PART ONE
1. describe the ramifications and contributions of a unique theatrical expression of America’s diverse population
2. identify the negative theatrical images of various cultures and their influence on society
3. describe the major historical, cultural, political, and economic forces at work within society at large
Although students will compose analysis papers for four of the plays, they will need to create outlines prior to completing these analyses. The outlines are designed to enhance the inclusiveness of all of the information extracted from the play itself. This information, from the play in outline form, will be the foundation and support for any and all of the student’s conclusions, opinions, commentary, and interpretations of the play.
The outlines will include five components:
1. Social: includes people and groups of people who may be actually characters in the play or people or groups of people mentioned in the play
2. Cultural: includes transmitted behavior, art, customs, accents, language, etc., mentioned in the play
3. Political: includes rules, regulations, policies, etc., mentioned in the play.
4. Economical: includes necessary resources, money, goods, services, trade, wealth, poverty, etc., mentioned in the play.
5. Discrimination: includes biases, stereotypes, prejudices, etc., mentioned in the play
The information for these five components should not be sentences; the information should be one or two words for each item written in vertical columns. You must include at least 10 examples in each column of the outline. See the example below.
Social Cultural Political Economical Biases/Discrimination
Miss Roj Drums FBI Great Depression Nigga’
Stewardess Jazz CIA Millionaires Faggot
PART TWO
Read your selected play (ATTACHED- FUR by Migdalia Cruz) and write and outline (PART ONE) using the format described on the page entitled, “Video and Analysis Paper”. You must utilize the examples from your outline of the play to support your conclusion in the paper. Afterwards write an analysis page using the format and the information from the Analysis Criteria . This paper must be at least 1000 words in length and include the all 9 of the analysis components. Be certain to cite all of your sources, unless the source is the actual play or textbook.
ANALYSIS CRITERIA
For each theatrical unit (Native American/Indigenous People, African American, Asian American, and Latinx) students will write an analysis paper of an assigned dramatic play from one of your textbooks. The length of each paper must be at least 4 full pages (the equivalent of 1000 words or more). Check the “Outline/Analysis Paper Assignment Page” for each analysis paper for the specific due date. Late papers will lose 20 points for each day of lateness.
Analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it.
Each analysis paper will contain 9 sections/paragraphs that break the play into following components in this order:
1. Plot Summary of the play
2. Social climate of the play
3. Cultural Climate of the play
4. Political Climate of the play
5. Economic Climate of the play
6. Dramatic Purpose OR Theme of the play
7. Perception of Reality of the play
8. How are Bias, Stereotypes, and Prejudices dealt with in the play
9. Playwright’s Attributes
DETAILS AND DEFINITIONS FOR EACH COMPONENT
1. Plot: The sequence and pattern of events of a drama
Summary: Presented in a condensed form
The plot summary needs to have a beginning, a middle, and an ending of the play. Since the plot summary is “condensed” it should be a paragraph of approximately half a page in length (approximately 150 words).
a. Beginning: The beginning clarifies the initial setting of the play: including the time period, the locale, the social context, the characters, and the characters’ relationship with each other, and prior events mentioned towards the beginning of the play. Most importantly the beginning of the play introduces the “main conflict” of the plot of the play.
b. Middle: The middle of the play reveals the development of the “main conflict of the play; basically, this describes what happens in the play sequentially which are problematic complications with the characters. These problems usually develop because of the conflict in desires of the characters with themselves, other characters, the environment, etc.
c. End: The end of the play usually builds to a climax; when the conflicts culminate to the highest point of tension in the play. Usually the the protagonist must make a major decision, take a life changing action, etc. This climax usually leads to a resolution of some kind at the end of the play.
Climate: a prevailing condition, atmosphere and/or attitude the affects life
2. Social: Of, or pertaining to society or communal living; living in an organized group
Social Climate is about people who are characters in the play and any and all people and groups of people mentioned in the play. Students are required to describe three main examples of “Social Climate” and list at least 7 more.
3. Cultural: The totality of socially transmitted patterns of human activity within a community or social group and the symbolic structures that give significance to such activity. Customs, laws, dress, architectural style, social standards, religious beliefs, and transitions are all examples of cultural elements. Although political and economic structure, as well as stereotypes and biases could be considered cultural, these components have their own separate paragraphs. Students are required to describe three main examples of “Cultural Climate” and list at least 7 more.
4. Political : Of, or pertaining to, or dealing with the study of the structure, or affairs of government, family, politics, the state, tribes, gangs, nations, cities, or any other group. Politics is the way that people living in groups make decisions; making laws, breaking laws, enforcing laws, interpreting laws, etc. Students are required to describe three main examples of “Political Climate” and list at least 7 more.
5. Economic: The study of how society uses its limited resources. Of, or pertaining to the production, development, and management of material wealth, goods, or services: as of a country, household, or business: the necessities of life. Students are required to describe three main examples of ” Economic Climate” and list at least 7 more.
6. Theme : The implicit or recurrent idea, point of view, or perception embodied and expanded upon in a work of art or literature. It refers to the main idea or moral of the story. The theme is what the playwright is trying to convey based on the summary of the plot, the various climates, symbolism, etc. You may support the theme which you discover with the title of the play, recurring statements and actions in the play, metaphors, symbols, allusions, etc. used in the play, the climax and resolution of the play, other works of the playwrights, etc.
Purpose: An aim, goal, result, or effect that is intended or desired. it is the reason for which something is done or created. After your have read the play and studied the playwright, discern for whom was the play written (for children, for minority groups, for the general public), ask is it “agitprop” theatre which focuses on agitation and spread propaganda, what is the state of the society in which the playwright wrote the play, what is the playwright try say, trying to change, trying to establish, etc.
7. Perception: the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something.
Reality: the world or the state of things as they exist. Reality can be experienced “externally” through the 5 senses ( sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell). Reality can also be seen through a dream, imagination, make believe, exaggerated satire or farce, abstract, spiritualism, etc.
8. Bias: A preference or inclination; especially one that inhibits impartiality. prejudice in favor or or against on thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Prejudice: Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
Stereotype: a widely held, fixed, and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
9. Playwright Attributes: Students need to write about the five attributes of the Playwright, including:
1. Their life, growth, and development of the playwright.
2. The education that the playwright received.
3. The other works that the playwright has created.
4. The organizations with which the playwright that has been involved.
5. The awards that the playwright has received.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|