LESSON 2: CHARACTERIZATION PART I
OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their ability to evaluate a character by studying the script and creating a character profile poster.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Scripts of The Curious Savage, Curious Savage questions handout (see attached), Butcher paper and markers (optional). Also teacher should come prepared to class with assigned parts and scenes for the class (see options in Lesson 3).
Lesson 2.Script Analysis Questions
LESSON DIRECTIONS
STEP 1: Review with the students what they have read so far. Have the students break into their groups to finish reading.
STEP 2: Discussion – As groups finish reading, provide for them the handout and allow for them to either discuss the questions in their groups, discuss the questions as a class, have students individually answer the questions in written form or you may choose to use it as an assessment.
Questions:
- Why do you think they John Patrick entitled his play The Curious Savage? What is the title referring to? How does that differ from what we originally thought?
- Why do you think Ms. Willie did what she did?
- If you were Mrs. Savage, would you have stayed or left? Why?
- What do you think Mrs. Savage will do with the bonds?
- What will become of the Savages? Did they get what they deserved? Why or why not?
- What is the lesson learned from this play? What do you think John Patrick is saying about society? About families? About money?
- The summary on the back of the script says, “The last scene . . . is a delightful fantasy where each “guest” in the sanatorium realizes at last some hopeless dream for something he was never able to realize” What are some of the dreams the “guests” realized?
STEP 3: Instruct -Preview with the class where the class is going. Let them know that they will be each be assigned a character and a scene from the play to perform for their final project. Their first task is to create a character and that begins with studying everything about that character.
STEP 4: Guided Group Practice –Assign students their particular part. Based on the parts they are assigned, assign small groups of students a particular character to focus on. Tell them they are to become the experts on that particular character. Give them the following assignment:
What do you know about your character?
As a group use the script to search for any facts or clues about your character including their history, mannerisms, personality, relationships to others etc. Write down everything and anything that pertains.
You may have them each individually write down answers that apply, or have one scribe for the group or you may have butcher paper and markers.
STEP 5: Have the students present their character posters to the class and tell about their character.
CLOSURE: Assign the students the following project: Students are to create a collage for their character. It should be the size of a single sheet of paper and include various visual images to depict their particular character. Show examples of previous projects.