Maybe a little bit snarky.

I am frustrated by all these fake-outs. Where are all the happy endings?

A Raisin in the Sun: Family needs money. Family gets money. Family loses money.

(cop-out resolution to make author feel better: family maintains pride)

The Glass Menagerie: Girl has issues. Girl's brother arranges for gentleman caller. Girl and gentleman "hit it off." Guy remembers he's married. Brother escapes, leaving his mother and sister to their own devices.

(cop-out resolution to make the author feel better: brother haunts sister... for a while.)

Othello: Mmm... the pattern fails here because we know it's a tragedy from the get-go. We all pretty much knew Othello was done for.

Anyway, happy things:

That movie's a lot better than the trailer would indicate. Do not be deceived.

The imagery in that poem still sort of grosses me out.

Speaking of themes....

The theme of A Raisin in the Sun, similar to that of The Glass Menagerie, is dealing with life's disappointments. In particular, the families in those two plays dealt with feelings of entrapment that exacerbated their other disappointments, e.g. Walter's investments and Laura's gentleman caller.

I really liked how A Raisin in the Sun opened with the poem by Langston Hughes:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat

Or crust and sugar over--

Like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

Like a heavy load

Or does it explode?

Walter's dream of owning a business is forcibly deferred by the shady Willy character. When Mama initially refused to give him the money for it, his dream was indeed festering like a sore and fouling the family relations. It weighed on him so heavily that he lost sight of his values when it came to Ruth's baby. I don't remember what we decided the "explosion" to which the poem refers meant, precisely, but I don't think the play quite follows that part of the poem. In the end, it's more like Walter has accepted the unfortunate turn of events, and this is the part where the dream dries up like a raisin in the sun. Perhaps this is why that's the part that made it into the title.

I'd also like to point out that The Grapes of Wrath pulls its title from the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and raisins are dried grapes. They both deal with oppression, as well. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Two Scoops!

What amount of time is covered in the action? How much of the action is presented as a report rather than dramatized on stage? Does the play feel loose or tight in its construction?

Conveniently, A Raisin in the Sun states very clearly the timeline it follows alongside the Act/Scene numbers. It's page 22 in the First Vintage Book Edition. Act I, Scene 1 takes place on a Friday morning, and Scene 2 takes place the following morning-- a Saturday. Act II, Scene 1 takes place later on the same Saturday, and Scene 2 takes place on a Friday night a few weeks later, and Scene 3 takes place on "moving day," one week later. Act III takes place an hour later on moving day. The total time span adds to about a month.

Most of the action is conveyed through the dialogue, as far as I can tell. The few actions not mirrored by the dialogue are italicized and placed within parentheses in the middle of the dialogue, with the exception of some stage directions at the beginning of new scenes.

The large gaps between some scenes left the construction feeling loose. It bothers me that the author doesn't think we need to know more of what happened in between those scenes.... It's like how I haven't watched Days of Our Lives since I was in pre-school, but I still no exactly what the plot is because it's just a ridiculous cycle.

Nip it in the bud.

Yay references!

The whole memory-play thing reminded me of a Pensieve.

Also, Malvolio (the Magician!) is the name of Malcolm's spider in She's the Man, which incidentally, as was pointed out in AP Lit a week or so ago, is based on Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night.

Applicable scene comes in around 4:54, but I recommend watching the whole clip, just for kicks.

Also also, this is a victrola, in case you were wondering like I was:

I was disappointed. I thought it would be some kind of instrument. Instruments make for more effective hobbies than potentially skin-piercing menageries.

SPEAKING of menageries, I knew what those were because of Harry Potter. The Magical Menagerie is where Ron finds rat tonic for Scabbers. I believe this rat tonic was the inspiration for the concept of fish tonic, which they do not sell at Seven Eleven stores, unfortunately for Chester Montgomery. My cat is positively hammering at my bedroom door right now, but I just opened it to let her out five minutes ago, and I will not pander to her whims!!!!

P.S. Also, is Laura dead or something?

P.P.S. I didn't like the way Jim handled that situation.

Further accusations of author conceit ....

6. How do the various physical effects--theatrical components such as sets, lights, costuming, makeup, gestures, stage movements, musical effects of song or dance, and so forth-- reinforce the meanings and contribute to the emotional effects? By what means does the playwright indicate the nature of these physical effects--explicitly, through stage directions and set descriptions, or implicitly, through dialogue between characters?

Lights were important to the play in moments like the nonrealistic one in which, during Tom's spiel about how tricky people like his dad can escape coffins without removing nails, the portrait of his father lit up to unveil the veiled reference (1249). Also, the music, also nonrealistic, offered insights into the nature of the particular moment in the memory. Actually, the fact that it's a memory makes the nonrealistic elements sort of de facto realistic--who's to say I don't remember things as though they were musicals? Also, Williams' detailed stage directions sort of give away all of his symbolism. As an aspiring writer, I really have to admit feeling annoyed about this. If the reader won't pick up on the symbolism unless you shove it in his/her face, there's not much point in putting it in there to begin with. If it's so subtle very few will notice, then leave it to the few to feel smug and point it out to their friends. That's what Lit classes are for. Also, maybe I would have picked up on the parallels on my own. Now my brain has gone all lazy. Hmph.

I am answering this because I feel like I am supposed to.

1. Does the play employ realistic or nonrealistic conventions? On the spectrum from literalistic imitation of reality to stylized or surrealistic representation, where is the play situated? Are there breaks from the conventions established as a norm in the play? If so, what is the dramatic effect of these departures? Are they meaningful?

Well, it employs them both. Probably at minimum wage.

For instance, the character interaction is incredibly realistic. The mom's "nagging" and emotional apologies and even her creepy put-on Southern accent while entertaining Jim -- I believe as some sort of disturbing need to prove to herself that, in spite of her missing husband, she hasn't lost all that Southern charm -- rang true in the worst way. She clearly loves her kids, and I'm certain she means well, but I wanted to kick her in the shins when she said that "This is the prettiest [Laura] will ever be!" (1263) right after making her do that... thing. I don't even want to talk about it. That was low.

Also, I could relate with Laura uncomfortably well, so we'll say she was pretty realistic too.

Tom's arguments with Amanda/mom were also realistically familial. It's only family members who shout things like, "Every time you come in yelling that God damn "Rise and Shine!" "Rise and Shine!" I say to myself, "How lucky dead people are!" (1247). A Harry Potter (fanfiction?!) reference on the subject (at last!): "Another thing you might keep in mind," the man interrupted, "is that quite often family members are the ones who say the very foulest things of all. Think about it. People will say things to their family that they would never dream of saying to a mere acquaintance. The closer the bond, the more willing people are to test it to its limit."

-A Year Like None Other, by AspenintheSunlight

But anyway, all the random music filtering into the scene to suit the mood was certainly nonrealistic, and everything was a little less realistic because of the whole time warp/memory play thing Tom was going on about. Also, his walking in and out of Narrator Mode willy nilly was nonrealistic.