Monday, April 27, 2020

Finishing up w/ Wunderkammer



Some questions I have as we finish the play:

  • Look at Scene 3 again, the "classroom" scene. Why is Albatross the teacher in this scenario? What does that tell us about her character? Why is it important that creatures be put in a hierarchy w/ humans at the top, predators below them, and so on? What is she "teaching" the animals? What does the play, more generally, seem to be saying about education or learning in our world? Why does Albatross engage everyone in building a "nest"?
  • These animals are dead, but at the same time living. Can you relate this to the Kid, who is of indeterminate gender?
  •  Why is defining the Kid--Keeper, pet, human, etc.--so important, at least to some of the animals? (And what does this say about those animals?)
  • What is the significance of the Badger and Armadillo's friendship? Why do they ultimately not live in the same burrow? 
  • What do you make of the conclusion?
  • What questions do you have?
  • Ashley, I thought, made a very interesting observation last week. She mulled over how people might act if stuffed or dead animals came to life. We don't really know since this only happens in stories. So, in a sense, we base our assumptions on other people's (writers' and storytellers') assumptions. Often, it seems that people react w/ delight. How do the various living characters react in this play? Check out this old commercial to see how people might react to seeing an anthropomorphic sun:

1 comment:

  1.   In this play the characters react very well as they talk, make friends, fight, look for a leader. I personally would have liked to see the play. This play was very interesting. Animals had to obey their leader and work as a team. I saw this video and I thought it was fun to see this anthropomorphic sun but really if that had happened to me maybe I would have reacted the same way!!!!!

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