The play True West, written by Sam Shepard in the 1980’s, is a play about sibling rivalry between two alienated brothers who are believed to be complete opposites. The play takes on a rather comical sense as the viewer sits through the antics of the two brothers, much like a sitcom. Nonetheless, the characters seem to have more depth, and this can be picked up when the viewer is able to read the play for themselves. Austin, the younger brother, is a screenwriter trying to make his name in Hollywood. He wants the American Dream; a house in the suburbs, a small family, and a simple life. However, his older brother Lee has a different idea of what it means to “make it.” Lee is a quick representation of the Old West, meaning; he’s a thief, drunk, …show more content…
Spiegel is commenting on a study done in the 1980’s by researcher Robert Plomin. He published work based on the study of siblings and stated that siblings have the following characteristics: physical characteristics, intelligence, and personality. “According to Plomin, in two of these areas, siblings were really quite similar .”(Alix Spiegel) Shepard used studies like this to his advantage when writing the play True West. Assuming that the brothers would look the same, he built enough character development to determine what other characteristic they would have in common, and which one they would differ. It is obvious they have different personalities, leaving the question as to whether or not they have the same level of intelligence. Shepard made a spectacle of two brothers, showing the viewer that there is no true hatred between the two; it’s sibling rivalry at its finest. By using “breakthrough in sibling research,” (Alix Spiegel) Shepard was able to create a sibling rivalry very close to the real thing, and very relatable to the average …show more content…
True West is not timely, it can be found relatable in this day in age due to the fact that sibling rivalry has always been apparent. Shepard used the research done in the 1980’s, in order to build characters that made sense, characters that could resemble the real thing. This research allowed the characters, Lee and Austin, to be complete opposites when it came to their personalities, “in terms of personality, we are similar to our sibling only about 20 percent of the time.” (Alix Spiegel). Thus making their antics, and awkwardness more understandable to the viewer. Austin is quiet and more introverted than Lee, and enjoys the hush of his hometown. Lee is the more extroverted one, and agitates Austin until he pushes him too far. When Lee first arrives, it is awkward and tense between the two; Lee pesters Austin, and Austin only gives one lined comments. The brothers are estranged by the different lifestyle paths they have chosen, however, that does not mean that there is any true animosity between the two. Many may not have understood such a play if they didn’t have siblings of their own, however, Shephard’s depth and research would allow anyone to see the play and comprehend these
In “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich the two main characters Lyman and Henry are brothers that have an amazing relationship with one another. In the beginning of the story Erdrich writes about how Lyman and Henry bought a gorgeous red convertible; and together they went on plenty of road trips and bonded over the car. On the other hand, the two siblings in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” don’t have that same sibling bond. The siblings in “Everyday Use”, Maggie and Dee, are complete opposites. Dee is extremely vain, snobbish, and outspoken while Maggie is coy, insecure, and timid. Although Maggie and Dee aren’t as close as Lyman and Henry, they still have a very complex relationship in terms of being “close” to one another even though it seems as if they’re from two different planets. In the stories “Everyday Use” and “The Red Convertible”, the characters share one particular trait which is
“It is not what you have, it’s what you don’t have that counts.” (Raskin, p.175) A key quote from The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. If the reader of The Westing Game chooses to watch the movie as well, they will notice major differences throughout the movie including the characters, plot, and setting. However, in all it’s many differences, similarities are found. When 216 pages of a great mystery novel are transferred to a movie some things are bound to be left out however this movie at times can feel completely different than the book in some important aspects. The Westing Game book and movie contain many similarities and differences that are worth analyzing closely.
The novel, The Sisters Brothers, written by Patrick deWitt is the story of two adventurous brothers named Eli and Charlie who travel from Oregon to San Francisco during the gold rush in the 1850s. The brothers are hired to find and kill a man named Hermann Warm. They run into a wide range of tough situations and sketchy characters such a rich businessman named Mayfield who runs his own town. The brothers have two very different characters which affect how they are to react to these situations. Eli is sweet, caring and chivalrous while Charlie is a quiet, angry man who was forced as a child to kill his father to protect his mother. Deep down they are both violent, cold blooded killers. Along their journey to San Francisco, Eli has an internal conflict to decide wether he wants to keep living the killer’s life or settle down and start a shop with his brother. When they arrived in San Francisco, they become exposed to the “gold fever” which was caused by the gold rush. Instead of killing their target they befriend Warm and search the rivers for gold to become rich. Sadly, Warm tragically dies from the chemicals and Charlie is burned and forced to have his hand cut off which leads to the brothers returning home to their mother as changed men.
The story is an Eastern take on the Hollywood western with a dash of satire,
Watanabe-Hammond, S. ( 1988). Blueprints from the past: A character work perspective on siblings and personality formation. In K. G.Lewis ( Ed.), Siblings in therapy: Life span and clinical issues New York: Norton.
West Side Story suffered a doubtful early history before it made its first Broadway appearance in 1957. The musical was not appealing to potential investors because it was considered too dark and ugly to be commercially viable; its gritty realism and tragic ending seemed too serious to become mainstream. West Side Story dealt with serious subjects—bigotry, race, rape, murder, and death—in a more direct way than Broadway had seen before. Although it did not initially seem possible, West Side Story successfully synthesizes the large tradition of Broadway with the relevancy of Hispanic immigration and juvenile delinquency of the 1950s.
Tompkins, Jane. West of Everything: The Inner Life of Westerns. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Plays were also popular in this era. “Through dime novels, themselves a modern artifact of mass production, and traveling Wild West shows such as “Buffalo Bill’s, the image impressed itself: The West as exotic romance.” “These popular fantasies appealed to a broad stratum Eastern readers for whom the West served.” Through such popular fictions, the West in its wildness retain older association with freedom, escape from social restraint, and closeness to nature.
The depiction of minorities, specifically women and Native Americans, in Western film has changed drastically from the early 1930's to the late 1980's. These changes represent the changing views of American society in general throughout the 20th century. In the early part of the century, women and Native Americans were depicted as a burden. Women were viewed as a form of property, helpless and needing support. These minorities were obstacles in the quest for manifest destiny by the United States. Western films during the early 20th century represent the ignorance of American culture towards minorities. As time progressed, society began to develop compassion for Native Americans and men began to see women as equals. The movie industry perpetuated the views of society throughout the last century. When Native Americans were seen as an "obstacle" in westward expansion, film directors supported these views on screen. As society began to question the treatment of Native Americans and women, the film scripts responded to these changes. By looking at western films over the last 60 years, the correlation between societal attitudes and film plots has changed the views of Native Americans and women. The two have worked together to bring the portrayal of Native Americans from savage beasts to victims, and women from property to equals.
The development of the Western genre originally had its beginnings in biographies of frontiersmen and novels written about the western frontier in the late 1800’s based on myth and Manifest Destiny. When the film industry decided to turn its lenses onto the cowboy in 1903 with The Great Train Robbery there was a plethora of literature on the subject both in non-fiction and fiction. The Western also found roots in the ‘Wild West’ stage productions and rodeos of the time. Within the early areas of American literature and stage productions the legend and fear of the west being a savage untamed wilderness was set in the minds of the American people. The productions and rodeos added action and frivolity to the Western film genre.
The Western portion of the United States includes thirteen states that are home to around 80,000,000 Americans, yet it remains one of the most sparsely settled regions in the country (U.S. Census Bureau 2010). In a sense, the American West is the closest thing left to a “frontier” in the modernized United States. One can travel to Montana and become immersed in a world not dissimilar to that of their forefathers, just as easily as one could travel to California, widely considered to be the epicenter of growth and modernization in the States. With Silicon Valley and Yellowstone all in one region, there is a unique sense of space presented within the West that is unattainable from the American North, East, or South. For instance, a trip to New York City may be fairly comparable to a trip to Pittsburgh, but a trip to San Francisco as opposed to Rapid City provides an entirely different cultural experience. If the West was just a replica of the American East, Kerouac’s On the Road would have never come to be. The wide disparity among spaces in the New West is a main reason behind the effectiveness of Coupland’s Generation X. Without the spaces of the American West the comedic genius of Portlandia would be nonexistent!
When two siblings are born together, and are close in age, many people wonder whether they will be the same or different altogether. A “River Runs through it” shows two brothers who grew up in the same household, and grew up loving to do the same activity fly fishing. Both brothers were raised in a very strict presbyterian household. Norman is the older brother, and he is much more responsible and family orientated. Paul is the irresponsible younger brother; Paul as an adult was not at home much anymore. Both brothers were loved equally as children, but how they view and use love is what separates them. Paul and Norman differ in behavior and character.
Funerals, the place where people go for money and free food. The Westing Game by Ellen Raski is a story of a mysterious man (Sam Westing) who is murdered and leaves a fortune to one of twelve heirs. They have 10,000 dollars to find out who killed Sam and the desire for the money. They all were put into groups of two and were given clues to find his murder. The whole concept of money blinds the heirs from what is actually happening in the real world. In the Westing Game, Ellen Raski uses money to act as a power to show how strong the value of emotional power is and how we get caught up in artificial power searching for emotional power.
Everyman is English morality play written by an anonymous author in late fifteenth century. The play’s represent the values that Everyman holds on to by its characterization. The spiritual life of Everyman was neglected by him, but he is quickly repents of his sins as the play develops. After realizing Everyman is summoned by Death, he doesn’t want to die and die alone for that matter. Everyman soon realizes that when he is seeking for a companion to go on a journey that he wants to go but there is no one available. He soon comes to terms that everyone will soon abandon him who accompanied him on earth. The play is in allegorical characters that represents variety of concepts such as (Knowledge, Good Deeds etc.)
Tennessee Williams has mastered the idea of plastic theater throughout the plays he was written and “A Streetcar Named Desire” is no different. He incorporates many elements of plastic theater throughout this play to take you through a journey unlike any other. One of the main elements of plastic theater that is heavily used is the music. The music plays a vital role in this play in setting the moods for each scene. The “Blue Piano” and The “Varsouviana Polka” are prime examples for playing major roles in the scenes Williams used them in.