preview

Backwards And Forwards By David Ball

Decent Essays

During Mr. Rosenberg’s leave we learned different dramatic elements such as script analysis, stasis and intrusion, dramatic conflict, etc. This helps us to understand the different elements so one day when we have to apply the elements we will already be mindful of them. Additionally, we also learned about the beginning of theater dating back to ancient Greece and their different ways of displaying theater. For the first two weeks of Mr. Rosenberg’s leave we read a book called “Backwards and Forwards” by David Ball which was a guide to help us understand both “theater and literature complements”. It was a way for us to comprehend traditional methods of literary analysis of scripts. The book used its examples from many different Greek such …show more content…

Ball describes action as “ Action occurs when something happens that makes or permits something else to happen”. Ball is saying that action is something that causes something else. On the flip side, Chapter 2 the author uses metaphors to describe a play. Ball states that a play is like a series of dominos, “ You put two dominoes on each side and if you hit one domino, the next domino will fall”. To add on the author uses another metaphor to describe what sequential analysis is about. Ball states, “ sequential analysis of action is the door to the play and protection against misinterpretation”. The next chapter, the author examines a play in steps so people can accurately perceive how dominoes fall. Ball uses the example of someone going to a bookstore, finding the drama shelf, find the book, and then pay for the book. He also believes that if you correctly find the “adjacent dominos” then you will be able to analyze the play …show more content…

The author talks about stasis and intrusion, the major differences about the elements. Ball states that stasis is when everything is balanced and in control. On the other hand, Ball explains Intrusion as something that has been intruded. In the example, I used was in the play WTC View the main character Eric is in stasis the day before 9/11 happens but intrusion interrupts Eric’s stasis when 9/11 occurs. Chapter 5 is about conflict, the different forms of conflict and how it is used in theater. Ball believes that conflict is the first order of business in theater. The most used form of conflict in the theater is dramatic conflict. Dramatic conflict is a kind of interaction, which makes it seem like human behavior. Ball also explains what an obstacle is. The author states that an obstacle is any resistance to getting what someone wants. The final two chapters of the book 6 and 7 talk about ignorance in the audience and about change in theater. Ignorance is bliss; it is the ignorance that drives the suspense of the audience. On the other hand, change is theatrical; change brings more life to the

Get Access