grapes

Number 5: What themes does the play present? To what extent do the thematic materials of the play have an effect on the dramatic experience?

I think the poem at the beginning explains that theme of the play, well-untill the very end.

Throughout the entire play, each of the characters has their own vision of what the insurance money would do for their lives. Ruth just wanted out of the old house, Beneatha wanted to become a doctor, Mama wanted what was best for the family, and Walter wanted the liquor store deal to work out. But in the end, the dreams all failed and Walter puts their self-respect up for grabs because they are so poor.

So their entire lives their dreams were "deferred", and I think this play shows the dream "explod[ing]". Walter loses the money and Mama begins to doubt that they will be able to move on up out of that old home.

But then Walter, probably a dynamic character, stood up to Lindner and preserved what their "father earn[ed] for them brick by brick" (148).

Finally, we get at least a poignant ending!

Different turn.. oops.

2. How do Frank's dialogue and actions help to characterize him?

So Frank reminds of that one guy from The Sun Also Rises.. I think his name was Bill. He always conformed to whoever he was with at the time. He was Robert's best pal when Robert and Jake were friends, but in a fight, he always sided with Jake. And when he was with Mike, Bill hated Robert. His feelings were always just based on how to impress others.

Frank made fun of Tub (that's a really mean name) when he was with Kenny, but when Kenny was in the back of the truck and he was alone with Tub, he acted like his best friend.

I think Frank is the dynamic character.. he is the one who made the change. He only actually said a few things to hurt Tub.. "You fat moron.. You aren't good for diddly." It really is his actions and his demeanor that make me feel like he is a jerk to Tub around Kenny.

Kenny always pulls it out of him. Kenny looks at Frank all the time.. I just imagine his eyes in disgust and Frank agreeing with him to maintain his reputation. So when Kenny is shot and in the back.. He gains his relationship back with Tub. He doesn't have anyone to impress, so he confides in Tub and they are cool again. I get this feeling that Kenny is dead now.. so maybe they can keep their friendship.

Incredibly

When a soldier shot himself to get out of the war, he was treated sorta like a coward, I guess. It was considered pathetic. As unnatural and horrific as war is, soldiers realize that it is something that they just need to get used to for a while and when someone wimps out, it is a big deal. But in Rat Kiley's case, "No one blamed him..." (page 212). Being a medic, Kiley probably saw a lot of dead bodies and torn limbs.. and who knows what else. Everyone killed, but Kiley let his own people go. People he knew, he let slip away. (I'm not saying he liked killed anyone, but he couldn't save a lot of them).

I appreciated no one giving him a hard time about leaving.. He obviously had seen too much.

Reading about this change in Kiley got me thinking that every soldier mentioned in this story is probably a dynamic character. They all change in some important way as a result of the story's action. And the story's action just happens to be the Vietnam War.