters as they lose their individual identities.
What is the population of Grover's Corners?
Around 3,000
"The morning star always gets wonderfully bright the minute before it has to go, - doesn't it?"
Appreciate the small things
EXTRA CREDIT PROMPT:
Name 4 types of Characters roles:
Protagonist, Antagonist, Confidant, and Foil
Who was Sam Craig? and, what was the purpose of his character in the story?
Emily Webb’s cousin, who has left Grover’s Corners to travel west, but returns for her funeral in Act III. Though originally from the town, Sam has the air of an outsider. His unawareness of the events that have occurred in Grover’s Corners during his absence parallels the audience’s own unawareness.
Describe Grover's Corners.
A nice, simple, small town
"Mother Gibbs," said Emily, "...They don't understand, do they?"
What don't they understand and who are "they"?
the living, how special every moment of life really is
EXTRA CREDIT PROMPT:
Name 4 needs in order to make a well-developed character:
-full backstory
-personality traits that reflect off backstory
-realistic actions based on personality
-Emotions based on those actions