Absurd Person Singular Test
Weight 1
Knowledge _________ Inquiry __________Communication _________ Application _________
Overall Expectations:
* Reading for Meaning: read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and
graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
* Developing and Organizing Content: generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an
intended purpose and audience;
* Using Knowledge of Form and Style: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary,
informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
Applying Knowledge of Conventions: use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies,
and knowledge
Answer three (3) of the following five (5) questions in paragraph form. Be sure that
you make specific reference to moments in the play in your answer and to cite specific
evidence in support of your answer.
Evaluation
Knowledge: Your knowledge of the play and what occurs.
Inquiry: Your ability to critically analyze situations in the play.
Communication: Do you effectively communicate your ideas?
Application: Do you apply concepts discussed in class to your answers?
Questions:
1. Explain/Discuss the mood and atmosphere of the play.
The mood and atmosphere of the play is a combination of dark and light. It has light
hearted comedy in combination with themes and symbols that are quite dark. For
example the play creates a funny light hearted mood with the several attempts by
Eva to commit suicide, but also discusses the theme of suicide in detail allowing the
audience to experience and understand it. Overall the play uses black comedy to
discuss difficult subjects.
2. Explain the difference in setting between the first house and the second
house.
The first house, Sindey and Jane’s, is clean, organized, and demonstrates a
partnership in their relationship. She cleans and prepares for the guests, while he
gathers himself to make a business pitch to Ronald. While the second house is dirty,
unorganized, and broken, like the relationship of Eva and Geoffery. Each house
represents each relationship. The first being a partnership and organized and the
second being depressing and broken.
3. How do characters from different classes interact?
In the beginning of the play Geoffery and Marion, upper class characters, talk down
to Sidney and Jane, making fun of their modest home and Jane’s cleaning. However,
as the play moves forward and Geoffery and Marion fall from their wealth and status
and Sidney rises, he holds the ‘upper hand’ on both couples. He then, like a
puppeteer uses his wealth and status to make the other couples dance. The play
demonstrates the idea that wealth is equal to status and power over those who are
not wealthy. Eva is happy to dance for Sidney in hopes that he will pity them and
give her husband a job.
4. How is the relationship between men and women portrayed in the play?
The relationship between the men and women depends upon their class and status.
In Jane and Sidney’s relationship, Jane, though seemingly subservient, actually has a
say in the play and acts as a partner to Sidney, while in the other two relationships if
the couples do not engage in a partnership, weather the man (Ronald in the end) or
woman (Eva in the end) are in control, the relationships are not healthy. The play
demonstrates that to be successful there must be equality in a relationship.
5. What are the power relationships between men and women (or characters
assuming male/female roles)?
In the play when either men or women are in power, the relationships tend to
suffer. Whereas when the couples are equal (Jane and Sidney) the wealth and status
grow. In the case of Geoffery and Eva, when he is in power they fall from success to
failure and when she is in power he is unable to gain employment. In the case of
Ronald and Marion, he has wealth and she formerly had beauty, but in the beginning
of the play she often ordered him around, which contributes to their fall and when
he has power at the end, they, like Geoffery and Eva are unable to climb out of their
misery and become successful. Overall the play says that in order to be successful in
the business world, must be equal and successful in domestic affairs.