Discussion Post: Drama Sampler and Character Analysis
Before beginning this discussion, read the following 10-minute plays in your Portable Literature textbook: "Beauty," "Zombie Love," "Magic 8 Ball," "Applicant," "The Blizzard," and "The Date." Choose only one play to use in your response.
Prompt: Choose a character from one of the 10-minute plays listed above. In one or two well-developed paragraphs, write a character analysis, explaining the person's actions, emotions, conflicts, and motivations. Include examples and at least one quotation from the play as supporting evidence.
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:
1) 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?
2) Action - What is shown through the character's actions or lack of action?
3) Stage directions/movement/props - What is revealed through the character's placement on the stage, movements, and use of props?
4) Relationships/interactions - What is understood about the character through relationships and interactions with other characters?
5) Development - Does the character grow and change during the play, or is the character static and unchanged? How developed or round is the character?
6) Role - Is this character the narrator? If so, is he/she reliable or unreliable?
Textbook: Martin, J. (2016). Beauty. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.), Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing (pp. 831-837). Cengage.
The response should include a reference list. One-inch margins, Using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space and APA style of writing and citations.