Book 82: Acts 3 and 4/Finished.

Well, my students are of two minds about this play. The vast majority of them loved it. I even had one of my female students crying at the end (she also screamed out "why?" and threw her book on the ground in frustration. I can understand that feeling). The smaller group of students absolutely hated it.

We had heated discussions about why those accused of witchcraft in the play didn't just admit it so they could be free. It took awhile for it to sink in as to why characters, like John Proctor, didn't want to sully their names,

"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!"

Proctor's dilemma at the end of the play was a scene we discussed AT length. For so many of my students, they didn't understand why Proctor valued his reputation so much that he would be willing to give up everything to protect it.

To get them to understand, I painted a scenario for them. I told them to imagine that their peers started a nasty vicious rumor about them (I had them decide for themselves what that might mean). They are given a choice: they may continue to proclaim their innocence and therefore protect who they REALLY are, or, they can admit to the fault and forever be remembered as the kid who did such and such.

They wrote about those experiences and those reactions were powerful. For many of them, it finally stuck-that power of reputation. I was happy that they finally understood. And we were finally able to bridge the connection to the McCarthy era, which really helped them "get" why Miller wrote the play in the first place.

They also took a vote and decided that Giles was their favorite character with his saying of "More weight." We had a lengthy discussion about the significance of those two words.

Besides the more emotional aspects of the play, the kids had a lot of fun reading it out loud and taking on parts. We had some good laughs in both hours near the end of Act 3, when the girls "see" a bird and start freaking out. They got really into it, which inevitably led to giggles. :) But it was productive, and I am glad that they were willing to "act" it out as much as possible.

As for myself, I had the opportunity to remember how much I love this play. I found myself getting emotionally invested as well. Of all literature pieces I have taught in my young career, this has been, by far, my favorite unit. The discussions, the insight, and the passion really drew me in.

I feel I should also point out that we did watch the film version after we read it (with Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder). The film obviously takes some liberties with the story, but it closely follows the play. It is definitely worth watching for any of you who are interested.

What did you think of this one if you've read it? If not, what are you waiting for?

Book 82: Acts 1 and 2.

I haven't read this since I was a high school sophomore, so teaching it to MY sophomores is quite the experience. They are getting really into the story and power of the words they are reading out loud (every student is taking turns reading a part out loud, which is really adding to the dramatics of the play).

I made sure that we covered a lot of the historical context before diving in. It helps that the district I work in has aligned the history and english curriculum for sophomores together. The classes follow each other so that the students are building on the knowledge that they are taking from each class between the literature we study, and the era it was written in.

It also helps that I am teaching U.S. History, so I see some of my students twice a day. This has really helped us dive into this play.

The Crucible was written in 1953, in the midst of the McCarthy era, and those ideas are truly prevalent in the play. Suspicion, accusations, and lies plague the characters. The Salem Witch trials make the perfect foil for that era and the kids have been making huge connections between the two.

I am also getting far more out of it than I can remember from my first reading. I am surprised by the intensity of each line, and I am drawn to the other characters more than the main heroes (the character of John Proctor is my students' favorite. They "hate" the villains). Reverand Hale is one that I am insanely interested in. He comes to Salem (in the play), in the first act to diagnose what is wrong with the sick girls. He has a reputation and is there to look at the suggestions of witchcraft, but he begins to change in the second act. I am trying to remember back to the other time I read it, but I am pretty sure he undergoes a large change.

Another character I am enthralled by is Abigail, the ringleader;

"Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!"

So violent, and so vicious. But she is a woman scorned by the man she loves (John Proctor), so it makes watching her more interesting.

The one question the kids continually asked after finishing Act 2 is why the accused don't just admit witchcraft to save their lives. In one of my classes, this erupted into an intense debate about the lengths you would go to in saving your life. Most of the class said they would lie, but we'll see what happens when we finish the play, won't we?

I can't wait to see what they say about the end and that last powerful scene.

Book 82: The Crucible and Book Stats.

Title: The Crucible

Author: Arthur Miller (1915-2005)

First Published/Performed: 1953

My Edition: Penguin (seen at right)

Pages: 143

Other Works Include: All My Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), and A View from the Bridge (1955/1956)

I have already read Miller's Death of a Salesman and reviewed it (it was Book 31), so I am familiar with his work. I read this one back in high school as a sophomore and loved it. Now that I know a little more about the history surrounding the play and McCarthyism, I am hoping to pull more from it as I go.

In addition, I am also teaching this one to my sophomore English students. We're going to be reading it out loud (they each have a part and I am playing the narrator), so it should be a fun experience for all of us. I am looking forward to their reactions to the witchcraft and court proceedings, as well as making connections for them between the McCarthy era (which we just covered in U.S. history) and the proceedings in Salem. It should be enriching and fun! :)

Have you read this one before? What did you think?

Has anyone seen this live-acted? I really want to!

Book 31: Finished.

It was really hard to read a play to myself. Trying to keep characters separate in your head while reading a play is completely different than doing it during a novel. Where you have lots of text in-between certain section of dialogue to help build the characters and add to their depth, you have to infer all of that from dialogue while reading a play. It is incredibly different.

I think it might be a good idea to get the audio CD's for some of these plays. It might make keeping characters apart easier.

With all of that being said, I really liked this play. It was deep, and dark and moving. It was also a great explanation of how the American Dream can not only help us, but hurt us. It is not always attainable, or it never IS what you think it is. I guess you could say that this play can serve as a reality check for those of us who dream so hard that we forget to work.

I really loved how Miller set it up. The play takes place on a simple set (described in the beginning), and the character morph in and out of different sections. It also has flashbacks where the characters simply move to another portion of the stage to simulate the change of time.

Willy Loman is a traveling salesman who believes that by being a likable person, he will be successful in his job. While that works for a small amount of time, it gradually unravels. His life and his way of seeing the world slowly grows outdated as his children grow up and live their lives. His life becomes a reflection of the choices he made in the past, and some of those choices resulted in missed opportunities that could have changed his life forever. The result is a tragedy-the fall of Loman-and the fall of the American Dream. Success and happiness are more than just dreaming and hoping. Success requires work and dedication.

This is definitely something that I would love to see performed and will if I get the chance. Reading is was haunting and eye-opening. I would most certainly recommend this (but listen to it or see it live!).

Book 31: Book Stats.

Title: Death of a Salesman
Author: Arthur Miller (1915-2005)
First Published/Performed: 1949

Awards Won: 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

My Edition: Penguin Plays
Pages: 139

In high school I had to read The Crucible by Miller. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was glad that my teacher made us read it out loud in parts to make it easier to understand. I will be reading The Crucible at a later date.

This is the first non-Shakespearean play that I am taking on so far, so I am hoping it goes well. I find Shakespeare to be easy to read in my head, but I am not so sure about reading more modern plays in the same way. I think I may have to read out loud, especially since this play shifts time periods often.