Drama vs. Short Stories

Daily Objective 

0701.8.14 Explain the purpose and use of structural elements particular to dramatic literature (e.g., scenes, acts, cast of characters, stage directions) in plays that are read or viewed.

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SPI 0701.8.3 Distinguish among different genres (e.g., drama) using their distinguishing characteristics.

Drama vs. Short Stories

Drama  Comes

from the Greek Word,

“Dran”  Means “To do” or “To Act”  The Doing/Acting Makes Drama

Purpose and Definition 

A drama is a story written to be performed by actors, using speech and movements in front of an audience

Purpose of other genres Short story?  Speech?  Informational text? 

Elements of Drama Playwright-the author of a play  Actors-the people who perform  Acts-the units of action  Scenes-parts of the acts 

Elements of Drama Plot  Characters  Setting  Acts  Scenes 

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The related events that take place in a drama are separated into acts. Most plays have two or three acts, but there are many variations. Within an act, there are shorter sections called scenes. A play can have any number of scenes.

Genres 

Short stories Fiction or nonfiction  Realistic Fiction  Historical Fiction  Science Fiction  Etc. 

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Dramas for the stage (play)  For the movies (screenplay)  For television (teleplay) 

Characterization  Characterization-

playwright’s technique for making believable characters

Dialogue  

An author tells a story mainly through a narrator and some description and dialogue between characters. A playwright tells a story primarily through dialogue of the characters.

Dialogue is conversation between two or more characters.  

Dialogue in a short story= partly responsible for revealing a character’s personality Dialogue in a drama = totally responsible for revealing the characters and also carry the story forward.

Monologue 

Playwrights may also use a monologue, which occurs when only one character speaks for a while. The character may be with others onstage or may be alone.

Christine from Phantom of the Opera

In the written form of a play, dialogue appears without quotation marks. Practice reading this dialogue from The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street:

There are two characters in Mrs. Brand (from her porch). the conversation—Steve Steve? What and his wife, Mrs. Brand. was that? The name at the beginning Steve (raising his voice and looking of each line tells who is toward porch). Guess it was a meteor, honey. Came awful talking. When you read close, didn’t it? dialogue, you need to keep track of individual Mrs. Brand. Too close for my money! characters. Their words are Much too close. 

from The Monsters Are Due on

Maple Street

by Rod Serling

important clues to their personalities.

Stage Directions Mrs. Brand (from her porch). Steve? What was that? Steve (raising his voice and looking toward porch). Guess it was a meteor, honey. Came awful close, didn’t it? Mrs. Brand. Too close for my money! Much too close.

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from The Monsters Are Due on

Maple Street

by Rod Serling

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some lines have italicized words and phrases contained within parentheses. These are stage directions. They are not meant to be spoken aloud. For the actors—and for a reader of the play— they offer guidance on what is happening and how to understand the meaning of certain lines.

Stage Directions 

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Mary. Yes, I agree with you.

(She really doesn’t.)

As a reader, the stage direction “(She really doesn’t.)” helps you understand Mary’s feelings as well as events that may occur later in the play. An actor delivering this line would show that Mary doesn’t mean what she says. The actor might pause before speaking or move in a way that shows she is not sincere. When you read a play, be alert to the stage directions. When you watch a play, pay attention to the action and to specific actors’ movements. These are important elements of drama that convey meaning.

Group Review Dialogue Describe what dialogue looks like in a short story  What does the dialogue reveal in a short story?  What does dialogue look like in a drama?  What does dialogue reveal in a drama? (look back at notes) 

Group Work 1)

2)

Create a Venn Diagram that shows how short stories and dramas are alike and different. Remember the roles of the group

Presentations 

Reporters present the Venn Diagram to the class.

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Feedback – group to group

What did we learn today? 

0701.8.14 Explain the purpose and use of structural elements particular to dramatic literature (e.g., scenes, acts, cast of characters, stage directions) in plays that are read or viewed.

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SPI 0701.8.3 Distinguish among different genres (e.g., drama) using their distinguishing characteristics.

Exit Ticket 1. 2. 3. 4.

List one thing that short stories and drama have in common. List one way that short stories and drama are different. What is one thing you learned today? What is one question that you still have? Turn in your exit ticket to Mrs. Walters on your way out the door.