Hollinger: 5 Fall 2011 discussion

1. How does the temporal structure of Our Town reflect and influence the main ideas of the play?

2. As little happens in the play in terms of dramatic events, the thematic content of the play and Wilder’s attempt to engage his audience actively take center stage. The success of the play depends on its ability to break down the so-called “fourth wall” between the audience and the actors. How does Wilder break down this barrier between the audience and the action onstage?

3. Is Thornton Wilder’s view of small town life positive or negative?

1. The temporal structure of Our Town reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing how people waste their time and lives sitting around doing nothing, and once you die you realize that you just wasted your life away.

1. The temporal structure of "Our Town" reflects and influences the main ideas of the play because one may be able to appreciate life, death, and marriage at a higher level when you realize that you've lost something you never thought to appreciate before.

2. Wilder breaks down the "fourth wall" by achieving the bond between the scenarios in the play and events that happen in an audience member's everyday life.

3. Thornton Wilder's view of small town life is positive because it refelects the things that are important in life such as marriage, life, and death. Petty arguments were not a main conflict in the play therefore it shows how small town life revolves around the things that are most important.

1. The temporal structure of "Our Town" influences the main ideas of the play because one can go see for a last time the people who they love even though they are dead.


2. Wilder breaks down the so-called "fourth wall" between the audience and actors by relating the play with the audience.

3. I think it's positive because he reflects the most important things life, marriage and death. It shows how living in a small town, life, marriage, and death are the most important things.

Q1)I think the structure influences the main ideas by revealing the life of people as the progress in their lives.

Q2)During the play, the stage manager sometimes communicates with the audience, asking them questions or talking to the audience about their lives.

Q3)I think it's a positive view, because the way he demonstrates life in a small town, people are friendly and talking to everybody that pass each other, sort of brings out a touch of happiness.

1.) the temporal structure used in "Our Town" influences the main ideas used in the play by shaping the outcome of the story
2.) by having the characters talk to the reader in a way way that is hardly noticable
3.) Negativ because he says people shouldn't waste their lives sitting around doing nothing

1. The temporal structure of the story reflects on the main idea by showing us that with time so many things can and will change. People change and feelings change, time brings on unexpected twists and turns to your life. So dont base your entire life on whats happening now.
2. He breaks down this barrier with the audience and people on stage by taking breaks ion the play and having characters come up and give their honest opinions on whatever is happening at that time in the play.
3. Thorton Wilders view on small town life could go either way, but i think his mind leans more towards the negative side. He does show the good of knowing everyone in your town but he always shows us alot of negative feelings towards our town. He shows how all life is in a small town is, birth, marraige, and death. Who really wants life to only be about these three things? Well i certainly dont.+

1. The temporal structure of the play reflects on people who live their lives and making choices as they progess to a new lifetime.

2. Wilder breaks this "fourth wall" by communicating with his audience with his character "Stage Manager" to help us connect to the play.

3. Positive, because the play shows the friendly side of people from neighbors, marraige to death.Although the ending seemed confusing or depressing it shows the bright side that they each lived their lives as happy as can be.

1. The time structure in "Our Town" shows how life in small from generation to generation doesn't change much.

2.The "fourth wall" is broken when the Stage Manager speaks directly to the audience and interacts with them. This helps the audience feel like they are a part of the play and want to see what happens.

3. His view is kind of neutral, he doesn't think it's bad or good, it just is. Life goes on continuosly without changing much.

1.The temporal structure of "Our Town" reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing how people waste their lives doing nothing and then when they die they realize they wasted their lives just getting it through with it instead by living and enjoying every little things life gives you.

@Alexia i agree with your response for question 1. peoples do end up going through life and taking full advanatage of it. then the next thing you know you've wasted half your life and you haven't completed anything or fulfilled your goals.

1.The temporal structure of Our Town reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing that over time everything changes. People, time, and places change.

2. Wilder breaks down the "fourth wall" by playing the stage manager and telling us what happens in the future to help us understand the play.

3. Thornton Wilder's view of small town life is positive because it reflects on important events in life such as life, marriage, and death. He points out that our town is very family oriented and close.

@Kelsey your response for question 2 makes complete sense. the author helps break down the "fourth wall" by having his play relate to the audience. It may bring up feelings of happiness or sadness and it helps the audenice better connect with the author and his play. Once you understand that someone can relate to what you may be going through it bonds you together on some level.

1. The temporal structure of the play allows the reader to go through life in "Our Town". It begin with mothers waking up int he morning and making breakfast for their children, and as the sotry goes on the children get married people live and die.

2. He is able to break that wall using the "Narrator" of the play. He asks question directly to the audience, and he acts as a god like figuire throughout the play, and can take on many roles throughout the play. basically meaning the narrator of the play is the bridge that connects the audience to the play.

3. I believe his view of a small town is negative due to the the scene at the grave. How life in a small town is so similar each day and people beileve that they're going to live for a million years, but no people don't and the people at the grave find it sad that living people do not realise.

@Marissa

I agree with you on the "fourth wall." He was trying to connect with the audience.

Ilse wrote: "1.The temporal structure of "Our Town" reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing how people waste their lives doing nothing and then when they die they realize they wasted their lives just ..."

@ Isle: I agree with you, if people just live through life they practically wasted it. But if they enjoy and have fun in their live it was actually worth living for.

@Cole

Hmm, never thought if it being a NEUTRAL view. I seem to agree.

1. The temporal structure in "Our Town" reflects main ideas by showing that a person may go through life not appreciating what they have until it is gone.
2. wilder breaks down the "fourth wall" by relating events that happen in real life.
3. Wilders view of small town life is positive
because he shows that by living in a small town everybody knows everybody, and people don't really realize what they have until it's gone. They do not see the impotant things in life.

@ Andrea:
I agree with you in 3. what matters is life, marriage, and death. Instead of all the arguements, it revolves on the important things.

Question 1: The temporal structure of Our Town reflect and influences the main ideas of the play because the play is divided into 3 parts, each of which represent a different stage in life. (Childhood/Early Life, Marriage/Mid-Life, Death)
In Act 1(Childhood/Early Life), it's starts with Doc Gibbs coming home early in the MORNING from the hosptal, where a child recently was born, and the narrator gives us a tour of small-town life. This all is a representation of birth and early childhood.

Act 2 presents us with the marriage of George and Emily. The wedding takes place during the AFTERNOON, representing mid-life or the marrying stage of life.

In Act 3(Death), Emily dies while giving birth. This represents the later part of life, where you grow old and die. At the end of this act George comes to Emily's grave at NIGHT, the time of day where the day is coming to an end, such as death is when life comes to an end.

However, I noticed that they always had scenes of the milkman delivering the milk in the morning. I think this represents how we never change no matter how much time has past in our lives.

1. The temporal structure of "Our Town" reflects and influences the main ideas of the play by showing how even back then that life was still underappriciated. In the old days values were predominate in their everyday lives, but the author was cleverly showing how even people who valued their family and their morals eventually go through life as a routine and don't see life as a spontaneous expericence in which we are lucky to have.

2. The author included a Stage Manager which really spoke to the audience through out the whole play making it seem as if the play was a conversation rather than a play itself.

3. Thornton Wilder expresses town life in a way that inhibits the reader to feel like no matter what time period we all make the same mistakes regardless of who we are or where we are. I really just seems as though it is neither negative nor positive because he was just being neutral on his comparisions.

Andrea wrote: "1. The temporal structure of "Our Town" reflects and influences the main ideas of the play because one may be able to appreciate life, death, and marriage at a higher level when you realize that yo..."

I agree that it really helped the reader think twice on how he feels about life

Cole wrote: "1. The time structure in "Our Town" shows how life in small from generation to generation doesn't change much.

2.The "fourth wall" is broken when the Stage Manager speaks directly to the audienc..."

I agree that the Stage Manager really did make the wall collapse.

Alexia wrote: "1. The temporal structure of Our Town reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing how people waste their time and lives sitting around doing nothing, and once you die you realize that you jus..."

I thought this was a really good answer and wished I had thought of it.

1:The temporal structure that the author shows in "Our Town" is that life shouldn't be taken for granted. That we should live every day like it is our last and appreciate every second of it no matter what happens to us and just be thankful for living.

2:The author is technically connecting the audience with the play through the narrator that tells us what is going to happen or adds detail to what is going on.

3:His view is positive in my opinion and that we shouldn't take any day for granted and appreciate the world we live in and our lives.

i agree with you on number 1, it does show the way life changes.

Question 2: When some characters in the play are within the audience and ask questions about Grover's Corner, making the audience sort of like their IN the play itself. Another would be when the Stage Manager tells the audience when it is time for intermission, or when he stops the play to interject with some information about the play itself. This makes the audience participate in the experience of a play rather than just sit there and watch it.

1.The temporal structure of "Our Town" influences the main ideas that as the play goes on life passes .The play doesnt change that much though. 2. He breaks it down by talking to the audience and ask them questions sometimes through the play. 3.Positive,I think he shows that people can be good of marriage and death.

I never thought of number 3 that way and it is a really good observation on the story.

1.In the beginning,it tells the story how the characters lived. Later, it shows the characters that miss and regret their past.
2.The stage manager was asking questions and communicating with audience.
3.I think the author is thinking negative mind of the story because later it shows that the character's who were dead is not appropriate to think the past including the happy days.

Tae wrote: "1.In the beginning,it tells the story how the characters lived. Later, it shows the characters that miss and regret their past.
2.The stage manager was asking questions and communicating with audi..."

I agree with your answer to question 2

Cole wrote: "1. The time structure in "Our Town" shows how life in small from generation to generation doesn't change much.

I totally agree about your first question.I was thinking about that too.

2. When the stage manager breaks down the "fourth wall" when he speaks to the audience and asks them questions this helps the audience feel like they are a part of the play and they are waiting to see what happens next.
3. although, some people may think that has a negative attitude i think it's just a neutral feeling because over the time periods the play expresses that we all seem to make the same mistakes.

1.) It influences the idea that we don't enjoy the little things in life. Eventually, when we meet our end, we regret that.

2.) Wilder breaks down the "fourth wall" by relating the play to the audience. The play relates to the audience by reenacting their everyday lives.

3.) Wilder's view is rather negatative toward the ending (the funeral) during Emily's realization towards life. Throughout the beginning of the story Wilder isn't really positive or negative, he's rather neutral.

Alexia wrote: "1. The temporal structure of Our Town reflects on the main ideas of the play by showing how people waste their time and lives sitting around doing nothing, and once you die you realize that you jus..."

I agree about your opinion.I think it is a really good answer.

1. It helps you understand how much their life has change and how they miss the past.
2.The "Fourth wall " gets broken by the characters of the play interacting with the audience.
3.I think the play is shown in a positive way. It shows the nice side of people.

Question 3: He almost views it as neutral. Most authors would use the small-town setting to prove or show corruption or fault in what you would think would be a simple life, which is shown by the well behaved kids, and hardworking parents.
Thornton Wilder shows both sides of the positive and negative points of view on small town life by the reasons I said before and by criticizing the small town during the question and answer session with Mr. Webb. He also mentions Simon, who is an alcoholic which probably represents that badness or corruption can be present in a simple, small town life.

Cole wrote: 3. His view is kind of neutral, he doesn't think it's bad or good, it just is. Life goes on continuosly without changing much.

I agree, although I did present more evidence than you did, Wilder did present a neutral point of view.

1. It helps you understand how their able to appreciate the little things in life.

2.He breaks it down by relating it to the audience

3.negitive beacause he says that they just sit around and do nothing

1.Some ideas,ways, and charcters' life change throughout Our Town, as time advances; however, the main idea basically remains the same throughout the play, that is life as simple as it may be should be appreciated because it can be taken away at any
second. Love is something found around the world and should always be present in a home. this idea remains timeless.
2. By the Stage manager involiving the audience and talking to them throughout the play, the "fourth wall" is broken between the actors and the audience.

3.In my opinion, the play has both negative and positive aspects. The fact that Emily, Wally, Mrs. Gibbs, and may others die so suddenly IS negative, but it is also part of everyday life. The second act on the other hand was pretty positive, as it showed how love evolves between two people, and how they're able to change eachother in goodways. I think Thorton Wilder just meant to open the eyes of people and show them that life is negative and positive.

Anthony wrote: "1. The temporal structure of the story reflects on the main idea by showing us that with time so many things can and will change. People change and feelings change, time brings on unexpected twists..."

I agree that it can go both ways for how Wilder views life. But the events that happen will happen regardless, so i see it as more positive.

Cole wrote: "1. The time structure in "Our Town" shows how life in small from generation to generation doesn't change much.

2.The "fourth wall" is broken when the Stage Manager speaks directly to the audienc..."

I think this breaking of the 4th wall is very smart, and i think the narrator is the barrier of how the wall is broken

1. Time moves at the speed that the author pleases, not at the speed it should. I think this reflects that it's incredibly easy for time to zoom past. Like playing tug-of-war. Slacken your grip for only a second, and you find yourself on the ground, the loser.

2. This "fourt wall" is broken by at least two ways. One is with the Stage Manager. Throughout the story he's used as a medium, connecting the world of "Our Town" and our world. He's able to communicate with the characters and with us, revealing details about their world so that we may better understand it. It's also broken down by the similar events. These are events that are perfectly capable of happening in our world.


3. I believe it's viewed negatively. All these characters have no ambitions or real aspirations. For exaple, near the beginning, all George wants to be is a farmer. Joe Crowell, who was actually a very intelligent person had a long fruitful education. However this was all a waste, he died after enlisting in the army. What use are brains in the army?
A small town life is peaceful enough, but your life has little or no meaning. Days crawl by, you slowly get older, find your partner, settle down, have children and raise them. Before you know it, you're old, gray and dying.
This kind of life is unbearable to me. To have no purpose in life, why, I think that's about as bad as it gets.

1. How does the temporal structure of Our Town reflect and influence the main ideas of the play?
The temporal structure shows that through all the time that passes and all the jumping around, not much in the town is changed. For example, the train that still takes off every morning at 5:45.
2. As little happens in the play in terms of dramatic events, the thematic content of the play and Wilder’s attempt to engage his audience actively take center stage. The success of the play depends on its ability to break down the so-called “fourth wall” between the audience and the actors. How does Wilder break down this barrier between the audience and the action onstage?
Wilder breaks down this wall in two ways. First, the Narrator, who is actually the stage manager and a person from the town, talks to the audience as if they are in the town. He pulls people out from their daily lives and lets them talk to the audience. Second, they stage has very little props, making the audience have to use their imagination to realize that the tables in the beginning are two houses, or that the kids are eating cereal for breakfast.
3. Is Thornton Wilder’s view of small town life positive or negative?
Wilder's view can be both. in a negative way, the people in the town don't do much. Even the town itself has a daily routine that carries throughh the whole play. The town folks want to get out, like Mrs. Webb who desires to go to Paris, but never really do. In a positive way, living in the small town means that everyone knows whats going on in their comunity. Everyone is friends, which is how small towns, even today, are.