The America Play, featuring Essays Discussion Questions
1. First off, Imma need you to read Parks' essays before you read The America Play, so that you'll be able to understand it better. Besides helping readers to understand her writings better, there were many points that Parks brought to light about theatre, Rep & Rev, action in the line, ". . . Black People Onstage," etc. What were some points that "spoke" to you?
2. What's the significance of the John Locke quote in the beginning?
3. I remember the first time I heard Neal reading from this piece. I pictured it being located in the desert or this old, western town, and the Foundling Father's set-up was located in this worn-out boudoir (Word from "The Electronic Nigger") or saloon. Although Parks doesn't give us a specific location (or a "realistic" location), where did you picture all the action taking place?
4. What do the "big holes" and graves represent, and I'm not just talking about "The Great Hole of History?"
5. What's the underlining message, in your opinion, of the following "Reps & Revs?"
"A slight deafness in this ear . . . there are no side effects . . . only a little ringing in the ears" and "Emergency, oh Emergency, please put the Great Man in the ground."
6. "I think I'll wear the yellow beard. Variety. Works like uh tonic. Some inaccuracies are good for business. Take the stovepipe hat! Never really worn indoors but people dont like their Lincoln hatless." When reading The America Play, do you find yourself questioning certain facts from history and wondering if they've been created from the imagination of someone?
7. I feel like the Foundling Father was trying to say that the Great Man should be following the lead of the Lesser Known (I guess because of his origins), and, even though they both have the same stature and looks ("taking into account of course his natural God-given limitations"), the Lesser Known believes that the Great(er) Man is as his name says. The Lesser Known tries to follow in the Great Man's footsteps instead of creating his own. What are these lines saying to you?
"And the Great Mans deeds had transpired during the life of the Great Man somewhere in past-land that is somewhere "back there" and all this while the Lesser Known digging his holes bearing the burden of his resemblance all the while trying somehow to equal the Great Man in stature, word and deed going forward with his lesser life trying somehow to follow in the Great Mans footsteps footsteps that were of course behind him. The Lesser Known trying somehow to catch up to the Great Man all this while and maybe running too fast in the wrong direction. Which is to say that maybe the Great Man had to catch him. Hhhh. Ridiculous."
In response to number 6, I believe that history is bias by the person telling it. This is what is know as the great the hole of history. For example, there are always two different points of view to one story. I feel that there are many historical events that we do not always have the whole story to.
ReplyDeleteWhat do the "big holes" and graves represent, and I'm not just talking about "The Great Hole of History"
ReplyDeleteI didn't read the play yet, but from what I heard earlier today I think I can suggest something. I agree with what everyone else said about the hole representing the gap in history that is Afican-American life. The holes may have also represented the emptiness or the tradgicness of the play...I don't know, I'm trying y'all.What I did read was her essays and even though I don't know her work, I know her intent. I like the way this woman thinks because she doesn't sugar coat everything, she's in your face real but at the same time, still humble about it. If her play is like her essays, I think I'll enjoy it.
I think the very fact that this guy calls himself the "Lesser Man" is endlessly significant. Here is this black man dressing himself up as a white man, trying to be him and acknowledging his failure — I think he somewhat represents how downtrodden the spirits of black people had become after years of oppression and being treated as less than human. Despite the fact that they were equal, the Great Man was always an inch ahead, an inch taller, forcing the Lesser Man to race to catch up (represented by the Lesser Man's need to wear lifts).
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the play, my train of thought was basically "Oh cool! A hole in the ground with an amusement park in it! What an interesting idea. Still, pretending to kill a guy... sounds kind of shifty." I have this unfortunate tendency to interpret things completely literally. Luckily, other people offered some much needed perspective when we talked, and so now I agree with the idea of The Great Hole as the lack of black (and other cultural) perspective in historical narratives.
As for the digging and the graves, I feel like each character is digging his own Hole of History that will one day be part of the Great Hole. Each life goes into the hole and is lost, and then society says it doesn't deserve to be remembered, so it isn't.
The ringing in the ear could possibly represent the echo of oppression. Even when slavery is supposed to be eradicated, oppression rings on. Discrimination has a very real impact, and it goes on and on and on... hopefully one day to fade out like echoes do.
Whereas Bonner's "Purple Flower" talks about the oppression of black people as something that will inevitably be overcome, "America Play" is caught in stasis. It seems as if the characters are doomed to live their lives like this.
Also, I think it is very interesting that work is such an important theme throughout all of the plays by black dramatists we have read so far.