Unit 4, Part 2 UNIT 4, Part 2 Portraits of Real Life Click the mouse button or press the space bar to continue.

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2

UNIT 4, Part 2Portraits of Real Life

Click the mouse button or press the space bar to continue

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 MAIN MENUMAIN MENU

Portraits of Real Life (pages 870– 895)

Click a selection title to go to the corresponding selection menu.

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 SELECTION MENUSELECTION MENU

Before You Read

Reading the Selection

After You Read

Selection Menu (pages 870–887)

Grammar Workshop

http://www.glencoe.com/

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 BEFORE YOU READBEFORE YOU READ

Meet Anton Chekhov

Click the picture to learn about the author.



Chekhov’s main character in A Marriage Proposal makes plans that he cannot seem to carry out. He battles both his pride and his imaginary ailments to try toachieve his goal. Before you read the play, think about the questions on the following slide.

Connecting to the Play



• Think of a time when you carefully planned for something. Did any forces interfere with your plans?

Connecting to the Play

• When the occasion you had planned for was over, how did you feel about your planning?



Chekhov set this one-act play in the late 1800s in the Russian provinces, or countryside. At this time in Russia, the serfs had been freed, the Bolshevik revolution was less than twenty years away, and yet aristocratic farmers still depended on servants to do the work on their large estates.

Building Background



Although A Marriage Proposal is a light comedy, its depiction of Russia’s aristocracy is consistent with a theme seen throughout Chekhov’s work. Chekhov sensed that the “old” Russia was dying. Therefore, he often shows aristocrats as incompetent and frustrated, as he does with the petty characters in A Marriage Proposal.

Building Background



As you read this play, notice how Chekhov’s characters’ speech and actions mimic those in real life.

Setting Purposes for Reading

Portraits of Real Life



A farce is a type of comedy with stereotyped characters in ridiculous situations. In a farce, an author uses physical action, exaggeration, improbable events, and surprises to make the audience laugh.


Farce



Farce is one way to make fun of human traits and social customs. As you read, try to determine which traits and customs Chekhov is highlighting.


Farce



Authors often write for a particular purpose: to entertain, to inform or teach a lesson, to tell a story, to try to persuade readers to accept an idea, or for a variety of other purposes. As you read A Marriage Proposal, see if you can determine why the author chose to tell this story in this particular way.

Recognizing Author’s Purpose



Recognizing Author’s Purpose

Reading Tip: Noting Details Use a graphic organizer like the one shown to help you keeptrack of details and draw conclusions about them.



pompous adj. showing an exaggerated sense of self-importance (p. 873) The shopkeeper’s attitude was pompous, so I left.

affable adj. friendly and pleasant (p. 873) Grace has friends because she is so affable.

Click a vocabulary term to listen to the definition.



hypochondriac n. one whose worry over health is so great that it brings on the imagined symptoms of an illness (p. 873) Doctors see their fair share of hypochondriacs.

impudence n. speech or behavior that is aggressively forward or rude (p. 877) Arnie showed his impudence when he cut in front of those who had been standing in the lunch line.




oblivious adj. unmindful or unaware; not noticing (p. 882) Ana and Maria were oblivious to their teacher’s desire to start class.






Portraits of Real Life Consider this question as you read. What is Chekhov saying about marriage and relationships?

READING THE SELECTIONREADING THE SELECTION

Answer: He makes fun of the romantic view of love and marriage because it is an unrealistic expectation.



Portraits of Real Life Consider the following question as you read. What is Chekhov saying about the Russian aristocracy of the time?


Answer: They are petty and disconnected from reality.



Look at the painting on page 872. What does this portrayal of Russian country life tell you about the people who lived here?


Answer: The people were poor and had a hard life.

Viewing the Art



Recognizing Author’s Purpose Read the text highlighted in blue on page 873. Why do you think Chekhov chose to describe Natalia in this way?


Reading Strategy


Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 READING THE SELECTIONREADING THE SELECTION

Answer: In Chekhov’s time, it was probably unusual for a woman of this age to be unmarried. By including this information, Chekhov communicates to the audience the focus of his play.

Reading Strategy



Questioning Read the descriptions of the characters on page 873. What details in the cast of characters indicate that the play takes place in a different era and/or culture?


Answer: In addition to the Russian names, the men’s descriptions as landowners and the description of Natalia as “twenty-five but still unmarried”.

Reading Strategy



Portraits of Real Life Read the text highlighted in tan on page 874. How would you describe Lomov’s manner here?




Answer: Lomov and Chubukov each have their own ways of speaking and their own vocabulary and expressions, just like real people. For instance, Chubukov says “and so forth” repeatedly, and Lomov stumbles when he speaks, never seeming to say exactly what he means.




Look at the painting on page 874. What does this painting suggest to you about rural life in Russia in the 1800s? How does this view affect your understanding of the play?


Answer: Rural life provided few opportunities for people. People were stuck in a state of poverty.

Viewing the Art



Recognizing Author’s Purpose Read the first text highlighted in blue on page 875. Why does Chekhov have Chubukov respond in this way?


Reading Strategy



Answer: At first, Chubukov believes that Lomov wants to borrow money, and he is unwilling to comply. However, when he realizes that Lomov wants to marry his daughter, his attitude changes completely. It appears that Chekhov does not have a high opinion of his characters and that he frequently pokes fun at them.

Reading Strategy



Farce Read the text highlighted in purple on page 875. What makes Chubukov’s reaction to Lomov’s request an example of farce?


Answer: Chubukov has an exaggerated response to Lomov’s statement, pretending that he has often wished Lomov would become his son-in-law. He is obviously delighted that anyone wants to marry his daughter.

Literary Element



Recognizing Author’s Purpose Read the text highlighted in blue on page 875. How do you think Chekhov wants the audience to feel about Lomov?


Answer: Chekhov portrays Lomov as a ridiculous, shallow man; he probably wants the audience to find him humorous or pathetic.

Reading Strategy



Portraits of Real Life Read the first text highlighted in tan on page 876.Why do you suppose it is taking so long for Lomov to ask Natalia his question?


Answer: He is nervous and unsure of how Natalia will respond, so he will not ask her directly. He also seems to want to establish the connection between their families first.



Portraits of Real Life Read the second text highlighted in tan on page 876. What does Natalia and Lomov’s conversation tell you about the life of the Russian aristocracy in the nineteenth century?




Answer: You may conclude that the aristocrats lived on land that had belonged to their families for generations and that land was a source of wealth and pride.




Farce Read the first text highlighted in purple on page 877. What makes Lomov’s statement here ridiculous?


Answer: The stage directions emphasize Lomov’s exaggeration of his physical symptoms, as in “clutching his heart.” Lomov is constantly describing his deteriorating physical state.

Literary Element



Farce Read the second text highlighted in purple on page 877. How does Chekhov make Lomov’s behavior farcical here?


Answer: Chubukov’s argument is that “everyone knows” the land is his. However, it is clear that Lomov does not know this;in fact, Lomov thinks that the land is his.

Literary Element



Recognizing Author’s Purpose Read the text highlighted in blue on page 878. What do you think is Chekhov’s purpose in including this detail?


Reading Strategy



Answer: Chekhov includes this detail in order to make the argument and the characters even more ridiculous. Lomov tells Chubukov to leave his family out of the argument, but then he attacks Chubukov’s family.


Reading Strategy



Farce Read the text highlighted in purple on page 878. How does Lomov’s hypochondria contribute to the farcical aspects of the play?


Answer: It is clear that Lomov is overreacting about his health. On one hand, he believes that he needs a wife to ease his nervous concerns, and on the other, he is allowing his fictional conditions to interfere with his plans to propose to Natalia.

Literary Element



Look at the painting on page 879. How does this setting compare with your vision of the play’s setting so far? Explain.


Answer: Answers will vary, but you should comment on the relative wealth or poverty of the aristocrats and servants, and their respective houses.

Viewing the Art



Farce Read the text highlighted in purple on page 880. What makes Natalia’s reaction here farcical?


Literary Element



Answer: She has just called Lomov “a monster,” and yet when her father tells her that Lomov meant to propose to her, she wants him to come back. She is so desperate to be married that she suggests that she will die if Lomov does not come back.


Literary Element



Recognizing Author’s Purpose Read the text highlighted in blue on page 880. What is the author saying here about his characters’ convictions?


Answer: He is suggesting that his characters’ beliefs are weak and can be easily influenced, or that they will pretend to believe anything for the sake of personal gain.

Reading Strategy



Farce Read the text highlighted in purple on page 881. How does the argument over the dogs increase the farcical element of the play?


Answer: The argument over the dogs is even pettier than the previous one concerning land, exaggerating the unattractive traits of Natalia and Lomov.

Literary Element



Farce Read the text highlighted in purple on page 882. How does Chekhov make Chubukov’s insight here seem humorous?


Answer: Chubukov applies his theory of jealousy to Lomov but not to himself or to Natalia.

Literary Element



Portraits of Real Life Read the text highlighted in tan on page 883. What do you think audiences in Russia when this play was first produced would have thought of this recent argument?




Answer: Chekhov creates a sense of anger through his use of forceful language and exclamation points. Russian audiences may have seen the characters’ pettiness as exaggerated rather than realistic.




Farce Read the first text highlighted in purple on page 883. Do you think Lomov is actually dead?


Answer: He probably is not dead. Comedies usually end happily, so it is unlikely that the author would kill off a main character and prevent a resolution to the conflict. Chekhov is exaggerating Natalia’s reaction to create a farcical effect.

Literary Element



Farce Read the second text highlighted in purple on page 883. What makes this dialogue humorous?


Answer: Despite having just agreed to marry one another, Lomov and Natalia are still arguing over whose dog is superior.

Literary Element




Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 AFTER YOU READAFTER YOU READ

Answer: You may like the endingof the play because it was funny, but you may dislike it because Lomov andNatalia seem unlikely to be happy.

1. Did you like the ending of the play? Explain why or why not.

Responding and Thinking CriticallyRespond



2. (a) Why has Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? (b) What does his behavior tell you about his personality?

Answer: (a) To propose to Chubukov’s daughter, Natalia (b) He is high-strung, nervous, and exhausted by such an important decision.

Responding and Thinking CriticallyRecall and Interpret



3. (a) What is the cause of the first argument? (b) Why, in your opinion, does the first argument start so easily?

Answer: (a) Who owns several acres of land called the Oxen Meadows. (b) Natalia has no idea that Lomov has come to propose; she sees him as a visiting neighbor.




Answer: (a) Whose dog is better. (b)Natalia is stubborn and narrow-minded. Chubukov is volatile and insulting. Lomov is proud and sensitive.

4. (a) What is the second argument about? (b) What do both arguments reveal about their participants?




5. Compare and contrast the bickering between characters in the play with similar interactions you have witnessed between people in real life. How is it similar? How is it different?

Answer: Bickering is similar, but exaggerated and farcical.

Responding and Thinking CriticallyAnalyze and Evaluate



Answer: Answers will vary.

6. (a) In your opinion, are Lomov and Natalia a good match for each other? Explain. (b) Do you think they should marry? Why or why not?




Answer: Some dialogue—“He is not!”“He is so!”—is realistic. Some dialogue—“What palpitations! My heart!”—is unrealistic.

7. Does the dialogue, or speech, in Chekhov’s play seem realistic to you? Why or why not?




8. Chekhov’s aristocratic characters seem to be in their own little world; they have no interaction with people outside the Russian provinces. Do you think this detail is realistic for Chekhov’s time and place? For yours?

Responding and Thinking CriticallyConnect Portraits of Real Life



Answer: Because of the media, mostpeople today are aware of societal problems, but they may still ignore them. In Chekhov’s time, it was easier for people to remain isolated and unaware.




Many authors use farce to ridicule societal norms, in addition to making their audiences laugh. In A Marriage Proposal, Chekhov has Lomov continually complain about physical ailments in order to poke fun at him.

Farce



1. List three examples of statements made by the characters that made you laugh. Tell what you think Chekhov is making fun of in each example.

Farce



Answer: “Your mother limped!” Chekhovmakes fun of people’s urge to insult others when angry. When Natalia says, “He’s alive! Yes, yes, I accept,” Chekhov is mocking love, relationships, and marriage.

Farce



2. Identify three points in this play that you found particularly funny. Why are they humorous? What techniques of farce does Chekhov use to create each situation?

Farce



Answer: One point might be when Lomov says, “Please! Be quiet a moment. My heart’s falling apart . . . Shut up!” This scene is humorous because Lomov is asking for quiet and then yells. Chekhov uses exaggeration to create farce in this situation.

Farce



As you learned on page 51, irony is a contrast between expectation and reality. A Marriage Proposal contains both situational and dramatic irony. In situational irony, the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what is expected. In dramatic irony, the audience knows something that the characters do not know.

Review: Irony



Partner Activity Use a chart like the one on the next slide and find one good example of situational irony and one good example of dramatic irony in the play. Discuss your examples with a partner, then discuss how different audiences—teenagers, single adults, married couples, socialites, homeowners—may react differently to these ironic situations. Share your findings with the rest of your class.

Review: Irony



Review: Irony



In order to recognize the author’s purpose, you should ask yourself what the writer is trying to achieve.

Recognizing Authors Purpose



1. Why do you think Chekhov wrote this play?

Answer: Chekhov may have wanted to entertain people by writing the play, but he also probably wanted to critique and mock the values of the nobility.




Answer: You may refer to humorous moments in the play and theridiculous behavior of the characters.

2. Find at least three details in the play to support your conclusions.




Practice with Word Origins A word’s origins often give clues to its meaning. Match each vocabulary word with its corresponding root word. Use adictionary for assistance.

Practice



1. affable

2. impudent

3. pompous

4. oblivious

A. Impudens, meaning

“shameless”

B. Affabilis, meaning “easily

spoken to”

C. Oblivio, meaning

“forgetfulness”

D. Pompa, meaning

“procession” or “display”

___

___

___

___

B

Practice

A

D

C



These words will help you think, write and talk about the selection.

couple n. two people linked romantically

consult v. to ask advice; to ask a question of someone

Academic Vocabulary



Answer: Married life for Lomov and Natalia will probably be filled with arguments.

1. What might married life be like for the couple Chekhov describes in A Marriage Proposal?

Academic VocabularyPractice and Apply



Answer: Chubukov assumes that Lomov wants to borrow money from him.

2. When Lomov tells Chubukov that he would like to consult with him, what does Chubukov assume?

Academic VocabularyPractice and Apply



Evaluate Author’s Craft Chekhov masterfully develops his characters’ personalities through dialogue. Dialogue is conversation between the characters in a literary work. In a drama, the audience learns about the characters mainly through dialogue.

Writing About Literature



Analyze the dialogue for each of the characters in A Marriage Proposal. Write one paragraph for each character explaining how Chekhov portrays him or her through speech.




Before you begin drafting, make a list of character traits and find examples of dialogue that help develop each trait. Use a chart like the one on the next slide to organize your ideas.







After completing your writing assignment, meet with a peer reviewer to evaluate each other’s writing. Then proofread and edit your draft for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.




Design a set for A Marriage Proposal, alone or with a small group. Using graph paper or computer software, draw a floor plan of the stage as you envision it. On the plan, place the various furnishings, stage props, and exits. Then select a scene and mark the characters’ positions and movements across the stage.

Interdisciplinary Activity: Drama





Using Exclamation Points Chekhov uses many exclamation points throughout A Marriage Proposal. The exclamation point is used to punctuate exclamatory sentences, sentences that express strong feeling, usually anger or excitement. Notice how Chekhov uses exclamation points in the following examples to communicate strong emotion.

Chekhov’s Language and Style



CHUBUKOV. [Trying to shout her down.] Champagne! Bring some champagne! Champagne! Champagne!

CHUBUKOV. [Aside.] Wants to borrow some money. Not a chance!

LOMOV. [Clutching his heart.] The Oxen Meadows are mine! Do you understand? Mine!

NATALIA. Please don’t shout!




Notice how different the tone of those examples would be without exclamation points:

CHUBUKOV. [Aside.] Wants to borrow some money. Not a chance.

LOMOV. [Clutching his heart.] The Oxen Meadows are mine. Do you understand? Mine.




CHUBUKOV. [Trying to shout her down.] Champagne, bring some champagne. Champagne, Champagne.

NATALIA. Please don’t shout.




Activity Write a brief monologue or dialogue using punctuation as Chekhov uses it: to indicate characters’ emotions. When you have finished writing, read your monologue or dialogue aloud to your class.




While useful for communicating strong emotion, exclamation points should not be overused. Reread the essay you wrote evaluating Chekhov's use of dialogue. Make sure that you used exclamation points accurately and sparingly. Make any revisions you deem necessary.

Revising Check: Exclamation Points





Before You Read


After You Read

Selection Menu (pages 888–895)


Meet Harold Pinter

Click the picture to learn about the author.


Our conversations reveal much about who we are and what we find important. Our words communicate feelings and attitudes of which we are aware and sometimes unaware. Sometimes we do not realize how we feel until we find ourselves becoming irritated or upset over insignificant matters.

Connecting to the Dramatic Sketch


• What do your daily conversations reveal about you?

Connecting to the Dramatic Sketch

• In what way does your everyday language often mask or hide your true feelings?

Before you read, think about the following questions.


Theater of the Absurd refers to a style of dramatic literature that emerged primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. Absurdist dramas do not contain a plot but instead present a series of scenes in which the characters speak in meaningless conversations or perform actions with little or no purpose. Even though Absurdist plays are comic on the surface, they express underlying complex feelings, such as dread, guilt, or uncertainty. The central concern of the dramatists of the Absurd is to show that people are essentially helpless or confused in an alienating world.

Building Background


Theater of the Absurd was shocking to audiences when it was new because it did not follow theatrical conventions. It lost its shock value as audiences became accustomed to its unusual techniques, many of which are now a part of mainstream theater.

Building Background


As you read That’s Your Trouble, notice the ways in which the characters communicate, or miscommunicate, with each other.


Portraits of Real Life


The conflict is the central struggle between two opposing forces in a story or drama. As you read, try to determine the conflict in Pinter’s dramatic sketch.


Conflict


Analyzing mood entails examining the emotional quality or atmosphere of a literary work. A writer’s choice of language, subject matter, setting and tone, as well as such sound devices as rhyme and rhythm,contribute to mood.

Analyzing Mood


Reading Tip: Asking Questions When trying to determine mood, ask yourself questions as you read, such as: How do the setting and stage directions of a dramatic work contribute to the overall mood? Is the mood positive or negative?

Analyzing Mood


Analyzing Mood

Use a chart to organize your questions and answers.


ferociously adv. cruelly; savagely (p. 891) The beast ferociously glared his teeth at the hunter.

ignorant adj. lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed (p. 891) He was ignorant in thinking that the earth was flat.




Analyzing Mood Read the text highlighted in blue on page 890. Describe the mood that this setting creates.


Answer: Pinter creates an idyllic mood by having his characters enjoy a beautiful day in the park.

Reading Strategy


Conflict Read the dialogue on page 890. How and where does the conflict between these two men begin?


Answer: The conflict begins with the word “Rubbish.” B disagrees that the man withthe sandwich board will get a headache. From this point, the two begin their cycle of misinterpreting and criticizing each other.

Literary Element


Look at the painting on page 890. What elements in this lithograph evoke a sense of absurdity similar to that found in Pinter’s dramatic sketch?


Answer: The sandwich man is being completely ignored by the more well-to-do passersby. His presence, therefore, seems somewhat meaningless and foolish, just like the conversation between A and B.

Viewing the Art


Analyzing Mood Read the text highlighted in blue on page 891. What effect does the word ferociously have on the mood?


Answer: The word signals the point atwhich B becomes very upset. From this point onward, the conflict is more overt; B does not hide his frustration.

Reading Strategy


Portraits of Real Life Read the text highlighted in tan on page 891. What does B mean by the word “trouble” here?


Answer: A synonym for what he means to say is “problem.”


Conflict Read the text highlighted in purple on page 891. What does A imply that his “trouble” is at the end of the conversation?


Answer: A implies that his “trouble,” or problem, is B’s insistence on being right.

Literary Element



Answer: (a) You may be surprised by the unusual approach to dramatic writing. (b) You may believe it reflects everyday language.

1. (a) What was your first reaction to this dramatic sketch? (b) What is your opinion of the dialogue in That’s Your Trouble?



2. (a) According to B, what does A misunderstand about neck strains? (b) How does B misunderstand A?

Answer: (a) A thinks that neck strains cause headaches. (b) B does not realize that “in the end” means “eventually.”



3. (a) Describe A’s response when B tells him that his “trouble is not listening” to people? (b) What is A’s tone in response?

Answer: (a) A responds by implyingthat his trouble is actually B. (b) His tone is sarcastic.




4. (a) After reading the dialogue, what does the conflict appear to be about? (b) What is the underlying conflict between these two men?


Answer: (a) The conflict appears to be about whether the man wearing the sandwich board will get a headache. (b) The underlying conflict stems from B’s need to feel superior.



5. (a) What is ironic about B’s accusation that his companion is ignorant? (b) What purpose does irony serve in this dialogue?

Answer: (a) The irony lies in B’s own irrational explanations. (b) The irony reflects Pinter’s cynical view of human interaction.



Answer: (a) You should support your answer with the text. (b) The characters suggest that friends can be contentious.

6. (a) Determine whether you think that the two men are friends. (b) How do these characters change or complicate your definition of friendship?



7. What larger comments about human interaction does Pinter’s sketch make through his characters? Explain.

Answer: Pinter implies that our everyday conversations veil currents of aggression between individuals.



An external conflict exists when a character struggles against some outside force, such as another person, nature, society or fate. An internal conflict is a struggle that takes place within the mind of a character who is torn between opposing feelings, desires, or goals.

Conflict


Think about the conflict or conflicts in That’s Your Trouble, and then answer the following questions.

Conflict


Answer: It regards the direction inwhich pain travels.

1. What is the external conflict in the dialogue?

Conflict


2. What are the internal conflicts of these characters?

Answer: The internal conflicts arisefrom B’s insecurity and his resulting aggression.

Conflict


Analyze Style Pinter’s work is best known for his minimalist approach to character and dialogue. His plays prioritize the verbal exchange between two characters, and what is not said is just as important as what is said. The Pinteresque pause, which has become Pinter’s signature, embodies the tension many of his characters feel toward themselves and each other but try to hide.



Examine the pauses in the conversation. Imagine what is going on in the character’s head during those pauses. Identify what a character says after the pause. Then determine whether they are effective stage directions for developing the character’s emotions. Using details from the conversation, analyze that aspect of Pinter’s style in That’s Your Trouble in a brief essay.



Mood is a broader term than tone, which refers to the attitude of the speaker or narrator toward the reader. Mood also differs from atmosphere, which is concerned mainly with the physical qualities that contribute to a mood, such as time, place, and weather.

Analyzing Mood


1. What is the overall mood of this dramatic sketch?

Answer: The play begins nonchalantly, but the mood quickly becomes tense and angry.

Analyzing Mood


Answer: Pinter pokes fun at his characters by having them take themselves very seriously.

2. How does the mood contribute to the tone of the playwright?

Analyzing Mood


Practice with Connotation and Denotation A word can have a positive, negative, or neutral connotation. For example, the word antsy has a negative connotation while eager has a positive one. Determine whether each vocabulary word has a positive, negative, or neutral connotation.

Practice


1. ferociously

A. positive

B. negative

C. neutral

Practice


2. ignorant

A. positive

B. negative

C. neutral

Practice



Selection Menu (pages 893-895)

Before You Read


After You Read


Harold Pinter, a British playwright, was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005. In “Writing for the Theater,” Pinter discusses how he creates roles and chooses the language he uses in plays.

Building Background


Read to discover the author’s opinion and how he supports it.

Set a Purpose for Reading


Evaluating an argument requires that you make a judgment or form an opinion about what you have read. Consider if the author clearly states his or her position and supports it with reasons and examples. Also, decide if you agree with the author’s opinion.

Evaluating Argument


Evaluating Argument

As you read, use a chart like the one shown to determine Pinter’s opinions and how he supports them. Then, consider an opposingviewpoint for each opinion.



Portraits of Real Life Keep the following questions in mind as you read. Does Pinter think language is an effective way to represent reality? What are some of the concerns Pinter has about other writers?

Answer: Pinter thinks it is difficult for any of us to represent reality through language. He is concerned that some writers pass off clichéd, overly moral writing as “true.”


Evaluating Argument Read the first paragraph on page 894. Do you agree or disagree with Pinter’s argument about “common experience” and “common ground”?

Answer: Answers will vary. You might use examples from your own experience to support your evaluations.

Reading Strategy


Evaluating Argument Read the last paragraph on page 894. What are the main points of Pinter’s argument here?

Reading Strategy


Answer: He argues that it is possible to be overcome by the sheer volume of words, a volume that threatens to make language trite and meaningless. Only by confronting our own uneasy relationship with language can we achieve meaning.

Reading Strategy



Answer: You may be surprised that Pinter does not believe that playwrights should work with actors or directors or that they should write with a certain message in mind.

1. What surprised you about Pinter’s viewpoint on writing for the theater?



2. (a) Does Pinter write plays to convey a certain ideology or make a moral judgment? Explain. (b) What does this say about how readers and audiences interpret theatrical works?



Answer: (a) No; he believes that the meaning of the play comes strictly out of the dialogue. (b) Readers and audiences often look for a playwright’s intended meaning when there may not be one.



3. (a) What does Pinter say language offers other than the actual “words spoken”? (b) What do you think conveying the meaning of Pinter’s language requires of actors who perform in his plays?



Answer: (a) Language has meaning that is not explicit in the text. (b) Actors must interpret their lines.



4. (a) What is Pinter’s opinion about the responsibility of the playwright? (b) Does this support the idea of theater being a collaborative art form? Why or why not?




Answer: (a) Pinter believes that the playwright is only responsible for the text of the play. (b) You may believe that the playwrights should write with the performers and directors in mind.


5. Konstanin Stanislavsky was a Russian actor and theorist who developed an acting technique known as The Method. He asked students to consider “the subtext” of characters, or the meaning that underlies the written text. Does Pinter’s writing serve Stanislavsky’s approach to acting? Why or why not?



Answer: Yes; Pinter believes there is language “below the word spoken,” allowing actors to interpret the text.



6. How do Pinter’s ideas about characterization apply to That’s Your Trouble?

Answer: Pinter says he has not provided much background about the characters. Pinter leaves their histories and motives up to the actors to determine.




Using Commas with Interjections and Parenthetical Expressions

Mechanics

“Of course, I must say you look splendid, but . . . Well, tell me, why are you so dressed up?”

— Anton Chekhov, from “A Marriage Proposal

GRAMMAR WORKSHOPGRAMMAR WORKSHOP

Connecting to Literature In the above quotation, Chekhov introduces two sentences with the expressions of course and well.



Mechanics

Of course is a parenthetical expression, which adds explanatory information to the sentence. Other common parenthetical expressions include in fact, on the other hand, for example, on the contrary, by the way, to be exact, after all, and nevertheless.




The word well is an interjection, a word that expresses emotion. Alas, good grief, oh, uh-oh, sorry, and wow are other common interjections. Because interjections and parenthetical expressions have no grammatical connection to the rest of the sentence, they should be separated with a comma.


Mechanics



Sorry, we weren’t expecting you.

Good heavens, he was wearing a suit and top hat!


Interjections These occur at the beginning of a sentence. Interjections that express strong emotion may be followed by an exclamation point.

Mechanics



Parenthetical expressions These usually appear in the middle of a sentence and are set off by two commas. Occasionally, a parenthetical expression begins a sentence and is followed by a comma.


In fact, Lomov had come to Natalia with the intention of proposing marriage.

Lomov had come to Natalia, in fact, with the intention of proposing marriage.

Mechanics



Exercise


Rewrite the sentences on the following slides to correct any mistakes in comma usage.

Mechanics




1. Well if you check the background information, you can see that the story was written in the year 1888.

Answer: Well, if you check the background information, you can see that the story was written in the year 1888.

Exercise

Mechanics




2. Oh I see that Chekhov had earned a degree in medicine.

Answer: Oh, I see that Chekhov had earned a degree in medicine.

Exercise

Mechanics




Answer: Chekhov, unfortunately, was poor and had to support himself by writing hundreds of articles for comic magazines.

3. Chekhov unfortunately was poor and had to support himself by writing hundreds of articles for comic magazines.

Exercise

Mechanics




4. These writings on the other hand showed the revolutionary literary style and promise of the masterpieces he was soon to create.

Exercise

Mechanics

Answer: On the other hand, these writings showed the revolutionary literary style and promise of the masterpieces he was soon to create.




Answer: This promise is, of course, realized in the one-act play “A Marriage Proposal.”

5. This promise is of course realized in the one-act play “A Marriage Proposal.”

Exercise

Mechanics




Interjections and parenthetical expressions express emotion or add explanatory information. Use commas to separate these words from the rest of the sentence.

Vocabulary Terms

Mechanics




Overuse of interjections and parenthetical expressions can make your writing appear overly casual and informal, so use them sparingly when writing for a test.

Test-Taking Tip

Mechanics


Peer pressure

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 BELLRINGERBELLRINGER

What are some things that people do as a result of peer pressure? Do adults sometimes give in to peer pressure?


1. When asked your opinion, you should always be honest.

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 BELLRINGERBELLRINGER

2. It is best to avoid hurting other people’s feelings whenever possible.

Which of these sentences do you agree with more?

Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2Unit 4, Part 2 BELLRINGER OPTION TRANSPARENCYBELLRINGER OPTION TRANSPARENCY

Click on the image to see a full version of the Bellringer Option Transparency.


0%

0%

0%

0%A. offended and disappointed

B. overwhelmed and delighted

C. uninterested and cold-hearted

D. humbled and blessed

What is Chubukov’s reaction to Lomov’s request to marry his daughter?

CHECKPOINT QUESTIONSCHECKPOINT QUESTIONS


0%

0%

0%

0%A. He needs Chubukov’s money.

B. He is lonely and desperate for company.C. He is deeply in love with Natalia.

D. He is thirty-five years old and must settle down to live a regular life.

Why does Lomov think he must get married?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. a government document from

MoscowB. a map of the estate

C. a deed signed by a lawyer

D. an old letter from his aunt’s grandmother

What proof does Lomov say he has to claim ownership of the Oxen Meadow’s?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. two of Lomov’s neighbors

B. Natalia’s brother and sister

C. Natalia’s and Lomov’s dogs

D. two of Lomov’s ancestors

Who are Squeezer and Guess?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. He runs out the house.

B. He changes his mind about marriage.

C. He dies before the doctor’s arrival.

D. He faints and drops into an armchair.

What happens to Lomov during the argument about hunting?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. His neck will be injured.

B. He will get a headache.

C. His back will give out.

D. His legs will become weak.

According to A, what will happen to the man with the sandwich board?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. He doesn’t know what his trouble is.

B. He doesn’t know anything about physics.

C. He doesn’t know how to carry a sandwich board.

D. He doesn’t have original opinions.

What does B say is A’s trouble?



0%

0%

0%

0%A. down

B. up

C. right

D. left

According to B, where do strains go?



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