Our Town :: essays research papers

Wilders passionate plea in the play is to appreciate every moment of every day, for brio is a momentary thing. With troubles rapidly expanding in Europe and war becoming a looming reality, pack were inundated with the negative aspects of life. To see Our Town was to escape from the negative and rejoice in the ordinary it reaffirmed faith in the unchanging moral values of small town living. It was obviously the balm that audiences needed in the midst of a disheartened and changing world. Through his play, Wilder tries to teach the audience to seize the moment and enjoy living. There are no guarantees about a certain life span, as evidenced by the premature deaths of Emily Webb and her brother, Wally tomorrow may be too late. By calling the drama Our Town and portraying ordinary people and events, the people in the audience and the readers of the play can identify with the theme and apply it to their own lives. Our Town is an unusual play in structure. It intentionally contains c ircumstantial action, in order to support the theme nothing raise or suspenseful happens in any of the three acts, just as nothing exciting happens in Grovers Corners. The play also ignores most dramatic conventions. In the beginning, the Stage Manager saunters on to an empty stage to talk directly to the audience he tells them that the play is ready to begin. He then describes the appearance of Grovers Corners and its inhabitants. The play also ignores the wizard of time and place. Between the first and second acts, three years pass. then(prenominal) between the second and third acts, another nine years pass. In addition, the omniscient Stage Manager has repeated flashbacks to the past and flash-forwards to the future, further negating a unity of time. The play also has many locations. Although the entire play takes place in or around Grovers Corners, each act has a different and distinct spot setting. In Act I, most of the action takes place in the homes of the Webbs and the G ibbs often the activity in both homes is seen on stage at once, in order to emphasize the sameness of things in this small town. The second act is set largely at the church, where Emily and George are married.