Extra Credit: The Adventure Gap

The Joy Trip

Text vs. Film (Revised)

Medfield Public Library

Text is very different from film and I realized that after watching the performed play of A Doll’s House. After watching the final scene, my emotional response to Nora and Torvald has greatly changed. My response changed because of the different attitudes, tones, and dialogue throughout the live play. When reading the play, it’s hard to completely understand the emotions the characters are feeling. But on the other hand when you watch the play being performed, it is easy to understand and see.

 

How Music Changed My Life (Revised)

In the beginning of "Rebel Music" by Daniel Felsenfeld, the main character is 17 years old and is living in Orange County, California. He was attracted to music for reasons he could not explain and according to him, was from "the least musical of families". Some afternoons he would go over to his friend's house and listen to his cassette tapes. One of these tapes changed the character's life forever. His friend, Mike, started to play Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and this was the first time the character actually heard music. He described it as "the most beautiful thing I ever heard". He had a passion for classical music and decided to do something with his passion and become a composer. After going to school to become a composer, he moved to New York and continued to write and listen to classical music.

 

"Fences" Response

In this 1950's play, a family in Pittsburgh has some tension between the members involving sports. Troy, the 53-year old father, claims to be born at the wrong time because he was unable to MLA baseball. At the time when he wanted to play in the major league, he was unable to because of his race. By the time when African Americans could play, Troy was too old. The tension in this family is caused by Troy's frustration and jealousy of his son, Cory. Cory has many college recruiters looking at him to play football. Although he has a good chance of getting a scholarship to play, Troy refuses to let Cory play because he was unable to play baseball when he wanted to. A scholarship to play football in college would enable Cory to have a great future.

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Because of this tension, Troy ends up pushing everyone away and gets in to a huge fight with his son. After the fight Cory packs up and leaves and around 8 years later, Troy died. At his funeral, Troy sings and starts to forgive his father for everything in the past.

"A Raisin in the Sun" Response

Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" is a 1950's story about a lower class African American family living in the South side of Chicago. After the passing of the family's husband, Mama receives a $10,000 insurance check. Each member of the family has their own idea of how they want to spend the check. Mama wants to use the money to buy a new house, Walter Lee wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to pay for medical school. To Mama, the check represents her husband’s lifelong hard work. All of their different ideas for the check are their interpretations of what is best for the family.

"A Doll's House" Response

Medfield Public Library

After watching the final scene, my emotional response to Nora and Torvald has changed.

"The Miracle Worker" Response

Overall "The Miracle Worker" was a great production put on by the UWSP Theatre and Dance Department. From the acting to the lighting, everything seemed really well put together. The story of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan is truly amazing and unbelievable.