Master Harold & The Boys: Day 2; South African Writers (a sample)

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Lab:

Some information about South Africa, Apartheid, and Athol Fugard.


Please read the short stories:
"Snapshots of a Wedding", "The Interpreter for the Tribunal" and "Not Far From the Tree".

Choose one of the prompts & write:
  • Think of a celebration (a wedding, birthday, graduation, holiday, a March Madness party, retirement, funeral, etc.) and use Bessie Head's structure to write various "snapshots" of the celebration.
  • Use the information about South Africa or Apartheid and set a short story there.
  • Move outside of your comfort zone as a writer. Write from the perspective of a character from a different race, gender, sexual orientation, or country (culture)
Use time in the lab to work on your portfolio or workshop your pieces. Remember to put drafts in your group workshop folder! Members of your group should give you feedback.

Period 2: 

We will continue reading Master Harold and the Boys. Get into reading groups of 3-4. Each person of your group should read one of the characters (or also the stage directions if there are 4 members of your group). No one should work alone. Please allow stray peers to join your group of 3 if there are people working alone.

Please answer the following questions TOGETHER as you read. Elect the stage manager (or one of the main characters, or share the responsibility) of writing down the answer to turn in for participation credit for your group (choose 5):
  • Themes of race, age, responsibility, being true to yourself/disillusionment with the way things are, education, art & culture are touched upon in the play. Choose a couple and discuss how these themes are presented to us as an audience.
  • Why do you think Fugard did not divide his play into more than one act? What's the effect of not having any breaks?
  • Why might Fugard set his play using the classical unities of time, place, and action? [only 1 setting, action is continuous, play takes place over a few short hours]? If there were going to be a second act to this play, what might it be about?
  • Read about Fugard (at the end of the play packet) and make some assumptions about the autobiographical nature of the play. How does he weave his own understanding or experience or political beliefs into the conflict, setting, and characters of the play? What seems to be his agenda in writing this play?
  • Discuss the characters in relation to each other. How do their personalities/character create conflict and complications in the play? Give specific examples (pg #'s, etc.)
  • What does dancing signify in the play? How does music comment on the themes of the play? Why are the arts important to the characters?
  • If you were to write this play, what changes would you make? Why?
  • Other*--select this option only once. Write down your question and the answer your group gave.
Your group's answers are due next class.

HOMEWORK: Your group can decide to read ahead. Otherwise, you will complete your reading during period 1 or 2 (remember your group should help each other answer 5 of the discussion questions...!)

If you missed watching any of the links/videos during this unit, please go back and view them.

Portfolios are due March 28. 

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