American Drama

How is drama different from other kinds of fiction?

• Drama is written to be performed by actors for an audience.
• Drama can have only one setting.  Other kinds of fiction can have many settings.
• Drama has more characters than other kinds of fiction.
• Drama has a plot. Other kinds of fiction use monologues instead of plots.

What is the primary purpose of drama?

• To help readers visualize the text
• To tell a compelling story
• To allow actors to perform in front of an audience
• To tell stories from the past

Which of the following elements are unique to drama?

• Characters, stage directions, scenes
• Conflict, setting, characters
• Stage directions, scenes, monologue
• Dialogue, plot, setting

Why does a playwright include stage directions in a script?

• To provide information about the time period in which the play is set
• To provide information about how the dialogue in a play should be spoken
• To provide information about how the play should look to the audience
• To provide information about the setting, characters, dialogue, and appearance of a play

What problem in Salem encourages the people to turn against each other? 

• Wood for building new houses and cooking is scarce. 
• The town does not have enough books for everyone to read. 
• The children are not welcome to listen to the preaching in church. 
• Some people are quick to take offense 
  (anger) and sue others in court.

What conclusion can you draw about Hale from the following lines of dialogue? 
Hale.   . . . The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of hell upon her. 

• He wants no one to question his authority. 
• He expects to find the Devil’s mark on Betty. 
• He is unsure of how to proceed. 
• He is precise in his education.

What do the stage directions in the following lines tell you about Abigail Williams?
Parris.   Child. Sit you down.
Abigail (quavering, as she sits). I would never hurt Betty. I love her dearly. 

• Her uncle, Reverend Parris, makes her nervous.  
• She is injured and feels pain when she sits.  
• Betty, her cousin, has put a spell on her.  
• She worries that she will become sick, too.

What consists of five stages; a series of events in a story?

• characters
• conflict
• plot
• dialogue

What is a conversation between characters?

• dialogue
• tragedy
• aside
• foil

What is a list of names of all the characters in a play?

• protagonist
• stage directions
• cast of characters
• monologue