Fences Project Draft; Brighton Beach Memoirs: Day 1

Period 3: Please complete your Fences creative draft:

• Option #1: Choose a character from Fences (Rose, Troy, Gabe, Lyons, Cory, Bono, Raynelle, etc.); write a poem (or monologue) from that character's perspective. 
• Try a poem starter: "When I..." followed by what that character did and how that affected his/her family. "When I married you, Troy, I swore I'd be true..." or "When I played ball with those white boys, I aimed every ounce of my being toward the fence..." or "When I built that fence..." or "When I blow my horn God will open the clouds of heaven above..." etc.
• Option #2: Fences keep things safe from the outside world or protect a family, but also trap a person from obtaining or getting what they want. Pick an inanimate object like a fence or wall or barrier of some sort that represents a human shortcoming or human flaw or restriction or boundary keeping the speaker from what he/she wishes to get or achieve. A problem with grades or money, for example, can be a barrier. It might also be a broken window or a stalled car or some other object. Use the object to explain how the speaker of the poem interprets their situation--what's keeping them back? Write about this conflict. See the following poems as examples:
• Mending Wall by Robert Frost
• Fences by Pat Mora
• Border by Gillian Clarke
• The Boundary by Bei Dao
• Other fence poems
•  Option #3: Choose a character or consider the plot of the play. Choose Rose, Troy, Gabe, Lyons, Cory, Bono, Raynelle, etc.; write a play scene taking into account the plot or character. You might write a scene that doesn't appear in the play or a scene that happened before or after the events of the play. 

If you did not complete your homework, do it now (in your journal). See the post after this one for details. 

Period 4ish: Brighton Beach Memoirs - reading

As a bildungsroman or coming of age play, note the following occurrences in your journal. divide your page into 4 quadrants. Use the 4 quadrants to take note of the 4 stages of the coming of age story.

The 4 Stages

REALIZATION -- changing, emotional and mental preparation, growing, physical changes

REMOVAL -- change of status quo or familiar environment; separation from support units (family, friends, social institutions), experimentation with "forbidden" issues/activities--testing the limits of support units/social institutions, breaking rules/laws or beliefs, etc.

CHALLENGE --- proving oneself; overcome a major problem or resolve a major conflict (killing the boss monster, growing mature, taking on responsibility, etc.)

REINTEGRATION - protagonist comes back into society; character undergoes a rebirth, new status, or new understanding or epiphany of his/her situation.

Nine Characteristics of a Coming of Age experience or story

1. Usually the protagonist is between the ages of 12-18, but can be younger
2. Adults are either "bad guys" or not important--they represent society or laws or rules--the natural order of things; in some stories a parent is missing, absent, or dead. Authority figures are often antagonists to the protagonist. (see below)
3. Usually involves a journey of some sort (this can by a physical, mental, or spiritual journey)
4. Protagonist must confront his/her fears or weaknesses
5. Conflicts with a parent /guardian/authority figure
6. Protagonist learns something important (usually about him/herself)
7. There are usually a series of tests or challenges that the protagonist must face and overcome
8. The ending may be bittersweet--there is often a loss of innocence as a protagonist matures
9. Scarification (there are often scars left--physical or/and emotional), but these "wounds" mark the protagonist as a hero--he/she has come through the "storm" and is "wiser" for the experience. Sorta like this class...

A memoir is a story about a memory. In essence the writer looks back on his/her youth and remembers a specific time period, or personal or historical event. In a MEMORY PLAY--a character does this remembering. He/she often breaks the 4th wall and speaks directly to the audience about what he/she remembers. Plays like this are SUBJECTIVE.

A few acting tips:

• Effective performances have ENERGY!
• Try to think about how you would react and what you would say were you in this situation.
• Empathize with the character you are playing.
• Match your tone of voice to the tone of the words.
• Speak loudly and clearly.
• Have confidence. If you make a mistake--own it. But keep going...

As you read Brighton Beach Memoirs out loud, practice your oral delivery. Those of you who are not reading parts should read along with the play script and take notes in your journal of each assigned element of the play:

Stage Directions
Costumes/Props
Lighting/Set
Conflict (person v. person)
Conflict (person v. self)
Conflict (person v. society)

HOMEWORK: None. Please bring your scripts back with you to our next class.