I recently finished the play “Our
Town” by Thorton Wilder. The play
is set in the fictional of Grover’s Corners in New Hampshire in the early
1900s. The story follows the Webb
and Gibbs families, more specifically Emily Webb and George Gibbs. The play is narrated by the Stage
Manager, an omniscient narrator who interacts with the characters at some
points. The play is broken into
three acts. The first act is about
the first time George and Emily meet each other as well as including a scene
about an average day in Grover’s Corner’s. Act II is set on the wedding day of George and Emily. Stage
Manager interrupts to show a scene the year before, at a drug store where
George and Emily admit their affection for each other. The third and final act is set on the
hill top cemetery. It the day of
Emily’s funeral, after she dies of childbirth. She joins the Stage Manager, Mrs. Webb and other dead
Grover’s Corners residents.
Despite the advice from the other deceased, Emily requests to revisit
her twelfth birthday and watch herself live it. Emily suddenly realizes how beautiful her life was and how
it was taken for granted.
On page 108 while Emily was
visiting her birthday, Emily asks the Stage Manager, “Do any human beings ever
realize life while they live it? –every, every minute?” to which the Stage
Manager replies, “No. The saints
and poets maybe, --they do some.”
Emily asks Stage Manager to be returned to the other deceased friends
and family members. Emily starts
crying after watching her birthday.
I think she is shocked to see how beautiful her life was and frustrated
with herself for not savoring every moment of it, while she could. I actually saw an off-Broadway
production of “Our Town” when I was in fifth grade. It was performed in a black box theatre, a completely black,
large room, where plays are performed.
Throughout the play, the whole play is black, there are no costumes,
except for black pants and a black shirt, all props are pantomimed, meaning
just acted out (not actually there).
However, in the last scene, the stage manager pulled a curtain,
revealing to Emily and the audience the household of Webb family. It was very realistic, there was a
working stove, where the mother was cooking bacon for breakfast and the
audience can actually smell it and hear it being cooked, you can see the frost
on the windows and all of the characters are in full colorful costumes. When Emily asks to return, the Stage
Manager conceals the house with the curtain again. It was a very beautiful scene, which helped the audience
understand the emotions that Emily was experiencing.
I think that Thorton Wilder was
trying to show the reader or audience that you don’t realize how wonderful
something is until it is taken away from you. Wilder was trying to tell the reader not to take life for
granted. In Grover’s Corners,
everyone just grows up, gets married, has children and then dies. No one really slows to recognize the
beauty of their life. He is trying
to tell you to savor the moments of your life before its too late. You must make the most of the
opportunities that are presented to you because you may not ever be given a
chance to experience them again.
All in all, enjoy your life while you can.
That's a really powerful response! I completely agree with you. I saw the same play in 5th grade, and that scene really impressed me. It really is true, when you think of it, that all the great moments in our life are taken for granted. While we experience them, we don't ususally slow down to think about what is happening, and by the time we do it's too late. I think it's a great piece of advice that Thornton Wilder is trying to give, but it's often hard to stick to it. The truth is that savoring moments is difficult in the constant rush of the 21st century. Everything happens in a whirl and we don't have much time to reflect on things. Maybe someday the world will relax and decelerate, allowing us to enjoy life. Awesome response, and great thinking!
ReplyDeleteI also saw that play, (with you) and I remember the part at the end the most, for how moving it was to see it. All the characters just sitting a tables, until suddenly, you see actually life. I remember hearing birds chirping outside the house, all those little touches we overlook in life. I sorta didn't give that play the best review, being I was only in 5th grade, and the play was pitch black until the end and it ran til 11:00. All in all, great post, great book, great play.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I know me and you had a conversation on death and after death that gave us chills and it really gave a message to me about enjoying every part of my life before I end up a pile of bones. It make me think about how we have no idea if there is an after life and that really scares me. I can't even imagine not being able to think, move, or feel emotions or physical things. Also there is a whole debate on whether heaven or hell exist. In my opinion i would obviously choose to got to heaven but if I had to choose between going to hell and not being able to feel think, or remember I would choose going to hell so I can still remember who I am and still remember what I did in my life.
ReplyDeletei also think that a lot of people take things for granted. i think they take things for granted because they don't think that it will ever be taken away from them. however i don't think that the world can slow down enough so that we can enjoy every minute of our lives.
ReplyDeleteThis response was very thought provoking and powerful. It made me think about people who already have a lot in their lives and always want or "need" more. But then i think about those who barely have enough to eat or don't even have a house, i realize that because they have so little, i wonder how grateful they must be when they are offered the simplest things. For them, a cup of cofee or a couple of peanuts must be considered a gift.
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