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The theme of Our Town is that people do not truly appreciate the little things in daily life. This theme is displayed throughout the entire play. It starts in the beginning with everybody just going through their daily life, occasionally just brushing stuff off or entirely not doing or appreciating most things. But as you progress through the story you begin to notice and squander on the thought that the people in the play do not care enough about what is truly important. By the end of this play you realize that almost everybody does not care enough for the little things as they should, instead they only worry about the future, incessantly worrying about things to come.
One of the first examples to see of this is when we see Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Webb, and Mrs. Soames gossiping about Simon Stimson’s drinking problem. In this case they waste their time worrying and talking about a problem of someone elses, when instead they could be at home with the ones they love. Not just that but it seems when most of the people reference Mr. Stimson, it is to his drinking problem rather than his...
The theme of this play is centered around time; the value of the little time we have been given and how that time should be used to live for what is right and what truly matters.
One example of the theme occurs when the author first introduces the story. “But the summer I was 9 years old, the town I had always loved morphed into a beautifully heartbreaking and complicated place.” (pg. 1). The author is saying that the year she turned nine, she found out something about her town that broke her heart and changed the way she saw it. This quote is important because it supports the theme. It shows that now she is older she has learned something about her town that made her wiser than when she was younger. She is now more informed because the new information changed her and caused her to begin to mature.
We can understand this theme by using character. In paragraph 3, Petry states, "The wind lifted Lutie Johnson's hair away from the back of her neck so that she felt suddenly naked and bald, for her hair had been resting softly and warmly against her skin. She shivered as the cold fingers of the wind touched the back of her neck, explored the sides of her head." This quote shows that the wind was so raw that it "ripped the people's hair off." This contributes to the theme by stating the wind is the struggle that people must get through to get to their next destination. Another way we can find the theme is through events. Petry writes in paragraph 3, "Each time she thought she had the sign in focus, the wind pushed it away from her so that she wasn't certain whether it said three rooms or two rooms. If it was three, why, she would go in and ask to see it, but if it said two - why, there wasn't any point." This quote is saying that the wind was blowing so hard that the character could not read the sign. By showing the difficulty in visualizing the sign, creating struggle, we develop a further understanding of the theme. Another way we can portray theme, is through setting. Paragraph 2 states, "Fingering its way along the curb, the wind set the bits of paper to dancing high in the air, so that a barrage of paper swirled into the faces of the people on the street. It even took time to rush into doorways and areaways and find chicken bones and pork-chop bones and pushed them along the curb. It did everything it could to discourage the people walking along the street. It found all the dirt and dust and grime on the sidewalk and lifted it up so that the dirt got into their noses, making it difficult to breathe; the dust got into their eyes and blinded them; and the grit stung their skins." This quote portrays the setting clearly by explaining what the wind did to the
Ordinary actions piece together to form extraordinary lives. Written by Thornton Wilder in 1938, Our Town is a play acted with minimal scenery to give the viewer a greater opportunity to imagine their own town. Set in 1901 in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, Our Town documents the lives and interactions of two families— the Gibbs and the Webbs. Acted in three parts that all describe the smallest actions that we complete everyday without noticing, the first act shows the “Daily Life,” the second act demonstrates love and marriage found in life, and the third shows death and the end of one’s life. Wilder’s purpose of writing Our Town is to explain how daily, habitual actions come together without us noticing and to help demonstrate that those
Although Langston Hughes’ “Why, You Reckon?” is a short story, it encapsulates differences between races and classes in American society. The story highlights the desperate and hopeless lives of poor African-Americans in Harlem, New York, who would do anything just so they can fill their stomachs. Hughes adds a contrast by putting in a white man who uses his money and privileges to try to experience the exuberance of Harlem but fails to do so. Written in 1934, during the peak of racial divide in America, Langston Hughes’ “Why, you reckon?” shows that real experiences, not money, contribute to happiness.
Growing up is one of the most important stages of human life. It is the part when humans reach maturity, become adults, and attain full growth. Also, it means one more thing. It means understanding more about the society. Harper Lee's, To Kill A Mocking Bird, shows the different ways of growing up. There are three characters who go through the process of growing up, Scout mentally grows up, Jem goes through a mental growing up that every adolescent will go through and aunt Alexandra also goes through a mental growing up.
Hence, upon analyzing the story, one can conclude the certain themes that parallel through the pages. Firstly, a theme of unity and trust is present at the end of the play. This is supported by the image of the cathedral, which is a place of unity. Most importantly, the notion of equality among people is the main theme within this story. The narrator starts as a biased, idiot, who dislikes all people that are not like himself. He even at times is rude to his wife. Ironically, it takes a blind man to change the man that can literally see, to rule out the prejudices and to teach him that all men are created equal.
When Myrtle gets hit by Gatsby 's car and dies, Wilson’s neighbors, friends, and even strangers try to help him cope with the death of his wife. The shock from Myrtle’s death was making Wilson “sway back and forth” while “holding the doorposts with both hands”(Fitzgerald 139). A complete stranger was trying to help Wilson get through this by “talking to him in a low voice and attempting, from time to time, to lay a hand on his shoulder”(Fitzgerald 139). This shows that people care for one another, even if they have not met each other. It is an aspect of human nature, and that is one of the many things that makes a community flourish. In the 1920’s the aspect of caring for others is one that countless numbers of people have. Similar to The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God has people that unknowingly care for one another. When the hurricane strikes the Everglades and tears apart the muck, people do not hesitate to aid others in need. This is evident when Janie is under attack by a rabid dog while cast down a river. As the dog is trying to maul Janie, without a second thought, “Tea Cake split the water like an otter, opening his knife as he dived” (Hurston 166). Tea Cake struggles with the dog for a moment “somehow he managed to bite Tea Cake high up on his cheek-bone” (Hurston 166), but then Tea Cake “finished him and sent him to the bottom to
The theme in a story is the message or big idea that the author is trying to reveal in his or her narrative. If there was no underlining theme in Sherman Alexie’s short story, “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” then readers would have no interest in reading the fictional story. Understanding the message that Alexie is trying to display to his readers can vary in many ways and depends on the reader 's understanding of the story. Strong themes that are presented in the fictional tale are man versus self conflict, family, and tribal identity. Victor is a tribal member that has had a rough life and has to deal with his father passing away. Not only does he have to come to terms with his father 's death, but he also has to face his
The men of Reserve Police Battalion 101 were just ordinary men, from a variety of backgrounds, education, and age. It would appear that they were not selected by any force other than random chance. Their backgrounds and upbringing, however, did little to prepare these men for the horrors they were to witness and participate in.
Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911. He was the second child of Edwina and Cornelius Coffin Williams. His father was a shoe salesman who spent most of his time away from home. Edwina was a “southern belle” she was snobbish and her behavior was neurotic. As a child, Williams suffered from diphtheria which almost ended his life. Williams attended Soldan High School, a setting he referred to in The Glass Menagerie. Later, he attended University City High School. He then attended the University of Missouri. (Tennessee)
In the book, The Glass Menagerie, the main characters want to leave behind what they are
The persona begins to think about how he cannot take both paths and be the same “traveler”
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.
An example of this is that Brick throughout the play isolates himself not only from Margaret but from others as well. But Margaret is most noticeable. This is caused by his drinking problem. Margaret tries so hard to get close to him but the lack of respect causes the lack of communication between the two. "I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. You keep forgetting the conditions on which I agreed to stay living with you". This is said by Brick to Margaret after she asked him to sign the gift she bought for Big Daddy's birthday. Another example of this is through lack of communication. Brick no longer wants to under stand Margaret or be understood by her. This is causing the problems for the two and there marriage and Margaret is scared that they will lose the plantation that the might get from Big Daddy's will. Finally Margaret just does not want to let Brick go she loves him, she says "Oh Brick! How long does it have t' go on? This punishment? Haven't I done time enough, haven't I served my term, can't I apply for a-pardon?". She is fed up of pouring her love out to Brick and him not doing anything back. In conclusion Brick is isolating himself from Margaret which is causing their...