Question 16
Dear Kales,
I guess you are aware of what took place in Mr. Wrights household. Minnie is apprehended for being among the suspects of Wright's murder. Why, I doubt this should be the situation! It was yesterday that I and Mrs. Peters went to the house for some things that Mrs. Wright wanted. You will be shocked of what was discovered! My husband, county attorney and sheriff accompanied us. Lewis explained when he discovered Wright's death. All of them looked for evidence around the house, but we stayed with Mrs. Peters in the kitchen. It is the kitchen where the mystery occurred. I believe we came across the evidence.
You recall Minnie, don't you? I must confess that she changed a lot. She got married to Mr. Wright and since then she became dull. The husband was a good guy but hard and his life with Minnie was hard. I never entered the house but always met her outside the house. Therefore, I knew nothing about what was going on. As Lewis and Harry dropped by her house, is when we realized that John had been strangled as Minnie was fast asleep.
As we waited, we met Minnie's belongings. Their kitchen was not in order. We found what Minnie had been pursuing. I thought she was nervous but Mrs. Peters never thought so. The men never bothered to look at the things that mattered more in an investigation.
Finally her birdcage was found, and then a dead bird. Then I captured that the bird might be like Minnie. Mrs. Peters disagreed with me when I told her that Wright might have strangled the bird, and this is what pushed Minnie to kill her husband. At last, before leaving, Mrs. Peters helped me hide this evidence. I hope it is the best action to take. I feel what the poor girl might have gone through, and I have drawn the picture. Please reply to tell me what is on your mind.
Question 17 (a)
In the play "still stands the house" there is a connection between the house and characters involved. This is because it can be seen that Hester cannot do without the farm as there are memories attached to it. This house symbolizes the relationship that existed within the family. Before then, Hester lived with the family and after the death of the father she took the family's responsibility. After the mother's death, Hester gave up everything in order to take care of the father and Bruce. After the father’s death, she kept on living in the house even after the brother married a wife.
The disagreement arouse when the brother wanted to sell the house. Here is where the author depicts the importance of the house. The bond between the house and Hester was very strong than that between her and her brother. This is because the house made her recall of her father living with them. It is in this house that he could become unconscious and narrate the father's story. It can be seen that Hester goes to an extent of throwing the brother and his wife outside the house to leave them for death. The farm house symbolizes the bonding between Hester and the farm to an extent that she can kill her family. It means that the house is what she has in her life that she will not stop at anything, to protect it.
Question 17 (b)
Question 18
Collective creation involves pulling together many writers and actors who forms a play. The technique has been widely employed by actors in the creation of play as a group without the use of an original script. Examples of such plays are Jinch Marlex and Farm Show. The two plays have been made by playwrights and actors who work together. Every one of them is responsible for development of their character in their respective stories. Both the stories captured true life stories which aided in unfolding life realities.
Healey's The Drawer Boy had its basis on the farm show. He depicts Miles and his encounters during the play development. The author makes his audience see how this farm house origin. Miles lived with Angus and Morgan and assisted in the daily operations of the farm. Miles through this developed a storyline. Just like Miles, other playwrights also developed their characters for Jinch Marlex. For instance, London developed her character Lisa. She stated that there things they shared in common with the character. Other members of the group also integrated their character to their own life encounters.
The farm house reflects the lives of South-western Ontario families and farmers. Miles and his group interviewed families in this area in order to develop their stories. The other group who made Jinch Malrex made the storyline from their own encounters. As much as there is nothing that the two stories share in common, both of them are extracted from real stories as the Farm House has been generated from the Morgan and Angus relationship after the world war. The two plays show a reflection of what takes place in the real life situation. The two stories through the use of real life situations unfolds various real life discoveries.
Jinch Marlex and Farm Show are both works in theatre field. Both of the shows were developed through collective creation. Most playwrights and actors in the two stories created a show from their skills and creativity. Their storyline was based on true stories and real experiences, and each one of them had their character from this. The end result was genuine and wonderful performances that showed realities in a society.
Question 19
An actor and a farmer try to restructure a story narrated by another person. The actor paves the way, constructing from what he jotted down at the time he overheard the conversation between Angus and Morgan. The farmer, who has been narrated the story at many instances, adds forgotten tales for instance, the houses separate and joined. The story's repetition, augmented by its repercussions and variation, form the core of "the drawer boy". Every time the story was restated, it damaged the brain of Angus and Morgan inputs more to Healey's exploration of memory, fact and fiction. According to our knowledge, the farm has been used as a stage, and both Miles and Angus impersonating Morgan are also played in the drama by actors. The director of this drama depicts its weaknesses. Angus is 'the drawer boy' in the title as he had a passion for drawing from his childhood stage. Morgan and Angus have farmed and lived together from Second World War and what led to Angus problem of loss memory. The play is constructed from Miles sharing a story with the farmer and Angus.
The story contributes to the jogging of Angus memory, and it proves very important. The story resolved the effect on the relationship of the bachelors. As enticing as the drama looks, although, the drama shows a distance between actor and audience that works in contrary to the play. The depth of this drama looks to highlight no background and foreground in the character and plot of Healey. In the drama from the onset, Angus has a memory lapse. He forgets that Miles is waiting at the door and goes back to the kitchen to make a sandwich. After then, when Morgan has been injured by a tractor, he is sent a wet towel but brings a spoonful of water for three consecutive times. The problem had been caused by a blast that led to a door knocking Angus' head.
With time, Miles narrates the play, and Angus seems to be more interested in the Morgan’s role, in the play. The theme of Truth is evident when through the play Angus memory reinstates. With the bonding between Angus and Miles, Angus is able to recall instances that Morgan never told him. He bonds with Miles as it is through him that the revelation of truth surfaces. Morgan on the other side is not pleased with the whole act as he had lied to Angus about what had happened. The play performs its major role in portraying this theme as it taps instances that were lost in the mind of Angus. The theme of truth is universal in the play; as throughout the play, Angus fights with his memory, which ultimately succeeds as the truth surfaced through miles narration of the drama.
Question 20
The Ringwood's play narrates a farmer's story who stays with the older sister and wife. The author also shows the conflict that arises on sale of the farm. Bruce ultimately sells the farm which triggers a disagreement with the sister, Hester. She has taken care of Bruce and the wife since their mother passed away just like Morgan took care of Angus. Hester sacrificed everything for her family and has been stuck to her family. After the death of Hester's father, she stayed in the farm house even after her brother married. Life has not been the same for her as she always talked of her father and never wanted anyone to hear. She wanted the brother to sell their house and recalled memories of the dad (Ringwood, pp.10)
In the same way, in "the drawer boy", Michael develops the character of Morgan as a comforting and caring friend. Morgan has taken care of Angus since the time he was hit by a door during the war. There is where Angus developed the memory loss (Healey, pp.11). Every now and again Morgan told Angus of what had happened. Angus knew of every bit of the story Morgan used to tell him but never interrupted even for a second.
Both Morgan and Hester adopt storytelling to relieve themselves from their past experiences. However, factual experiences and events create Hester's story, as Morgan doctors most facts he narrates to Angus. As Hester cannot accept the change in her life, she narrates the story to herself frequently. She assumes to be at the time when her father was alive. On contrary, Morgan alters the past and puts it into a less painful and a more acceptable experience. Miles, an actor who went to interview Angus and Morgan turned out to reveal the truth as he helped Angus flashback through his play. Angus came to realize that whatever Morgan had been telling him was not the truth when miles that he told lies. In both stories, it can be realized that both Morgan and Hester are resistant to change as they have been in a state of denial.
Works Cited
Healey, Michael. The Drawer Boy. Ontario: Playwrights Canada Press, 2005.
Ringwood, Gwen. Still Stands the House: A Drama in One Act. New York: Samuel French, 1939.
