Our Town Essay

Our Town by Thornton Wilder continues to be a timeless theatrical work performed pervasively throughout the world. This play remains a modern classic due to Wilder’s ingenuity in capturing the quintessential expression of the life cycle. Wilder segmented his play into three acts; each act broadly encompassing a different phase in a person’s life. The play presents the audience with situations parallel to the ones almost everyone faces during their lifetime. This, in conjunction with breaking the

The play Our Town, illustrates the true essence of small town living. When living in a small town, people see a familiar face wherever they go and know the history and character behind these individuals. Life in a small town can lack options for entertainment at times; some may even categorize it as “dull”. Yet, anyone can see that Grover’s Corners, the town written about in Our Town, and Colby, Kansas contain a life full of personality and charm. The citizens of Grover’s Corners live a basic

count An analysis of the representation of the daily life in Our Town * Table of Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Biographical Background 4 3 Our Town 5 3.1 General 5 3.2 Theme 5 3.3 Publication 5 4 Analysis 6 4.1 Act 1 6 4.2 Act 2 7 4.3 Act 3 8 5 Conclusion 10 6 Bibliography 12 6.1 Primary Literature 12 6.2 Secondary Literature 12 6.3 Webliography 12 Introduction Needless to say, Our Town is one of the most popular plays by Thornton Wilder and

human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute? (Emily Webb, Act III)” Our Town presents life as it truly is; as humans, we tend to only remember the big events in our life, and neglect the minute details. Throughout the book, Wilder entertains the notion that humans have learned to seemingly distance themselves from anything that doesn’t have immediate value to their memories. Our Town proves this notion by examining key aspects of the average person’s life in Grover’s Corners-

     In the play “Our Town”, by Thornton Wilder, a character by the name of Simon Stimson makes a very insightful statement about people and their lives. Simon is dead and buried, as well as several of the play’s other characters, when a newly-dead young woman named Emily joins their ranks and begins to realize the triviality and ignorance of her existence, as well as that of every living person. The dead are discussing this insignificance and unawareness of the living when

of the Pulitzer Prize winner play Our Town. In Our Town, Wilder tells the story of a town in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, and the daily lives of the inhabitants. In the play, the author uses minimal props and scenery as well as including a main character known as the Stage Manager that has the ability to break the fourth wall, allowing him to talk to the audience. This factor of talking to the audience is a major component of making the public a part of the town. Throughout the play, there are

representation of the society live in the time that it is played; as a social opinion, but the common thing in all the plays is that they portray an immense amount of ideas and concepts, that in a way, are transmitted into the audience. In the play Our Town, Thornton Wilder uses symbolism, theme, and motif, as a unified concept to express a social observation towards the American life in the 1900’s, which in the beginning of the play is stated as ordinary and common, but as the play continues, it is

4. The title of the play Our Town is not just speaking of the small town in the book, but all other towns as well. Its families and events are universal, and can relate to anyone. For example, in the very beginning of the play the Stage Manager introduces the play and its setting. He states, “This play is called ‘Our Town.’ It was written by Thornton Wilder … The name of the town is Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire … Here’s the grocery store and here’s Mr. Morgan’s drugstore … Public School’s

The play Our Town was something so unique and simple, but it somehow found a way to relate with everyone. Its simplicity seemed to be a hit or miss with many audience members. It was one of those plays that you relate so much with it you enjoy its minimalistic nature, or you find it too typical and boring. I happen to be among the group that found this play to be very appealing. I feel that at many times, little to no scenery and props make it hard to visualize the scene of a play. However, with

Life’s Paradox After reading Our Town often readers will conclude that Wilder criticizes our lack of appreciation for life. On the contrary, Wilder completely obliterates the idea that such admiration is remotely possible, and presents the reader with an ultimatum surrounding life’s appreciation in which neither option is ideal. In Our Town, Thornton Wilder conveys that in order to value life one must acknowledge its finality. However, by accepting its impermanence, one inevitably becomes focused