Reading
Comprehension:
Understanding
Plays
“Like a novel, short story, or narrative
poem, a play has a tale to tell, but its
story is not so much told as shown.” –
Brodkin & Pearson
Understanding plays is similar to
understanding stories. They both have a
plot, characters, and use literary devices,
which make their stories come to life
However, plays are different because they
are written to be SEEN. Thus, they also
have stages and stage directions, which
tell the story through descriptions or
actions
1. Stage Set
The stage set introduces the setting,
the characters, and also
establishes the mood
Interpreting a Stage Set
Observations
•What do you see? Where is the
play taking place? What is on the
stage?
Impressions
•What do you feel? How is the
stage described?
Interpretation
•What do you think? What
hypothesis do you have about the
play (mood, characters, plot)?
2. Exposition
& Pantomime
In a play, the
exposition is the initial
dialogue.
Pantomime is wordless
action (think of
mimes!).
BOTH exposition and
pantomime develop
the setting, characters,
mood, and plot
3. Plot
The plot develops the conflict in the play.
There are many types of conflict: man against
man, man against himself, man against nature,
man against society
4. Characters
Characters are developed
through what we see (stage
directions) and what we hear
(dialogue).
Stage Direction: description,
dress, actions, interactions
Dialogue: speech
Heat Lightning
By Robert F. Carroll
Independently, Interpret
The Setting
The Characters
Observations (See)
Observations (See)
________________
Girl: ______
Man_____
________________
______
_____
Impressions (Feel)
Impressions (Feel)
________________
Girl: ______
Man:______
________________
______
______
Interpretations (Think)
Interpretations (Think)
______________
Girl_______
Man:_____
Analyzing
Stage
Directions
From Heat Lightning,
find 4 examples of
stage directions that
reveal a character’s
mood or feelings.
EXAMPLE
EX: “Girl. (Hysterically.) Thank goodness! You’re here! Oh,
thank goodness!” p. 3
The stage direction “hysterically” reveals the Girl’s
distress. Although the audience does not know it, the
Girl is distressed because she just witnessed a man
trying to cover up a murder. For the audience, this stage
direction provides the first clue that something terrible has
happened.
Irony
Adding tension and suspense to horror stories!
Situational Irony: When the exact opposite of what you expect,
happens.
- A fire hydrant (or fire station) on FIRE
Verbal Irony: When the speaker says the opposite of what they mean
= “LOVELY WEATHER”
= “Absolutely GORGEOUS outside today!”
Dramatic Irony: When the audience is “in on a secret.” More
specifically, the full significance (meaning) of a character’s words or
actions are known to the audience although unknown to the character
Here are some examples of Irony in Heat
Lightning:
“If people were smart they wouldn’t be out on a night like this.” p. 8
“What a night! Always wonder what brings people out on nights like
this. Wouldn’t catch me out if it weren’t pretty important.” p. 8
1.What makes these quotes ironic?
2.What type of irony is it? (Verbal, Situational, or
Dramatic)?
3.Find another example of Irony in Heat Lightning.
Explain why it is ironic.