willpo's New Writeups

Given Circumstance (thing)

2002-06-26T20:49:33Z

A term used in theater. It is what the playwright literally gives the character he creates. If in the stage directions the playwright says that Sam is a 30-something overweight unsuccessful man, then we know Sam is a 30-something overweight unsuccessful man.

But, we do not know that Sam eats 10 Snickers a day, that Sam works at Dairy Queen, or that Sam is precisely 36 on Tuesday.

A Given Circumstances does not need to be stage directions. Dialogue example:

Betty: How's the husband?
Sue: Fine, and the boyfriend?
Betty: Broke up last night.
Sue: Oh I'm sorry.
Betty: You're my only friend.

From the dialogue we know that Betty has a husband (unless later in the play we discover she is lying.) Sue recently broke up with her boyfriend. That Sue and Betty are friends.

With dialogue one must be more cautious because the characters could be lying to one another, but through the course of the play one should be able to discern when…

John Proctor (person)

2002-06-07T03:34:55Z

Proctor Exam (Take 2, a rebuttal)

John Proctor was a god-fearing man of good reputation. He had a problem with a young town girl which scars his high moral fiber. But in the panic-stricken town of Salem, he was accused of witchery. If he "confessed" to the crime, he would be allowed to live, but if he did not, the gallows were in his future. Believing he was doing the right thing, Proctor took his punishment without bending to the court's will. In the end of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, John Proctor stays true to the character he has become, of which is more honest, true, loving, and virtuous then the John Proctor at the beginning of the play.

Salem was a puritanical and fervently religious town in Proctor's time. The town was indeed a theocracy, the government of the town used the Bible as the highest authority. The Bible says selling one's soul to the Devil is a horrible deed. John was wrongfully accused of witchery, he was then faced with a choice: admit…

Kiss me, you are beautiful. These are truly the last days. (idea)

2001-09-13T17:53:24Z

When confronted with death people tend to see life differently. Most people are a great deal more honest with themselves and those around them. Thoughts become more sincere. Love and friendship can be enhanced to a simpler state of mind. No longer bickering over trivial things, no longer needing to force one's own objective.

On the mind of every lover after seeing the face of death. With the possibility of never seeing one another the thought occurs to these lovers:

"Kiss me, you are beautiful. These are truly the last days."

Does it matter if they are indeed the last days?

September 11, 2001 (idea)

2001-09-11T21:32:34Z

Yesterday I decided I was going to begin noding again, not that I have noded a great deal. I consdier my exp to node ratio pretty good considering I don't know anyone on E2.

Though, my day has been filled with fear of the happenings already mentioned on today's log. I keep thinking: It could have been worse, it could have been worse. This operation could have been on a larger scale, the other two planes could have caused havoc elsewhere, there could have been larger deadly weapons used, any number of things could have made this horrible scene a deeper darker nightmare.

It could become worse, it could become worse...

Death of a Salesman (idea)

2001-05-25T19:30:21Z

The script of Death of a Salesman appears to be flawed. During the course of the play a fat, philandering, and dishonest creature, Willy Loman, stumbles through life. In doing so he cheats on his caring wife, prioritizes the life of his eldest son, is disillusioned about the world around him, works harder then most of us will ever have to, and stops making enough money to support his family.

Time and time again Broadway, the theatre that will only produce a play if is almost sure to make money, has revisited the script and usually to wonderful reviews. Broadway has produced the play on four different accounts. During 1949 Lee J. Cobb starred as Willy Loman. In 1975 George C. Scott and Harvey Keitel starred as Willy Loman and Biff Loman respectively. In 1984 Dustin Hoffman and a young John Malkovich played the parts of Willy Loman and Biff Loman respectively. With the 1984 version a movie was produced which adapted the style of the theater rather well. Finally in 1998 Brian…