In his theatrical work J.B., Archibald MacLeish hints to the postwar era of World War II through explicit and implicit references. J.B. is relevant to society and reflects the events that took place in the 1950s. For that reason, the play purposefully and effectively demonstrates that, despite the bitterness and calamities of the forties and fifties, people should remain optimistic and should have faith that there will be hope, instead of dwelling on the injustice in the world. J.B. explicitly relates to the historical time period of the fifties. In the prologue of the play, when Zuss and Nickles begin to discuss the story of Job, Nickles says, “There must be thousands… millions and millions of mankind burned, crushed, broken, mutilated, slaughtered, …show more content…
conveys an important message that the people living during this era should remain hopeful and optimistic, despite their suffering, and should focus on finding love in the world instead of dwelling on the injustice. Initially, Sarah loses her faith in God and seems like she has lost hope. However, at the end the end of the play she eventually returns to J.B. As she does so, the light increases and she says,” Look, Job: the forsythia, the first few leaves...not leaves though… petals… I found it growing in the ashes, gold as though it did not know” (MacLeish 149-151). The light increasing is a deliberate stage direction that serves to indicate the return of happiness and optimism in J.B. and Sarah’s lives. The forsythia is also a symbol that represents the return of happiness. A forsythia is a shrub whose bright yellow flowers appear in early spring before the leaves begin to grow on the branch. Sarah’s return, along with the light and the forsythia, all show that there is hope for happiness after tragedy and misfortune, and this parallels to the post-WWII era. Furthermore, when Sarah approaches J.B., he questions her departure from him and Sarah answers, “You wanted justice, didn’t you? There isn’t any. There’s the world… cry for justice and the stars will stare until your eyes sting… I loved you. I couldn’t help you anymore. You wanted justice and there was none -- only love” (MacLeish, 151). At last, the couple finds comfort in love and family, instead of dwelling on …show more content…
correlates to the condition of society during the fifties, and conveys a momentous idea that the people living during this time should have faith in God and hope for the betterment of society in times of hardships, and should not focus on the injustice in the world. First, the reference to the death of millions of innocent people in the bombings of London, Hiroshima, and Dresden outrightly relates to the suffering that people have experienced both during and after the war, because many people innocent perished in WWII for no reason. In addition, David’s death also parallels to the post-WWII era, and relates to J.B. and Sarah’s responses to his death to the pain and devastation that families suffered when their young children who served as soldiers died in World War II. J.B. and Sarah’s discussion during their Thanksgiving meal is yet another parallel to the postwar era and portrays the two different outlooks that people had on life after the war. Finally, MacLeish uses J.B. to relate to the people living during the postwar era by concluding the play with J.B. and Sarah finding comfort in love and rebuilding their life together as a family to convey the message that they should try to alleviate their hardships and sorrow by viewing the situation optimistically and by seeking love in the
George Bernard Shaw has said that “a happy family is but an earlier heaven “and though this may be true it is reasonable for one to question whether being alone is better than staying with people that love you and accept you for you who you are. In the play Afterimage, adapted by Canadian author Robert Chafe, originally written by Michael Crummey, it exhibits the significance of being able to fit into a society rather than being isolated and all alone. The play makes an effort at answering the question that surrounds the strength of family affiliations and its ability to carry on with the influences of societies affecting it. Through the use of tropology and character, the strength of relationships within families, and how it is on top of everything else is shown from start to finish in the play.
...display how the average citizen would see war for the first time. Colonel Kelly sees her as “vacant and almost idiotic. She had taken refuge in deaf, blind, unfeeling shock” (Vonnegut 100). To a citizen who even understands the war process, war is still heinous and dubiously justified when viewed first hand. The man who seems to have coldly just given away her son’s life without the same instinct as her has participated in this heinous wartime atrocity for so long, but it only affect her now because she cannot conceive of the reality of it until it is personally in front of her. That indicates a less complete political education of war even among those who war may have affected their entire lives. The closeness and the casualties of this “game” will affect her the most because she has to watch every move that previously could have been kept impartial and unviewed.
In this essay I will be comparing two playwrights, A Raisin in the Sun and A Doll’s House, to one another. I will also compare the two to modern time and talk about whether or not over time our society has changed any. Each of these plays has a very interesting story line based in two very different time eras. Even though there is an 80 year time gap the two share similar problems and morals, things you could even find now in the year of 2016. In the following paragraphs I will go over the power of time and what we as a society have done to make a change.
This climatic play played on the audience’s heartstrings. The plot revolves around the Frank family and
the end of the Second World War. The play is set in 1912, just before
All relationships go through both good and bad times. Some last through the ages, while others quickly fall into nothing. In Terrence McNally’s “Lips Together, Teeth Apart,” the heart of this haunting play is a dramatically incisive portrait of two married couples—the Truman’s and the Haddocks. Uncomfortable with themselves and each other, they are forced to spend a Fourth of July weekend at the Fire Island house that the brother of one of the women left his sister when he died of AIDS. Though the house is beautiful, it is as empty as their lives and marriages have become, a symbol of their failed hopes, their rage, their fears, and of the capricious nature of death. The theme of love and death in relationships is quickly developed, as well as an overwhelming fear of homophobia. The two couples McNally brings to life are both going through rough patches in their marriages. While Chloe and John are fighting through John’s esophagus cancer, Sally and Sam are expecting and fearful that this time it will be another miscarriage. Showing how society has struck fear into the couples about AIDS. While everyone except John is worried about catching “AIDS,” the play begins to unveil troubled marriages as well as superficial values and prejudices.
Eugenia Collier’s “Marigolds” is a memoir of a colored girl living in the Great Depression. The story does not focus on the troubles society presents to the narrator (Elizabeth), but rather is focused on the conflict within her. Collier uses marigolds to show that the changes from childhood to adulthood cause fear in Elizabeth, which is the enemy of compassion and hope.
The pointedness of the play is created through a distinct plot path. The observer is lead through the story, seeing first how greatly Amanda Wingfield influences her children. Secondly, the play-goer notes how Tom Wingfield desperately struggles and writhes emotionally in his role of provider- he wants more than just to be at home, taking care of his all-too-reminiscent mother and emotionally stunted sister. Tom wants to get out from under his mother’s wing; his distinct ambitions prevent him from being comfortable with his station in life. Lastly, Laura struggles inside herself; doing battle against her shyness, Laura begins to unfurl a bit with Jim, but collapses once again after Jim announces his engagement and leaves her, again. Each character struggles and thrashes against their places in life, but none of them achieve true freedom. This plot attests to the fact that true change and freedom can only come through the saving power of God Almighty and Jesus Christ, and by letting go of the past.
victim in this play. And Carol the female student is the fascist. John is an
War always seems to have no end. A war between countries can cross the world, whether it is considered a world war or not. No one can be saved from the reaches of a violent war, not even those locked in a safe haven. War looms over all who recognize it. For some, knowing the war will be their future provides a reason for living, but for others the war represents the snatching of their lives without their consent. Every reaction to war in A Separate Peace is different, as in life. In the novel, about boys coming of age during World War II, John Knowles uses character development, negative diction, and setting to argue that war forever changes the way we see the world and forces us to mature rapidly.
The theme of the play has to do with the way that life is an endless cycle. You're born, you have some happy times, you have some bad times, and then you die. As the years pass by, everything seems to change. But all in all there is little change. The sun always rises in the early morning, and sets in the evening. The seasons always rotate like they always have. The birds are always chirping. And there is always somebody that has life a little bit worse than your own.
life in the mid to late twentieth century and the strains of society on African Americans. Set in a small neighborhood of a big city, this play holds much conflict between a father, Troy Maxson, and his two sons, Lyons and Cory. By analyzing the sources of this conflict, one can better appreciate and understand the way the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work.
As we know, the pretext of the play is the aftermath of a war, so I
The author of this book, Lee Strobel, struggled for almost two years, sometimes jumping from one issue or topic to another and then back again, investigating the facts of Jesus for himself. He traces his journey from skepticism to faith.
...hut the child out of their lives. Rather than dealing with the mistake or misfortune as a parent should do and stand by their child’s side, both parents ran away and tried to hide from the problem. The feelings of each character were completely forgotten and lost. Each were treated as some sort of object that could be thrown away and replaced. And ultimately, the outcomes in their lives reflected their poor parenting. The choices they made unfortunately came from the lack of skills they were taught when they were young and impressionable. Neither character knows what it is like to be a part of a loving family because they were both used as objects for money or fame. Sadly, the lack of parenting led to the demise of each and we are reminded, from over a hundred years ago as well as today, that successful parenting today will lead to successful adults for the future.