For Night, Mother..
I feel like "Will Jesse kill herself?" is a very weak dramatic question. The play is very complex and the decision and the way Jesse's mind works is, too, complex. Mama spends the entire play trying to convince Jesse to stop her nonsense and stay alive. I feel like a better one could be "Will Mama convince Jesse to not commit suicide?" Even though this seems like the same thing, I feel that it isn't. The point of Jesse even telling her mother about it is that she respects her (in my mind). She wants to spend that last night with her and her alone. She is sharing an intimate moment with her and even though she loves her, she has decided to get off of the train. The reason why this is a better question is because there are points in the play where the audience might think that Mama is actually getting to Jesse. Even though in my mind, Jesse has already completely decided to go through with the act, I feel though it is important for us to see the conflict between them and the tension.
Flea out!
I totally agree with this Major Dramatic Question!!! As you said, we know she is going to kill herself in the end, or we know she is going to attempt to kill herself. However, with Mama in the know of the plan, she gives Jesse a hard time at completing her task. I was really rooting for Mama, hoping that she could break through to Jesse. Not to mention, at the end of the play right before Jesse kills herself, Mama gives it her all. And when we hear the shot and find out Jesse's answer, we then find out the answer to the MDQ, and then the play ends.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good MDQ too. Mainly because it includes both Mamma and Jessie in it, because this play is really about both of them. I also agree with you that Jessie told her mom her plans out of respect, not spite. Jessie reiterated that multiple times in the text. She just wanted an intimate moment with her mom one last time before she leaves forever. This play was honestly way too sad for me.
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