The theater is a remarkable place where people leave their everyday lives and take a break. They take an opportunity to go and see the works of art that are referred to as plays. Visit to a Small Planet was written by the playwright Gore Vidal in 1956. One must review a theater piece thoroughly before fully understanding what message the author tried to get across. Gore Vidal’s life must be explored to understand why he wrote his plays. Criticisms play a very significant in part in considering these masterpieces. After considering Gore Vidal’s past, understanding his plays, and reviewing the criticisms, we can understand Visit to a Small Planet to the fullest.
Gore Vidal, originally known as Eugene Luther Gore Vidal, was born at West Point in New York (Vidal 1). He was born at the U. S. military base on October 3, 1925. Young Gore Vidal spent his childhood in Washington D. C. with his maternal grandfather (Kunitz 1031). His father was Eugene Luther Vidal (Vidal 1). His father served in the U. S. Army as an aeronautics instructor. He was the star of the Army football team. He also participated in the decathlon at the 1920 Olympic Games in Belgium. His mother was Nina Vidal, and she was the daughter of an Oklahoma Senator (1).
Gore Vidal’s grandfather was known as Senator Thomas Pryor Gore (Kunitz 1031). He was blinded in a juvenile accident. Gore Vidal acquired some experience with literature when he read to his grandfather, who owned a vast library. Gore Vidal shared a deep relationship with his grandfather, as he used to lead him onto the floor of the Senate at the age of seven.
Gore Vidal went to St Alban’s Boarding School in Washington D. C. (Vidal 2). Then he attended Los Alamos Ranch School. He finally...
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... only a story, but a subtle message having to do with behavior towards other countries and the military.
Works Cited
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"Visit to a Small Planet (1957)." Gore Vidal's Works for the Theater: 1956-1972. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
Eight Men Speak by Oscar Ryan et al presents a variety of epic devices employed throughout its composition. We see “the essential truth in every word of these six acts”(Foreword 5) come to life in this thought provoking presentation of didactic literature. Through the use of Epic Drama we see the effects of our corrupt government as it is brought into perspective using the epic devices of using the audience as active participants, using narration rather than action , and political engagement. These epic devices play a key role in portraying the didactic message of the play. The play causes the reader not only to be a present member of the audience, but to have presence of mind as well; to not only hear what the characters are saying, but to take initiative if they wish to see change.
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After attending the public grade schools, Colin went to Morris High School in Harlem, New York. His parents urged him to get a good education and good grades. After graduating from there with a C average, Powell sold toys at a baby store near his neighborhood and he had been working part time, until his boss gave him more hours and a pay increase. While he had been atten...
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Nelson Mandela was born 1918 into a Royal family in a South African village, after the death of his father he was groomed into the role within the tribal leadership. He was the first in his family to receive formal education, he excelled in boxing, track and as well as academics. He attended the elite University of fort Hare, the only western style higher learning institute in South Africa at the time.
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our solar system, but they are unimportant compared to the nine major planets. In this paper I will discuss the planets and how they are each unique.
'A discovery so unexpected could only have singular circumstances, for it was not due to an astronomer and the marvelous telescope…was not the work of an optician; it is Mr. Herschel, a [German] musician, to whom we owe the knowledge of this seventh principal planet.' (Hunt, 35)
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