Although
our director makes a great point when he says that the major dramatic question
for Night, Mother is whether or not
Jessie will kill herself. I find myself thinking that we could maybe refine
this question and make it more direct. Yes the play is about Jessie killing
herself and if it will happen or not, but where does that leave Mama? I feel
that Jessie is the protagonist and Mama is the antagonist in this play. Jessie
has a goal that she is fighting towards, killing herself, and Mama is trying to
prevent her from doing so.
I believe
that the major dramatic question in Night,
Mother is; will Mama prevent Jessie from killing herself? This question can
give us more to work with and adds some depth to the play.
Mama tries
many different tactics to try and stop Jessie from completing her goal. She
tells her that she will miss when shooting herself and just end up becoming a
vegetable. She asks Jessie if it is her brother Dawson and his wife Loretta
that has brought this decision on and if so they never have to come over to the
house again. Jessie will never have to see them again. Then Mama warns that if
Jessie kills herself it will be setting a bad example for her son Ricky. Mama
goes on to tell Jessie things about her dad that she never knew and stories
about Mama’s friend Agnes. In the end everything that Mama tries is in vain. In
the end Jessie kills herself and the major dramatic question is answered.
Will Mama
prevent Jessie from killing herself? No.
I never thought about applying protagonist or antagonists roles to the characters of this play. Good choice and I agree bases of actions and your question Mama would seem more like the protagonist and Jessie the antagonist. Good choice on the MDQ as well.
ReplyDeleteI also haven’t thought about who I decided was the protagonist and antagonist yet but I really like the idea of Jesse as the protagonist and Mama as the antagonist because I think that makes the most sense based on the text. Your Major Dramatic Question is very textual supported and staging the play in regards to this would, in my opinion, make the play have a slightly different kind of rhyme, and raise the stakes a lot. I think it would make the play more interesting. My only concern would be accidentally turning Mama into the “bad guy.” Great specific textual evidence backing up your MDQ!
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