Chapter 15: Interpreting Literature - Alyve

LESSON 1 ◆ Selecting andPreparing theMaterial 288

LESSON 2 ◆ Developing andPresenting theSelection 293

LESSON 3 ◆ Evaluating theSelection 297

15InterpretingLiterature

◆ cutting◆ feedback◆ introduction

◆ oral interpretation◆ poetry◆ prose

286 ■ Unit 4: Special Topics in Theatre ■

ou hear people reading aloud every day. As you get dressed, you listento your favorite disc jockey reading the list of top ten songs, or perhapsyou listen to the news and weather. When you get to school, the princi-pal reads several announcements, and throughout the day, your teach-ers read all sorts of instructions. Your friends read class assignments aswell as passages from your favorite magazines between classes and atlunch. And at lunch, someone usually reads aloud the menu for the day(“Oh, no! Not barbecued wieners again!”). After school, more radio isheard. And in the evening, you listen to television commentators read-ing news, commercials, and a variety of messages from teleprompters.Enough already! Can you believe that the spoken word has such an im-pact on your life? If we spend this much time hearing the spoken word,then we had better enjoy hearing it, reading it, and understanding it.This chapter is designed for all three pleasures.

is the skill of reading aloud to convey an au-thor’s message to an audience. This skill isn’t acquired easily. Muchtime is needed to develop effective techniques for reading aloud, buteventually the written word comes “alive” when presented orally to anaudience.

As you read aloud and interpret literature, you are reading someoneelse’s words. Your goal is to get the writer’s meaning across to an audi-ence. To do this successfully, you must fully understand what you arereading. Time and research are essential in this process. You also needto answer the following questions:

1. How do you select material to read?2. How do you prepare the material?3. How do you present the material?4. How do you evaluate the material?

Oral interpretation

■ CHAPTER 15: Interpreting Literature ■ 287

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The oral interpretation skills thatyou develop in this chapter mightsomeday help you succeed in abroadcasting career in either radioor television.

the skill of reading aloud toconvey an author’s message toan audience.

oral interpretation

Literature has much beauty and charm when interpreted by skilledoral readers. This chapter will offer you the fundamentals for enjoyingand interpreting different types of literature. The three types of litera-ture you will use for oral interpretations are poetry, prose, and drama.

is literature written in verse form, often in rhythmic pat-terns and in rhyme. To create rhythm and rhyme, poets use differentkinds of sentences from those you typically read or speak. The wordorder may be unusual. Poetry is challenging to read and understand,but it is usually an audience pleaser.

is a composition written without patterns of rhyme or rhythm.When you read and study fiction and nonfiction literature in languagearts class, you are working with prose. A special feature of prose is point of view—the narrator or voice that tells the story. It is your re-sponsibility to determine if the story is told from the point of view ofthe protagonist (the major character), a minor character, or an objec-tive observer—a narrator who is not a character but who knows every-thing that is happening in the story. Good sources of prose are novels,short stories, and histories.

Drama, the third type of literature, is a composition written in theform of dialogue. As a source for oral interpretation, it can be a shortplay, a long play that has been “cut,” or a scene from a play. Two spe-cial features you must confront in interpreting drama are charactersand their stage directions.

The skills you will need to use in oral reading or oral interpretationwill depend on the type of literature you choose. How you make yourspecific selection is one of the topics of Lesson 1.

Selecting and Preparing theMaterial

LESSON OBJECTIVES

◆ Understand how to select literature forinterpretation.

◆ Identify resources for locating selections forinterpretation.

◆ Understand and analyze a selection forinterpretation.

◆ Cut a selection for interpretation.◆ Mark a selection for interpretation.◆ Write an introduction for a selection.

Selecting the Material

Selecting material for oral interpretation may be your most diffi-cult task. Don’t make the mistake of letting your teacher or someoneelse select material for you. Whichever assignment you have—poetry,

Prose

Poetry


1

literature written in verse form,often in rhythmic patterns andin rhyme.

a composition written withoutpatterns of rhyme or rhythm.

prose

poetry

prose, or drama—find a selection that you like. You need to chooseyour own material. This is the only way to reach your true potential inoral interpretation.

There are many places you can find selections for interpretation. Li-braries contain thousands of books from which to make a selection.But don’t go to the library and expect to find your selection in 30 min-utes. It takes time, time, and more time. Don’t try to read every line orevery sentence when you pull books from the shelves. If the selectionappeals to you, then think about it and save it, but continue looking,giving yourself time to consider other selections.

Your teacher may have a file of selections and may suggest a particu-lar piece to you. But don’t take just any selection. And don’t forgetabout selections that you find in your own home, in relatives’ homes,or at a friend’s home. Make sure that the piece satisfies you and suitsyou—your personality and background. Your own personal experi-ences should help you understand and enjoy the selection.

Above all, your selection needs to have literary value; it needs to beworth presenting. A selection that has literary merit is well written andexpressed in a way that helps the reader gain a deeper understandingof the human condition. Literature that has merit is likely to have uni-versal appeal and teach lasting lessons of life. Examples of selectionswith literary value are the poem “Macavity, The Mystery Cat,” by T. S.Eliot, the prose selections “The Bremen Town Musicians,” by the Broth-ers Grimm, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, and thedrama The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.These selections have been read by millions of people over the yearsand contain the elements of literature that make them favorites. If youstart out with a selection worth sharing, you will have more success withyour interpretation and your audience will enjoy your presentation.

Select material appropriate for the audience as well as the occasion.Is it for a class assignment, for a contest, for an assembly, or for a festi-


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Put some effort into choosing aselection for oral interpretation.Find a piece of literature that hasmeaning for you personally.

Bring to class a favoritecomic strip. Choose one

that you enjoy, that reflects yourpersonality, or that has amessage that interests you.Read the comic strip withexpression as you share it withother classmates. Be prepared toanswer these questions: Whydid you choose this particularcomic strip? What is themessage in the comic strip?How does the comic strip reflectyour personality? How does this comic strip help youunderstand yourself or others?

val? After all this consideration, you are ready to start preparing thematerial you have selected.

Preparing the Material

After you have made a selection, you need to make a personal copyor several copies of the poem, prose, or drama. Before you start prac-ticing aloud, you need to understand and analyze the selection. To analyze means to study something, often by breaking it into parts. Youmust study every part of your selection to fully understand it. Under-standing the meaning will help you appreciate the selection and helpyou read it more effectively. Read your selection silently many times toget familiar with it. Then answer the following questions:

1. What words do you need to check for meaning and pronunciation?2. Who (point of view) is speaking in this selection? Who is the

audience?3. How well are the characters developed in the selection?4. How effective is the language (descriptive words or dialogue, for

example) in the selection?5. What are the plot elements (introduction/setting, body, climax,

and conclusion)? How well is this selection organized?6. What is the author’s mood in the selection?7. What is the selection’s theme (life, death, love, war, and so on)?8. What is the author’s message in this selection?9. How does this selection affect you and relate to your background?

10. In your opinion, does this selection have literary merit? Why?

If you want a satisfying experience interpreting a piece of literature,you must answer these questions before you start practicing aloud.

Another important skill is the cutting of material if you have select-ed a long poem, prose composition, or drama to interpret. Cutting


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Analyzing your selection is not asdifficult as it might sound. It doesinvolve time, however, since thebest way to analyze a piece is toread it over and over until youbegin to feel that you knowexactly what the author intendedwith every sentence and everyword.

reducing or condensingmaterial for oral interpretation.

cutting

material means reducing or condensing it so that you can performyour interpretation within a certain time limit. Be careful when youomit words, sentences, and paragraphs. Do not cut major points, char-acters, or events from the selection.

The process of cutting will take time and many rereadings. It is im-portant that the final selection retain its value and flow (read easily)when read aloud. Use these guidelines to help “cut” your material:

1. Choose a portion or scene from the selection that will have themost impact on an audience, or choose your favorite part. Find theparts you selected and highlight the amount needed to meet thetime limit. You will need to allow a minute for an introduction (tobe discussed later).

2. Omit names in the material when they are repeated often in linessuch as “Carol said” and “Mark asked.”

3. In cutting drama selections, eliminate stage directions and anyother lines that are too detailed in explanation.

4. Focus on the protagonist and other major characters when select-ing lines from the material.

5. Reread the finished product several times before making a copy foryour presentation. Continue to cut portions that are not necessaryto the meaning of the selection.

After you have cut your selection, put your copy (typed and doublespaced or printed from the computer) into a 7- or 10-inch blackbinder notebook. If you are small in size, use the smaller notebook.You may need to cut the size of the copy to fit the notebook if you areusing the smaller notebook. After many practices and presentations,the holes in the typed copy tend to wear out, so it is a good idea tokeep reinforcements on hand.

With different-colored pens, mark your selection for key points toremember before you practice the selection. Underline words youwant to emphasize, mark pronunciations you have trouble with, markplaces to pause (an extremely useful technique for producing a specialeffect with your voice), and mark places where you want to use specialfacial expressions or movements of your head and upper body. If thereis more than one character in the selection, you might mark eachvoice with a different-colored highlighter pen. (See Figure 15–1.)

No two people mark a selection in the same way. Only you will knowwhat each mark means. The selection must become your special pos-session. But the final product becomes a gift for others when preparedproperly and read skillfully after the many hours of preparation.

You will also need to prepare an , information that yougive your audience at the beginning of the presentation to help the au-dience understand the selection. The information might include thetitle of the selection, the author’s name and background, why youchose the selection, what is happening in the selection (including anyhelpful information about the setting, characters, or plot), and howthe selection may relate to the audience’s life. The introductionshould set the stage for the audience, mentally warm them up, andhelp them feel comfortable as you do your interpretation.

introduction


Aword fitly spoken is likeapples of gold in pictures

of silver.

Proverbs 25:11

information that an interpretergives to the audience at thebeginning of the presentationto help the audienceunderstand the selection.

introduction

The introduction will be more effective if you memorize it and keepit under a minute in length. The introduction is usually included inthe time limit of a selection. For extra confidence, you might type theintroduction and secure it to the outside or inside of your notebook—to glance at before you begin.

The following is an introduction written by Shelley Moore, a theatrearts student who chose to interpret the poem “The Scorpion,” byRoald Dahl:

Roald Dahl, a popular author of children’s books and poems, creates wonderful im-ages in his readers’ minds. He also uses humor to delight his audiences as they read orlisten to his work. Enjoy his poem “The Scorpion” I have chosen to read. (short pause)“The Scorpion,” by Roald Dahl.

You are now ready to practice reading aloud and to develop deliverytechniques for oral interpretation.

1. Scavenger Hunt for Oral Interpretation Selections. Go to the li-brary and find three poetry, three prose, and three drama selections youwould use for oral interpretation. Make a list of the titles and authors inyour notebook. Look in your home for poetry, prose, and drama selec-tions. Make a list of any you find that would be worthwhile selections forinterpretation.


Figure 15–1■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Marking Your Selection.

2. Why Those Selections? Explain why you chose the selections in ex-ercise 1.

3. Analyzing the Selection. Choose one of the selections you found inexercise 1 and analyze it by answering the ten analysis questions givenon page 290.

4. Cutting Poetry. Cut a long poem to fit a time limit of 4 minutes.Examples you might use: “The Highwayman,” by Alfred Noyes; “PaulRevere’s Ride,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; “The Cremation ofSam McGee,” by Robert W. Service.

5. Cutting Prose. Cut a prose selection to fit a time limit of 5 minutes. Titles you might use: “Jack and the Beanstalk”; “Alice’s Adventures inWonderland,” by Lewis Carroll; “The Waltz,” by Dorothy Parker; “The Se-cret Life of Walter Mitty,” by James Thurber; The True Story of the ThreePigs, by Jon Scieszka.

6. Cutting Drama. Cut a drama scene to fit a time limit of 6 or 7 minutes.Dramatic literature you might use: The Diary of Anne Frank; You’re aGood Man Charlie Brown, by Clark Gesner; A Raisin in the Sun, by Lor-raine Hansberry; The Odd Couple, by Neil Simon; J.B., by ArchibaldMacLeish; I Never Saw Another Butterfly, by Celeste Raspanti; Juvie, byJerome McDonough; A Doctor in Spite of Himself, by Molière.

7. Selecting and Preparing Your Presentation. Select a poem,prose, or drama selection to present in an activity for the next lesson.Take the necessary steps to prepare this selection: Select; type or usethe computer for a printed copy; analyze the selection; cut if necessary;hole-punch the selection and put it into a binder; mark the selection; andwrite an introduction.

Developing and Presentingthe Selection

LESSON OBJECTIVES

◆ Develop delivery techniques for oralinterpretation.

◆ Present literature for interpretation.◆ Demonstrate verbal versatility and vocal

expressiveness in the development of a variety ofcharacterizations.

Developing the Selection

To practice properly and develop effective delivery techniques,you should read your selection over and over in front of a mirror, to


2

In your journal describe oneof your teacher’s delivery

techniques when he/she reads tothe class. Comment on theeffectiveness of the teacher’svoice and facial expression.

another classmate, to your teacher, or to the whole class. Your deliverytechniques should include eye contact, effective use of the voice ele-ments, effective characterization, character placement, and the rightattitude.

Your eyes are powerful tools in oral interpretation. Look at your au-dience when you present your selection. If you have practiced suffi-ciently, you will be able to look up often during your presentation. Butremember that this is not a memorized activity. You must use yourscript and notebook skillfully as part of your delivery.

Effective voice elements and characterization can be achieved withmany of the lessons you have had in this book. Instead of portrayingthe characters through stage movements, you will present the charac-ters through effective voice elements, facial expressions, and reactionsand movements of your head and upper body. For example, to placeemphasis on a line, you might lean forward when you read the line. Oryou might shrug your shoulders or tilt your head for special effect.Each upper body movement comes from practice and from feelingconfident about how the movement fits the material and the author’smessage.

Character placement means looking at a different location each timeyou use a different voice for the characters in the selection. This helpsyou and the audience establish the different characters while you areinterpreting. The major characters are placed visually in the center ofwhere you stand while the minor characters are placed to the left andright of the major characters. Keep these positions the same through-out the interpretation or you and the audience will get confused.

The right attitude in oral interpretation refers to the attitude con-veyed by your overall performance. Do you have a real passion to inter-pret your selection, or do you think of it as only another assignment?Your attitude is clear to the audience from the moment you approachand utter the first word to the moment you utter the last word andwalk out. The right attitude shows that you are a caring and positiveperson—one who genuinely enjoys interpreting literature.

When you practice in front of others, always ask for —comments and opinions on how well you read. Ask your listeners totell you the strengths and weaknesses of your interpretation. They cantell you if you used effective techniques while you were reading.

Practice your selection aloud over and over. The amount of time ittakes to get ready for a presentation depends on the individual and onthe intensity and dedication used in applying effective delivery tech-niques. The presentation is your reward for all the hard work.

Presenting the Selection

Here are the important points to remember as you present your se-lection to an audience.

1. Notebook. Hold your notebook at a comfortable height. It shouldn’tbe so high that it covers your face, and it shouldn’t be so low that itmakes you look down too far to read. Hold the notebook with bothhands, one supporting the back of the binder and the other sup-

feedback


constructive comments or opinions.

feedback

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This television newscaster uses heroral interpretation skills every nightas she reads news stories thatrange from the natural disastersthat evoke great sadness, tohuman interest stories that areheartwarming and amusing.


Wars and other major social and political con-flicts have always had a direct impact upon the-

atrical form and content. The arts reflect howhumans feel and think about themselves in relationto other forces in the universe. If we look at the the-atrical developments that took place right afterWorld War II, we can find examples of a new theatri-cal form and content being shaped in reaction tothe seemingly senseless waste of life that had justshaken most of the globe. This new form of theatreis known as theater of the absurd.

Because each of the absurdist playwrights wroteand produced plays in vastly different ways, theaterof the absurd cannot be called a unified movementor style. There are, however, some basic philosophi-cal beliefs. The absurdist playwrights shared the no-tion that much of what happens in life cannot beexplained logically, no matter how hard humansmay try to do so. To the absurdists, life is ridiculousand absurd and cannot ever be predicted. They be-lieved that there was no logical connection betweencauses and effects, and therefore, human life is futileand pointless. This lack of logic and perceived absurdityto the order of the universe was reflected in both thecontent of the absurdists’ plays and the theatrical ele-ments they selected for use on their stages.

To reinforce their basic philosophy, absurdistscreated plays that use what appears to be illogicaldramatic techniques. Plots do not move from causeto effect as they do in realistic plays. None of the tra-ditional rules about the theatre apply! There are fewfacts about the past included in the first scenes ofthe play, and by the end of the play the characterswill likely have traveled full circle, so that the audi-ence leaves the theatre with the characters in exactlythe same mental and physical states that they were inwhen the play began.

The stage settings created for absurdist produc-tions vary from elaborate scenery to the use of anearly empty space. Often the set pieces do not indi-cate any particular place but instead seem to createthe feeling that the characters are hanging in limbo,unable to change their situations. The characterswho exist in these absurd places engage in dialogue

that sounds like our usual language, but the charac-ters still seem unable to communicate with eachother.

One of the most widely produced absurdist play-wrights is Samuel Beckett, who wrote Waiting forGodot in 1953. This play is believed by scholars to bethe classic example of absurdism. The characters,who in many ways seem like clowns, wait at the road-side for Godot, a character about whom the audi-ence knows nothing, to arrive. They wait by the tree,talking about things that seem to add up to nothing,and they do little but wait. At the end of the playGodot has never come and the characters are just asthey were at the beginning of the play. The play im-plies that humans spend their lives waiting, unableto change their existence. It also implies that we sel-dom know what it is that we are even waiting for! Be-cause of this helpless mood, absurdism is thought bysome people to be the most pessimistic form ofdrama ever created.

Other influential absurdist playwrights are EugeneIonesco, Jean Genet, and Arthur Adamov. Ionesco’sThe Bald Soprano, Genet’s The Balcony, and Adamov’sParody are examples of absurdist drama. All of theseplays were written in the early 1950s. ■

Theater of the Absurd

The setting of Waiting for Godot is a country roadsidedistinguished only by the presence of a tree. How does thesetting shown here contribute to the themes commonlypresented in absurdist plays?


porting the front of the binder. The notebook must feel comfort-able in your hands.

2. Posture. Stand with proper but relaxed posture. Stand with your feeta few inches apart or with one foot in front of the other for balance.You need to stand properly yet feel comfortable when presentingyour selection, able to move your upper body easily and naturally.Your body should communicate that you are eager for the audienceto hear you. Holding your notebook properly and standing withcorrect posture tell the listener that you have confidence and thatyou are the best reader that they will hear.

3. Facial Expression. Your facial expressions are one of the keys to a suc-cessful interpretation and presentation. Facial expressions can helpget the author’s message across to the audience. Use your eyes andchange your facial expression to emphasize important words andlines. Opening your eyes wide, raising an eyebrow, winking, andpouting your lips are just a few expressions you might use. Your fa-cial expressions depend on the selection and the author’s intendedmeaning.

4. Voice. In Chapter 5, you studied all the elements for an effectivevoice: breathing, relaxation, quality, pitch, flexibility, articulation,pronunciation, rate, volume, and projection. Use these voice ele-ments to help you portray characters, give emphasis and meaningto words, and create variety, interest, and suspense. Take a risk.Don’t be afraid to experiment with different voices to make the se-lection more interesting for the audience. Do what it takes to getthe author’s message across to the audience. It is important for theaudience to understand the selection.

5. Pauses. Pauses greatly affect you and your audience. Use a pause be-fore you give your introduction and again after you have read thelast word of your introduction. This will give you and your audiencetime to adjust and get mentally ready. At the end of the selection,close your notebook and pause. This effect will give the audience

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This student has practiced and isexhibiting proper technique fororal interpretation.


time to think and will give you a moment for reflecting or relief.6. Appearance and Attire. Just as makeup and costume are important to

the actor, your appearance and clothes play an important part inyour presentation in oral interpretation. This does not mean thatyou need to buy new clothes for a presentation, but it does meanthat you need to look groomed and appropriately dressed for theoccasion.

The presentation skills covered in this lesson are essential for oralinterpretation, but they can also make a difference in your future—forexample, when you apply for a job. In fact, these skills will help you ex-press yourself effectively in all situations. Moreover, developing oralreading skills will increase your overall confidence.

Make your selection different. Make it stand out from all the others.If you take this challenge, you will discover what fun oral reading canbe and what joy you and your listeners can have.

1. Oral Interpretation Presentation. Present one of the literary selec-tions you have found, or choose one of the selections given at the end ofthis chapter. Prepare the selection by using all the necessary steps.

2. Oral Interpretation Festival or Contest. Attend a festival or con-test that has oral interpretation as an event. Present your selection at thefestival or contest.

3. Reading Orally for Children. Present your oral interpretation to anelementary school class.

4. Saturday Morning Oral Interpretation. Organize a SaturdayMorning Oral Interpretation Program in your library for young childrenand their parents.

Evaluating the SelectionLESSON OBJECTIVES

◆ Evaluate yourself in oral interpretation.◆ Evaluate oral interpreters.◆ Identify oral interpretation techniques that need

improvement.

To improve your oral interpretation skills, you must constantlyevaluate (judge) your own performance as well as the performances ofothers. You will also want other interpreters or judges to evaluate yourperformance. The questions listed in the evaluation ballot are often

3

Interpretation is the art ofcommunicating to an

audience a work of literary artin its intellectual, emotional,and aesthetic entirety.

Charlotte Lee

In your journal, list theaspects of oral interpretation

you hope to improve in today’srehearsal.


used in judging oral interpretation presentations. You will find themuseful in evaluating yourself and others.

These evaluation questions are valuable for you and your listenerswhen you are rehearsing and presenting your oral presentation. Askyour teacher or a classmate to videotape or audiotape your presenta-tion. Ask your teacher, classmates, friends, and relatives to listen to youand comment on your reading to help you improve. These evaluationsand the feedback you receive will contribute to your success, whereveryou perform.

Evaluation Ballot for Oral Interpretation

Title of selection: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Author of selection: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Length of presentation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Be specific with your answers to the following questions:

1. What did the speaker include in the introduction? How did it ef-fectively set the stage? Was it memorized? Did the speaker use aconversational tone, or was the speaker’s voice monotone?

2. Was the selection appropriate for the reader and audience? Wasthe selection too easy or too difficult for the speaker?

3. Did the speaker understand the selection? How could you tell?Was the mood set by the speaker? What was the mood? What wasthe theme?

4. How well did the speaker develop the characters in the selection?Did the speaker use effective character placement?

5. If the selection was a cutting of a poem, prose composition, ordrama, did the selection retain the author’s message? Did the se-lection flow from line to line?

6. How effective was the speaker’s eye contact? Did the speaker useeffective facial expressions to interpret the selection? Were theretoo many? Too few?

7. How effective was the speaker’s voice quality? Pitch? Inflection?Rate? Volume? Articulation? Pronunciation? Projection? What arethe strengths of the speaker’s voice? What are the weaknesses ofthe speaker’s voice?

8. Did the speaker change and develop voices for different charac-ters? Which character’s voice was effective? Which character’svoice needs more practice? How successful was the reader’s charac-ter placement?

9. Did the speaker use an accent? How effective was the accent?10. Were the speaker’s posture and body movements appropriate?

How well did the speaker handle the notebook and script?11. Did the speaker pause at the end of the presentation? Could you

tell if the speaker enjoyed what he or she read? What was thespeaker’s general attitude toward the interpretation?

12. Was the selection appropriate for the time limit? What was thetime length?

13. Do you think that the performer communicated the author’s mean-ing to the audience? Why or why not?

1. Videotape Feedback. Videotape one of your oral interpretationperformances, and evaluate yourself using the evaluation ballot in thislesson.

2. Partner Feedback. Working with a partner, evaluate each other after presenting a poem, prose, or drama selection in one of your assignments.

3. Adult Feedback. Ask a teacher, principal, or other adult to listen toone of your oral interpretations and make comments that would help youimprove. Give this person the evaluation ballot and explain that the crite-ria on the ballot are what an oral interpretation judge would use.

4. Reading for Language Arts Class. Ask your language arts teacherif you could present your selection in the language arts class for extracredit. Ask if the class could give you feedback.

Poetry, Prose, and Drama Selections

The next few pages contain selections of poetry, prose, and dramathat you can use in your performances. The material selected consistsof samples of literature that theatre arts students have read at contestsand class activities. The selections were chosen by the students. Re-member, an enjoyable and successful experience in oral reading andoral interpretation can only occur if you choose the selection that bestsuits you and your audience.

Poetry Selections

A theatre arts student selected the following poems because theyhad humor and dialogue. The audiences for whom she read were de-lighted every time she read for them. She used a British accent for aspecial interpretive style. The approximate time for reading the firstselection with an introduction is 3 minutes.

The Dentist and the Crocodile

The crocodile, with cunning smile, sat in the dentist’s chair.He said, “Right here and everywhere my teeth requirerepair.”The dentist’s face was turning white. He quivered, quaked,and shook.He muttered, “I suppose I’m going to have to take a look.”“I want you”, Crocodile declared, “to do the back ones first.The molars at the very back are easily the worst.”He opened wide his massive jaws. It was a fearsome sight—


At least three hundred pointed teeth, all sharp and shiningwhite.The dentist kept himself well clear. He stood two yards away.He chose the longest probe he had to search out the decay.“I said to do the back ones first!” the Crocodile called out.“You’re much too far away, dear sir, to see what you’reabout.To do the back ones properly you’ve got to put your headDeep down inside my great big mouth,” the grinning Crocky said.The poor old dentist wrung his hands and, weeping in despair,He cried, “No no! I see them all extremely well from here!”Just then, in burst a lady, in her hands a gold chain.She cried, “Oh Croc, you naughty boy, you’re playing tricksagain!”“Watch out!” the dentist shrieked and started climbing up the wall.“He’s after me! He’s after you! He’s going to eat us all!”“Don’t be a twit,” the lady said, and flashed a gorgeous smile.“He’s harmless. He’s my little pet, my lovely crocodile.”

Roald Dahl, from Rhyme Stew (Viking)

Here is another poetry selection for your interpretation.

“GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY?”

She stood at the bar of justice,A creature wan and wild,In form too small for a woman,In feature too old for a child.For a look so worn and patheticWas stamped on her pale young face,It seemed long years of sufferingMust have left that silent trace.

“Your name,” said the judge, as he eyed her,With kindly look, yet keen,“Is—” “Mary Maguire, if you please, sir.”“And your age?” “I am turned fifteen.”“Well, Mary,”—and then from a paperHe slowly and gravely read—“You are charged here—I am sorry to say it—With stealing three loaves of bread.

“You look not like an old offender,And I hope that you can showThe charge to be false. Now, tell me,Are you guilty of this, or no?”A passionate burst of weepingWas at first her sole reply;But she dried her tears in a moment,And looked in the judge’s eye.

“I will tell you just how it was, sir:My father and mother are dead,


And my little brothers and sistersWere hungry, and asked me for bread.At first I earned it for them,By working hard all day,But somehow the times were hard, sir,And the work all fell away.

“I could get no more employment;The weather was bitter cold;The young ones cried and shivered(Little Johnnie’s but four years old);So what was I to do, sir?I am guilty, but do not condemn;I took—O! was it stealing?—The bread to give to them.”

Every man in the courtroom—Graybeard and thoughtless youth—Knew, as he looked upon her,That the prisoner spoke the truth.Out from their pockets came kerchiefs,Out from their eyes sprung tears,And out from old, faded walletsTreasures hoarded for years.

The judge’s face was a study,The strangest you ever saw,As he cleared his throat and murmuredSomething about the law.For one so learned in such matters,So wise in dealing with men,He seemed, on a simple question,Sorely puzzled just then.

No one blamed him, or wonderedWhen at last these words they heard.“The sentence of this young prisonerIs for the present deferred.”And no one blamed him or wonderedWhen he went to her and smiled,And tenderly led from the courtroom,Himself, the “guilty” child!

UNKNOWN

Prose Selections

The following prose selection was chosen because of its variety ofcharacters and the opportunity to change voices creatively. It will takeapproximately 8 to 10 minutes to orally present this selection, includ-ing an introduction.

PRISCILLA AND THE WIMPS

by Richard Peck

Listen, there was a time when you couldn’t even go to therest room around this school without a pass. And I’m not


talking about those little pink tickets made out by someteacher. I’m talking about a pass that could cost anywhere upto a buck, sold by Monk Klutter.

Not that Mighty Monk ever touched money, not in public.The gang he ran, which ran the school for him, was hiscollection agency. They were Klutter’s Kobras, a name spelledout in nailheads on six well-known black plasticwindbreakers.

Monk’s threads were more . . . subtle. A pile-lined suedebattle jacket with lizard-skin flaps over tailored Levis and apair of ostrich-skin boots, brassed-toed and suitable forkicking people around. One of his Kobras did nothing all daybut walk a half step behind Monk, carrying a fitted bag withMonk’s gym shoes, a roll of rest-room passes, a cashbox, anda switchblade that Monk gave himself manicures with atlunch over at the Kobras’ table.

Speaking of lunch, there were a few cases of advancedmalnutrition among the newer kids. The ones who were a littleslow in handing over a cut of their lunch money and weretherefore barred from the cafeteria. Monk ran a tight ship.

I admit it. I’m five foot five, and when the Kobras slitheredby, with or without Monk, I shrank. And I admit this, too: Ipaid up on a regular basis. And I might add: so would you.

This school was old Monk’s Garden of Eden. Unfortunatelyfor him, there was a serpent in it. The reason Monk didn’trecognize trouble when it was staring him in the face is thatthe serpent in the Kobras’ Eden was a girl.

Practically every guy in school could show you his scars.Fang marks from Kobras, you might say. And they were allhighly visible in the shower room: lumps, lacerations, bluebruises, you name it. But girls usually got off with a warning.

Except there was this one girl named Priscilla Roseberry.Picture a girl named Priscilla Roseberry, and you’ll be lightyears off. Priscilla was, hands down, the largest student inour particular institution of learning. I’m not talking fat. I’mtalking big. Even beautiful, in a bionic way. Priscilla wasn’tinclined toward organized crime. Otherwise, she could haveput together a gang that would turn Klutter’s Kobras intogarter snakes.

Priscilla was basically a loner except she had one friend. Alittle guy named Melvin Detweiler. You talk about The OddCouple. Melvin’s one of the smallest guys above midget statusever seen. A really nice guy, but, you know—little. They evenhad lockers next to each other, in the same bank as mine. Idon’t know what they had going. I’m not saying this was aromance. After all, people deserve their privacy.

Priscilla was sort of above everything, if you’ll pardon apun. And very calm, as only the very big can be. If there wasanybody who didn’t notice Klutter’s Kobras, it was Priscilla.

Until one winter day after school when we were allgrabbing our coats out of our lockers. And hurrying, sinceKlutter’s Kobras made sweeps of the halls for after-schoolshakedowns.

Anyway, up to Melvin’s locker swaggers one of the Kobras.Never mind his name. Gang members don’t need names.They’ve got group identity. He reaches down and grabs littleMelvin by the neck and slams his head against his lockerdoor. The sound of skull against steel rippled all the waydown the locker row, speeding the crowds on their way.



“Okay, let’s see your pass,” snarls the Kobra.“A pass for what this time?” Melvin asks, probably still

dazed.“Let’s call it a pass for very short people,” says the Kobra,

“a dwarf tax.” He wheezes a little Kobra chuckle at his ownwittiness. And already he’s reaching for Melvin’s wallet withthe hand that isn’t circling Melvin’s windpipe. All this timeMelvin and the Kobra are standing in Priscilla’s big shadow.

She’s taking her time shoving her books into her lockerand pulling on a very large-size coat. Then, quicker than theeye, she brings the side of her enormous hand down in a chopthat breaks the Kobra’s hold on Melvin’s throat. You couldhear a pin drop in that hallway. Nobody’d ever laid a fingeron a Kobra, let alone a hand the size of Priscilla’s.

Then Priscilla, who hardly ever says anything to anybodyexcept to Melvin, says, “Who’s your leader, wimp?”

This practically blows the Kobra away. First he’s choppedby a girl, and now she’s acting like she doesn’t know MonkKlutter, the Head Honcho of the World. He’s so amazed, hetells her. “Monk Klutter.”

“Never heard of him,” Priscilla mentions. “Send him to seeme.” The Kobra just backs away from her like the wholesituation is too big for him, which it is.

Pretty soon Monk himself slides up. He jerks his head once,and his Kobras slither off down the hall. He’s going to handlethis interesting case personally. “Who is it around heredoesn’t know Monk Klutter?”

He’s standing inches from Priscilla, but since he’d have tolook up at her, he doesn’t. “Never heard of him,” she says.

Monk’s not happy with this answer, but by now he’sspotted Melvin, who’s grown smaller in spite of himself.Monk breaks his own rule by reaching for Melvin with hisown hands. “Kid,” he says, “you’re going to have to educateyour girl friend.”

His hands never quite make it to Melvin. In a move of purepoetry Priscilla has Monk in a hammerlock. His neck’spopping like gunfire, and his head’s bowed under theimmense weight of her forearm. His suede jacket’s peelingback, showing pile.

Priscilla’s behind him in another easy motion. And with asingle mighty thrust forward, frog-marches Monk into herown locker. It’s incredible. His ostrich-skin boots click once inthe air. And suddenly he’s gone, neatly wedged into thelocker, a perfect fit. Priscilla bangs the door shut, twirls thelock, and strolls out of school. Melvin goes with her, ofcourse, trotting along below her shoulder.

Well, this is where fate, an even bigger force than Priscilla,steps in. It snows all that night, a blizzard. The whole townices up. And school closes for a week.

Following is another prose selection for oral interpretation.

HUMPTY DUMPTY IN THE FOOD STORE

By University Interscholastic League, 1986

Humpty Dumpty, the big, big, jumbo egg — proud of hismarvelous appearance and neat outfit — stepped into the

grocery store. Humpty Dumpty thought that he wouldsurprise everyone in the store. He was very sure that all thecustomers would remember his grandfather, the famousHumpty Dumpty who “HAD A GREAT FALL” from the wall.And now these people would be so pleased to see the grandsonof Humpty Dumpty, safe and sound in the grocery store.

Humpty Dumpty had carefully dressed up in a matchingoutfit to impress everyone who looked at him. He wore a cleanwhite shirt with a beautiful black-and-white bow tie, red andwhite striped pants tied below his knees like knickers, a pairof red knee socks, and shiny black shoes with silver buckles.

It was a Saturday afternoon and the food store was verycrowded. As customers were passing back and forth with theirshopping carts, they stared at the shelves looking for theirfavorite foods. As a matter-of-fact, no one noticed that HumptyDumpty was in the store. This disappointed Humpty Dumptyvery much and so he frowned sadly. He began walking verycarefully under the edges of the shelves, hoping that he wouldnot be run over by the customers and their shopping carts.Humpty Dumpty was beginning to wonder if perhapsWALKING IN A GROCERY STORE could be as dangerous asSITTING ON A WALL had been for his grandfather.

Suddenly, Humpty Dumpty found himself in front of theEGG SHELVES. He saw dozens and dozens of egg cartons witheggs inside them, so quiet and calm and lying beside eachother. “They must be waiting for customers to pick them upand buy them,” mumbled Humpty Dumpty. “What a pity.”

Then, Humpty Dumpty had a bright idea. “Cheer upeverybody, here is the ‘Humpty Dumpty’,” he cried. “Wake up!Move! I don’t want to see my generation of eggs so still andquiet. Let’s have fun, let’s all sing the ‘Humpty Dumpty’ song!Come on everybody, cheer up! Here I am, the HumptyDumpty grandson, the hero of your generation!”

Hearing Humpty Dumpty’s voice, the eggs got excited andbegan to open their egg carton lids to see what was going on.As they looked out, their eyes popped open with glee and theybegan to call out: “What a surprise! Humpty Dumpty is here.The biggest and most charming egg—our egg hero!” All of theeggs clapped their hands and cheered.

The medium grade eggs started singing Humpty Dumpty’ssong, which their mothers had taught them when they werelittle eggs. The grade “A” large eggs were so excited to seeHumpty Dumpty, the charming egg in his fancy outfit, thatthey asked Humpty Dumpty if they could have their picturetaken with him. Humpty Dumpty was more than happy toaccept their request. So he climbed up to their shelf and SATon the very TOP between all the jumbo eggs. Then, one of thejumbo eggs called the store manager to bring his camera andsnap a souvenir picture of Humpty Dumpty in their GROCERYSTORE. The store manager was so surprised; he couldremember when he was a kindergarten student and heard thetale of Humpty Dumpty, the grandfather egg who sat on thewall and had a great fall and all the king’s horses and all theking’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again. “It is ourpleasure to have you visit our store because we rememberyour famous grandfather who took such a big risk sitting onthat big wall,” said the store manager.


“You know, sir,” began Humpty Dumpty. “Big eggs likegrandfather Humpty, who are loved by the people, should sitin high places so that they can be seen and admired—peopleenjoy watching important eggs! But sadly, my grandfatherlost his balance, so he fell and broke apart and couldn’t beput back together again. It never should have happened thatway.” Humpty Dumpty began to get very sad.

At this moment, a customer came along with her children.They walked up to the egg shelves to pick out some eggs tobuy. The children then noticed that Humpty Dumpty wassitting on the top of the jumbo egg shelf. They began to shout:“Look who’s here, mommy! Humpty Dumpty! Won’t you buyhim for us? Please! Please, buy him for us!”

Hearing these shouts, Humpty Dumpty became very upset.“I am not for sale,” cried Humpty Dumpty angrily. He beganto stand up so that he could get off the top shelf. “I am notfor sale, I am not for sale!” In his excitement, the mostterrible, most awful thing happened to Humpty Dumpty onthat top jumbo egg shelf: He began to lose his balance in thevery same way that his grandfather did. Well, this HumptyDumpty began to fall, all the way down, down, down to thebottom shelf—oh no!

“Oh! No!” Everyone in the store was crying and screaming.The store manager, the customer and her noisy children, andeven the little eggs who loved Humpty Dumpty. They allcovered their eyes because no one wanted to watch the greatfall of the big and charming Humpty Dumpty. No one wantedto see him break into a million pieces.

But guess what! That big and charming Humpty Dumptywas lucky enough to land in one of the empty egg cartonswhich lay open down on the bottom shelf. So he wasn’tbroken after all; he just fell into one of these egg cartons andquickly he closed the top over him to hide from thecustomer’s view. What a smart Humpty Dumpty!

So now Humpty Dumpty lives in the grocery store in one ofthe egg cartons on the bottom shelf. He hopes that no one willever find him and buy him; Humpty Dumpty is too specialand too famous to be bought. So when you go shopping withyour parents, remember Humpty Dumpty is somewhere onthat bottom shelf in an egg carton and is very happy there.You can go by and say hello to him, but please let him stayhidden in his quiet and safe place forever.

Drama Selections

This drama selection takes 5 to 51⁄2 minutes to read and interpret, in-cluding an introduction.

The Imaginary InvalidAct II

Scene: Argan’s sitting room, Paris, France; middle of theseventeenth centuryCharacters: Louison and Argan(Louison, a girl of twelve or thirteen, enters)


Louison: Did you call me, papa?Argan: Yes, little one. Come here.(She advances part way)Argan: (beckoning slyly) A little closer.(Louison comes closer)Argan: Now then. Look at me.Louison: (with seeming innocence) Yes, papa?Argan: Don’t you have something to tell me?Louison: (sweetly) Well, I can tell you a story. Would you liketo hear the Donkey’s Skin or the fable of the Raven and the Fox?Argan:: (angrily) That’s not what I had in mind.Louison: My apologies, papa.Argan: Don’t you obey your father?Louison: Of course, papa.Argan: And didn’t I ask you to report all that you see?Louison: Yes, papa.Argan: Have you told me everything?Louison: (with some doubt) Yes, papa.Argan: Haven’t you seen something today?Louison: No, papa.Argan: No?Louison: (quite doubtful) No . . . . .Argan: Ah ha. Then I shall have to renew your memory.(Picks up his cane and starts toward Louison)Louison: (frightened) Oh, papa.Argan: Is it not true that you saw a man with your sisterAngelique?Louison: (crying) Oh, dear.Argan: (raising his cane to hit her) I shall teach you to lie.Louison: Oh, forgive me, papa. Angelique made me promisenot to tell. But I’ll tell you now.Argan: Very well. You shall tell me, but only after I havepunished you for telling a lie.Louison: Don’t whip me, dear papa. Please don’t whip me.Argan: I shall. (Raises his cane and strikes once. Louisonbacks against the couch, crying loudly, pretending to be hurt.)Louison: Oh, I’m hurt. Papa, stop. I’m hurt. Oh, I’m dying,I’m dead. (She falls on couch, pretending to be dead, butkeeping one eye open to see what her father will do.)Argan: What’s this? Louison, my little one. Louison, whathave I done to you? Oh, dear. My poor Louison. Oh, my poorchild.Louison: (no longer able to hide her laughter, sits upsuddenly) Come, come, papa. It’s all right. I’m not quite dead.Argan: (surprised, but relieved) Oh, you imp, you. What arascal I have. Well, I’ll overlook it this once, but you must tellme everything.Louison: Yes, papa. But don’t tell Angelique I told.Argan: Of course not.Louison: (looks to be sure no one is listening) Well, while Iwas in Angelique’s sitting room, a handsome man came,looking for her.Argan: (eagerly) Yes?Louison: When I asked what he wanted, he said he was hernew music teacher.Argan: Aha. So that is their little plan. Continue.Louison: Then Angelique came and when she saw him shesaid (overdramatically) “Oh, go away, for my sake, leave.”


Argan: (disappointed) Oh.Louison: But he didn’t leave. He stayed and talked to her.Argan: (eagerly) What did he say?Louison: He told her . . . (teasing her father) many things.Argan: Yes?Louison: That he loved her passionately, and that she wasthe most glorious creature in the world.Argan: And then?Louison: And then he fell on his knees before her—Argan: (excitedly) Yes, yes.Louison: (dramatically) And kissed her hand—(giggles)Argan: (eagerly) And then?Louison: And then—(pause full of suspense, followed by amatter of fact) mama came and he ran away.Argan: (disappointed) That’s all? Nothing more?Louison: No, papa. There was nothing more. (She giggles andruns out. Argan groans and sinks into a chair.)

From The Imaginary Invalid, by Moliere, adapted by FranTanner, BASIC DRAMA PROJECTS, Clark PublishingCompany.

Here is a selection from the popular The Diary of Anne Frank.

The Diary of Anne FrankAct 2, scene 2

By Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett

In this play, the heroine is a young Jewish girl forced to hidefrom the Nazis. The year is 1944. Anne and her parents, a


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The filmed version of The Diary ofAnne Frank is but one of hundredsof productions of this inspirationalstory.

sister and four other people are crowded into an Amsterdamattic where they must remain or be killed. Their only hope isthat Hitler will be defeated, and they will be able to resumenormal lives. Now, however, they think that perhaps theNazis are becoming aware of their existence. The play isbased on an actual diary of a young girl who later was killed.

In this scene Anne, now fifteen, is talking to Peter,nineteen, the first boy she’s ever liked and who is one ofthose who has shared the attic above the warehouse for twoyears. This scene occurs in the bedroom where Peter sleeps.It is one of three attic rooms into which everyone is crowded.Peter’s room is sparsely furnished with a cot and a chair, andthere is barely room to stand or move around.

ANNE: Look Peter, the sky. [She looks up through theskylight.] What a lovely, lovely day! Aren’t the cloudsbeautiful? You know what I do when it seems as if I couldn’tstand being cooped up for one more minute? I think myselfout. I think myself on a walk in the park where I used to gowith Pim. Where the jonquils and the crocus and the violetsgrow down the slopes. You know the most wonderful partabout thinking yourself out? You can have it any way youlike. You can have roses and violets and chrysanthemums allblooming at the same time. . . . It’s funny . . . I used to takeit all for granted . . . and now I’ve gone crazy abouteverything to do with nature. Haven’t you?PETER: I’ve just gone crazy. I think if something doesn’thappen soon . . . if we don’t get out of here . . . I can’t standmuch more of it!ANNE: [softly] I wish you had a religion, Peter.PETER: No, thanks! Not me!ANNE: Oh, I don’t mean you have to be Orthodox . . . orbelieve in heaven and hell and purgatory and things . . . I justmean some religion . . . it doesn’t matter what. Just tobelieve in something! When I think of all that’s out there . . .the trees . . . and flowers . . . and seagulls . . . when I thinkof the dearness of you, Peter, . . . and the goodness of thepeople we know . . . Mr. Kraler, Miep, Dirk, the vegetableman, all risking their lives for us everyday . . . When I thinkof these good things, I’m not afraid any more . . . I findmyself, and God, and I . . . [PETER interrupts, getting up andwalking away.]PETER: That’s fine! But when I begin to think, I get mad! Lookat us, hiding out for two years. Not able to move! Caught herelike . . . waiting for them to come and get us . . . and all for what?ANNE: We’re not the only people that’ve had to suffer.There’ve always been people that’ve had to . . . sometimesone race . . . sometimes another . . . and yet . . .PETER: That doesn’t make me feel any better!ANNE: [going to him] I know it’s terrible, trying to have anyfaith . . . when people are doing such horrible . . . But youknow what I sometimes think? I think the world may be goingthrough a phase, the way I was with Mother. It’ll pass, maybenot for hundreds of years, but some day . . . I still believe, inspite of everything, that people are really good at heart.


PETER: I want to see something now . . . Not a thousand yearsfrom now! [He goes over, sitting down again on the cot.]ANNE: But, Peter, if you’d only look at it as part of a greatpattern . . . that we’re just a little minute in the life . . . [Shebreaks off.] Listen to us, going at each other like a couple ofstupid grownups! Look at the sky now. Isn’t it lovely? [Sheholds out her hand to him. PETER takes it and rises, standingwith her at the window looking out, his arms around her.]Some day, when we’re outside again, I’m going to . . . [Shebreaks off as she hears the sound of a car, its brakessquealing as it comes to a sudden stop.]

Following is a third drama selection for oral interpretation.

A Raisin in the SunAct 1, scene 1

By Lorraine Hansberry

The playwright wanted to present three types of women inher play. This scene clearly shows the different attitudestoward life of the three women. Mama is pretty much set inher ways and embraces the more traditional values of rightand wrong. Ruth tends to agree with Mama but isn’t as muchat ease with herself as Mama. In fact, she’s uncertain aboutmany things. Beneatha is the militant, ready to embrace thenew in opposition to the old. At the same time she flits fromone set of interests to another. She has taken to heart theidea that a person must discover her identity. She doesn’trealize how foolish her unshakable and absolute beliefs are toothers. She is absorbed in herself and so defiantly flauntsattitudes that go against what others in her family believe.

Just before the scene opens Beneatha has used profanityabout an upstairs neighbor’s use of a vacuum cleaner.

MAMA: If you use the Lord’s name just one more time—BENEATHA: [A bit of a whine.] Oh, Mama—RUTH: Fresh—just fresh as salt, this girl!BENEATHA: [Drily.] Well—if the salt loses its savor—MAMA: Now that will do. I just ain’t going to have you ‘roundhere reciting the scriptures in vain—you hear me?BENEATHA: How did I manage to get on everybody’s wrongside by just walking into a room?RUTH: If you weren’t so fresh—BENEATHA: Ruth, I’m twenty years old.MAMA: What time you be home from school today?BENEATHA: Kind of late. [With enthusiasm.] Madeline is goingto start my guitar lessons today.[MAMA and RUTH look up with the same expression.]MAMA: Your what kind of lessons?BENEATHA: Guitar.RUTH: Oh, Father!MAMA: How come you done taken it in your mind to learn toplay the guitar?


BENEATHA: I just want to, that’s all.MAMA: [Smiling.] Lord, child, don’t you know what to do withyourself? How long is it going to be before you get tired ofthis now—like you got tired of that little play-acting groupyou joined last year? [Looking at RUTH.] And what was it theyear before that?RUTH: The horseback-riding club for which she bought thatfifty-five-dollar riding habit that’s been hanging in the closetever since!MAMA: [To BENEATHA] Why you got to flit so from one thing toanother, baby?BENEATHA: [Sharply.] I just want to learn to play the guitar. Isthere anything wrong with that?MAMA: Ain’t nobody trying to stop you. I just wonderssometimes why you has to flit so from one thing to anotherall the time. You ain’t never done nothing with all thatcamera equipment you brought home—BENEATHA: I don’t flit! I—I experiment with different forms ofexpression—RUTH: Like riding a horse?BENEATHA: People have to express themselves one way oranother.MAMA: What is it you want to express?BENEATHA: [Angrily.] Me! [MAMA and RUTH look at each otherand burst into raucous laughter.] Don’t worry—I don’t expectyou to understand.MAMA: [To change the subject.] Who are you going out withtomorrow night?BENEATHA: [With displeasure.] George Murchison again.MAMA: [Pleased.] Oh—you getting a little sweet on him?RUTH: You ask me, this child ain’t sweet on nobody butherself—[Underbreath.] Express herself! [They laugh.]BENEATHA: Oh—I like George all right, Mama. I mean I likehim enough to go out with him and stuff, but—RUTH: [For devilment.] What does and stuff mean?BENEATHA: Mind your own business.MAMA: Stop picking at her now, Ruth. [A thoughtful pause,and then a suspicious sudden look at her daughter as sheturns in her chair for emphasis.] What does it mean?BENEATHA: [Wearily.] Oh, I just mean I couldn’t ever really beserious about George. He’s—so shallow.RUTH: Shallow—what do you mean he’s shallow? He’s Rich!MAMA: Hush, Ruth.BENEATHA: I know he’s rich. He knows he’s rich, too.RUTH: Well—what other qualities a man got to have to satisfyyou, little girl?BENEATHA: You wouldn’t even begin to understand. Anybodywho married Walter could not possibly understand.MAMA: [Outraged.] What kind of way is that to talk aboutyour brother?BENEATHA: Brother is a flip—let’s face it.MAMA: [To RUTH, helplessly.] What’s a flip?RUTH: [Glad to add kindling.] She’s saying he’s crazy.BENEATHA: Not crazy. Brother isn’t really crazy yet—he—he’san elaborate neurotic.MAMA: Hush your mouth!BENEATHA: As for George. Well. George looks good—he’s got abeautiful car and he takes me to nice places and, as my


sister-in-law says, he is probably the richest boy I will everget to know and I even like him sometimes—but if theYoungers are sitting around waiting to see if their littleBennie is going to tie up the family with the Murchisons, theyare wasting their time.RUTH: You mean you wouldn’t marry George Murchison if heasked you someday? That pretty, rich thing? Honey, I knewyou was odd—BENEATHA: No, I would not marry him if all I felt for him waswhat I feel for him now. Besides, George’s family wouldn’treally like it.MAMA: Why not?BENEATHA: Oh, Mama—The Murchisons are honest-to-God-real-live rich colored people, and the only people in the world whoare more snobbish than rich white people are rich coloredpeople. I thought everybody knew that. I’ve met Mrs.Murchison. She’s a scene!MAMA: You must not dislike people ‘cause they well off,honey.BENEATHA: Why not? It makes just as much sense as dislikingpeople ‘cause they are poor, and lots of people do that.RUTH: [A wisdom-of-the-ages manner. To MAMA] Well, she’ll getover some of this—BENEATHA: Get over it? What are you talking about, Ruth?Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about whoI’m going to marry yet—if I ever get married.MAMA and RUTH: If!MAMA: Now, Bennie—BENEATHA: Oh, I probably will . . . but first I’m going to be adoctor, and George, for one, still thinks that’s pretty funny. Icouldn’t be bothered with that. I am going to be a doctor andeverybody around here better understand that!MAMA: [Kindly.] ‘Course you going to be a doctor, honey, Godwilling.BENEATHA: [Drily.] God hasn’t got a thing to do with it.MAMA: Beneatha—that just wasn’t necessary.BENEATHA: Well—neither is God. I get sick of hearing about God.MAMA: Beneatha!BENEATHA: I mean it! I’m just tired of hearing about God allthe time. What has He got to do with anything? Does he paytuition?MAMA: You ‘bout to get your fresh little jaw slapped!RUTH: That’s just what she needs, all right!BENEATHA: Why? Why can’t I say what I want to around here,like everybody else?MAMA: It don’t sound nice for a young girl to say things likethat—you wasn’t brought up that way. Me and your fatherwent to trouble to get you and Brother to church everySunday.BENEATHA: Mama, you don’t understand. It’s all a matter ofideas, and God is just one idea I don’t accept. It’s notimportant. I am not going out and be immoral or commitcrimes because I don’t believe in God. I don’t even think aboutit. It’s just that I get tired of Him getting credit for all thethings the human race achieves through its own stubborneffort. There simply is no blasted God—there is only man andit is he who makes miracles!


[MAMA absorbs this speech, studies her daughter and risesslowly and crosses to BENEATHA and slaps her powerfullyacross the face. After, there is only silence and the daughterdrops her eyes from her mother’s face, and MAMA is very tallbefore her.]MAMA: Now—you say after me, in my mother’s house there isstill God. [There is a long pause and BENEATHA stares at thefloor wordlessly. MAMA repeats the phrase with precision andcool emotion.] In my mother’s house there is still God.BENEATHA: In my mother’s house there is still God.[A long pause.]MAMA: [Walking away from BENEATHA, too disturbed fortriumphant posture. Stopping and turning her back to herdaughter.] There are some ideas we ain’t going to have in thishouse. Not long as I am at the head of this family.BENEATHA: Yes, ma’am.[MAMA walks out of the room.]



In the 1930s in New York, producers and theatregroups rebelled against the expense and con-

straints placed upon them by the profit-drivenBroadway system. Therefore, many of these groupsmoved their productions out of New York’s centraltheatre district and independently financed theirown small productions. But none of these groupscould afford to stay in production for long due tothe terrible economic conditions of the Depression.

By the 1950s, producing plays as part of theBroadway commercial theatresystem had become very expen-sive. Theatre artists started tosearch for ways to produce playsin New York City in smaller, lessexpensive theatre spaces, sothat they could produce theplays that really interestedthem—plays that might not ap-peal to the large, commercialBroadway theatre audience.This movement away fromBroadway became known as theOff-Broadway movement. Bymoving Off-Broadway, produc-ers were able to afford to pro-duce classic plays as well asmore experimental drama. Thismovement is still at work today.

While Off-Broadway theatresvary a great deal from one tothe other, most seat less than200 people. Many are housed inbuildings that were convertedinto theatres from their originalpurposes. Most were store-fronts, nightclubs, or warehous-es. Since these building were never originallydesigned to house an audience, it is common in Off-Broadway theatres for there to be no proscenium.It’s also common for the actors and audience to bevery close to each other. Producing plays in these

buildings, however, keeps production costs muchlower than they would be in the large, expensiveBroadway theatres, which in turn, keeps ticket pricesmuch lower.

Among the most historically important Off-Broadway groups are The Circle in the Square and thePhoenix Theatre. Although the Phoenix Theatre had aproscenium stage and seated over 1,000 people, itpresented plays that commercial producers wouldnot produce, including many new plays, as well as

classical plays, such as Shake-speare’s.

By the 1960s, Off-Broadwaywas costing too much for manyyounger theatre artists, and soa new movement, Off-Off Broad-way, was born. Its beginning isusually dated from 1958 whenJoe Cino opened the CafeCino, a coffeehouse that servedalso as an art gallery and as aplace for poetry readings anddramatic presentations. As timepassed, more young playwrightstook advantage of the opportu-nity to have their plays read inCafe settings and the Off-Off-Broadway movement tookshape.

Some of the most importantOff-Off-Broadway companieshave been Cafe LaMama, theLiving Theater, the Open Theater,Mabou Mines, and the WoosterGroup. These companies areknown for their experimentaland nontraditional dramas,

many of which are highly physical and developed bythe group through improvisation. It is not unusualfor these companies to produce works motivated bytheir desire to see political and social change. ■

The Off-Broadway Movement

The Circle in the Square Production Companywas one the first and most influential Off-Broadway companies. Here you see a scenefrom their production of Bus Stop.


■ ■ SPOTLIGHT ON TERMS ■ ■

An important part of theatre is understanding theterminology, or vocabulary, used. Add the newterms and definitions to the vocabulary section ofyour theatre notebook or folder.

■ ■ FOCUS ON FACTS ■ ■

1. What is oral interpretation?2. Define poetry, prose, and dramatic literature.3. What is meant by literary value?4. Why is it important for you to choose your own

material for oral interpretation?5. Describe how to analyze a selection.6. What information could be used in writing an

introduction?7. List important steps in presenting a selection.8. What is the reason for marking your selection?9. What are the different delivery techniques used

for effective oral interpretation?

■ ■ REFLECTIONS ■ ■

Discuss the following questions with your class, oranswer them on paper as instructed by your teacher.

1. What impact has reading aloud had on your life?2. What makes you enjoy or not enjoy listening to

people read?3. How important is it to interpret material the way

the author meant it to be read?4. When you were younger and had stories read to

you, which readers had effective reading skills?Why were they good oral readers? Be specific.

■ ■ THEATRE IN YOUR LIFE ■ ■

1. Prepare an Oral Interpreter’s Delight Night.Choose poetry, prose, or drama selections to pre-sent to your community. After the selection,preparation, and rehearsals, present the pro-gram to an audience. Provide dessert, coffee, orsoft drinks following the presentation.

2. On Saturday mornings, or once a month, readstories to elementary school children. Arrangethe time and place (possibly the library) with theappropriate administrators. Use all the necessaryskills in presenting your stories as an oral inter-pretation activity.

■ ■ ENCORE ■ ■

1. Attend an academic contest that includes inter-preting material as one of its events.

2. Attend a festival that includes oral interpretation.3. Which event, contest or festival, did you enjoy

the most? Why? Did you prepare for the twoevents differently? Why or why not?

4. Sponsor your own contest or festival for severalschool districts and include poetry, prose, anddramatic oral interpretation as events.

CHAPTER 15 REVIEW

Chapter 15: Interpreting Literature - Alyve

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Transcript of Chapter 15: Interpreting Literature - Alyve