Saturday, November 1, 2008
Towards the end of class on Monday, one of the questions that was posed was "Do you think the play ends where it ends or can their be another story to be told after the Younger family packs up and leaves?" Some felt that once the play is over, it is over, that the drama happens within the play, for that given time of the performance, end of story. I happened to differ on the subject. I feel that when the Younger family packed up to move, the drama would be able to continue even after the play ended. The play did not end for me because I was left thinking, "What is to happen after this family moves to this particular neighborhood, especially during the time period they live in?"I believe that plays, like this one, are meant to stir up questions and encourage people to think about the society in which they live. A Raisin in the Sun does just that, even though the Younger family was not seeking to be leaders of the civil rights movement, they, in their own way, served as examples of how advancement in one's life can be made possible, no matter what race you are.
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2 comments:
I agree. If a play is good, usually the audience leaves the theater thinking about what is going to happen to those characters after what they've seen. The Youngers are taking a big risk and a big step into another chapter of their lives, and in order for us to recognize the great strides this family has made, we must think about what comes after. Walter says he does not want to fight any causes, but his determination to be better, whether that means richer, more attentive to his wife and son, or willing to stand up to those trying to tear him down all are causes that everyone fights throughout their lives. As humans, we must work to better ourselves, which in turn will better society (at least that's the idea). So the cause the Younger family is fighting is for themselves mostly, but I think definitely extends to their prospective sociological groups, and to society as a whole.
The point I was trying to make(and made poorly, I guess)is what happens after the final curtain shouldn't affect the assessment of whether or not a character should do the main action of the play. A well written play gives all the events and viewpoints needed to lead us to the crisis and its aftermath onstage. The audience- and we as well- can fabricate great tragedy or great victory after the play's done. Those suppositions are important only to the director and actors in informing the approach to the production and the stakes for individual characters.
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