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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 200 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by midnight on the night PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading.
Before reading this, I am not sure I knew that the story of Oedipus was a greek myth/legend before Sophocles decided to make it into a play. While it was more of an introduction to this chapter rather than the focus, Spencer’s discussion of how Sophocles chose a moment in the well known story of Oedipus to create a plot helped me think about my own play, which is based on a biblical parable. Like Sophocles, I have an outline for my story and the characters, but I need to find the right moment to insert my own ideas for a plot. Spencer definitions of plot versus story helped me look at my own play and characters from a different angle than I had been.
ReplyDeleteAs for Ferris Wheel, I think it might be my favorite out of the plays we have read because the setting was such a unique one and was described so well despite the set just being a couple of folding chairs. The characters were interesting and unique and the setting made it plausible for two adults who never met each other to have a full, interesting, personal and entertaining conversation.
Lacey Naumann
Spencer states that “A journey, then, implies a change. The end of the journey is not the same as the beginning. One is in a different place. In a literal journey, it’s a different physical place; in a play, also, the journey may be physical, but one hopes it’s metaphorical as well.” (page 205) I see a lot of this taking place in the play “Ferris Wheel” by Mary Miller. I also see other elements in the play that Spencer mentions in his section “The Journey of the Play”, such as the plot thickening, and suspense.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the play, I saw the transformation, the journey of these two characters John and Dorie, John is addicted to cigarettes and Dorie is afraid of heights. Them being stuck on the Ferris Wheel together and kind of being forced to talk; we saw the journey through these two different peoples lives, that was also suspenseful but also rather impulsive (in my opinion). Spencer talks a lot about protecting the impulse of writing and I felt like maybe that’s what the author was doing when she wrote the play, but other than that I think the plot of the story was well written and it matched up to what Spencer was saying in his chapter about how the journey of the play should go and how it is set up.
Ilene Guevara
I enjoyed the story this week I thought it tied in well with Spencer’s section on suspense, which was my favorite section of the chapter. Spencer writes, “Many experienced writers make the mistake if thinking that by omitting crucial information they are making the play suspenseful”. In the play I found myself wondering why Dorie kept up the tradition of going on a Ferris wheel every birthday. She mentioned about her dad saying that you should try something that scares you, but ultimately she had the option to just simply stop going on the ride. Her reason for continuing the tradition was never really explained, but it also didn’t take away from the story itself. I didn’t find myself confused, it was easy enough to accept.
ReplyDeleteI feel that “Ferris Wheel” did a great job at leaving us in suspense, it made me wonder why these characters decided to deal with their internal issues in this moment, as opposed to other instances in their life. And the suspense for me was wondering what their conversation was leading to.
I wasn’t disappointed with the ending but whenever there’s an ending where two people go their separate ways after sharing a moment, I always wish there was more. But then again referring back to Spencers section on suspense, “Suspense may also be created another way: by forcing the audience to wonder whether the character will accomplish his goal”. The ending had me wondering wether Dorie & John will ever meet again, Dorie makes the comment that she does it every birthday but what if she meets someone else, what if she gets busy doing something else, what if John never goes back through that town. It leaves a bit of mystery about the couple.
I believe I have the opposite problem, I constantly want to put too much information and rarely leave room for suspense or mystery.
Aisha Teegarden
With both readings, I was able to find a clear connection between journey and character interaction, as described by Spencer and implemented in Ferris Wheel. He writes "If your play is to have plot in the micro sense, your characters must listen to each other. They don't have to respond logically...But they can acknowledge in some way that the other character has done or said something" (pg 213). In Ferris Wheel, we can see this when the characters begin to have their own monologues independent of one another, each triggered by the other's revelations of their anxieties. With the ending especially, we see that John has been affected by Doris' superstitions with his action of putting away his cigarette at the sound of thunder, remembering her story about her sister and thus showing him at the end of his journey, having changed as a character as Spencer equates, "A character begins here, in a state of need and longing, unfulfilled, and he ends there, where he is at last satisfied, no longer empty, but full" (pg 205). With this in mind, I had a better understanding of how in my play, I found that one of my characters wasn't going on a journey of change and remained static in their goal the whole play, instead of being challenged and given a chance to explore their growth as Spencer recommends. -Jesse Rocha
ReplyDeleteSpencer’s section gives us an insight on the journey the play must have, basically the plot. He talks about how we should give the audience a sense of change between the characters and their interactions. As he says, “We have dreams because we need to work something out.” He reflects that our character’s wants and desires should be center stage throughout the play. Mary Miller’s Ferris Wheel puts the most awkward situation a person can have in their life, in this case is being stuck on top of a ferris wheel with a total stranger and being forced to talk, and gives it a comical twist. The play reflects what Spencer was pointing out on how the audience should see changes between the characters, and both John and Dorie have their own little journey. John has an addiction to cigarettes, although he throws away the cigarette, he has discomfort and asks for gum or candy, which is a way addicts try to keep their mind off cigarettes. Dorie has a fear of heights and is easily influenced by those around her, so she distracts herself by conversing with John. They each develop, even if it's not a significant way, the audience is captivated by the comical manner they talk.
ReplyDelete-Luis Alonzo
I like how Spencer emphasizes on how a character in any story must go through a certain journey or better yet, how the story itself must go through that path. He also claims that it is a writer’s job to sort of a sense of change in certain aspects of the story. With that being said, I must say that I would agree with him. If a story was identical the whole way through without any apparent change, then what’s the point of reading it all? The audience likes to see a dynamic character—he or she who changes throughout the story and realizes things about himself or his surroundings that makes them change in certain aspects—such as behavior or thoughts. Regarding Ferris wheel, I liked the suspense that it contained. I am personally a huge fan of suspense and thrillers and plot twists, because I mean, who doesn’t like them? It’s what makes any type of story interesting and engaging. I think that this chapter helps us learn about the importance of putting that story into the path of change—that can either range from character interaction, change in scene, mood, or tone. Always try to make the story interesting without the fear of including a little too much sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIvanna Zamudio Trevino
In “Ferris Wheel” by Mary Miller, we see the topic Spencer discusses at play. Dorie and John are stuck on the ferris wheel, and although the play ends, still on the ferris wheel, the two have built an understanding with one another before going their separate ways. One of my favorite lines is when the two of them are overlapping their stories in their conversation where John talks about his aunt with the black leather purse while Dorie clutches hers. The irony and the way they continue to confess random thoughts to each other is different from the other plays we’ve read. The changes these characters have on each other is what Spencer pointed out to look for throughout the play. This is their journey and what the characters were created for. It’s like forcing them into the plot and making it a better story altogether. Seeing a situation like that in “Ferris Wheel” where the dynamic characters are sort of forced to be dynamic makes me think about what kind of situation I can put my own characters in, and how I can incorporate it into my own writing.
ReplyDelete-Gabriela Urbano
Reading “Ferris Wheel” by Mary Miller was fun. It was quirky and innocent, even the characters names fit so perfectly with the way they acted. John is normal, a regular joe trying to make conversation with Dori throughout the ride. Where Dori is the quirky one, riding the Ferris wheel even though she’s scared, spitting out all these weird facts about her family. Throughout the play all I could think of was how cute Dori and John would have looked together, the suspense of the relationship and if they’ll see each other next year on the Ferris wheel is killing me. Going through Spenser’s reading learning about the Journey of a play, how a character begins and where they end. Yes, the characters make the play but with out a plot there is no reason for the characters. Spenser gives the example from a play that he saw, it received great reviews, yet he believed that there was no story line. Only little quotes here and there that would please the audience, but no story line. The problem with this is the audience catches on, they get bored. Where is the structure the development, there isn’t any. Which is why the point from A to B to C is what the characters should follow. A start a climax and a conclusion.
ReplyDeleteKendra Lara
The “journey” a play undertakes follows the cause-and-effects that a character goes through. Things happen, and the characters have to respond to the things happening. That is how to create a non-episodic plot. Characters have to have a flow that makes sense to the audience. A character changes according to their reaction to the circumstances – Oedipus’ search for knowledge causes him to hurt himself. In “Ferris Wheel,” John and Dorie react to each other’s idiosyncrasies, which changes both of them. Their meeting affects them both profoundly, to the point where they even fall a little bit in love.
ReplyDeleteOur plays must follow some path in which the characters we created become different people, if only slightly, by the end of the play. Whatever that change is has to be a reaction to something that occurs during the play. This is how to create a plotline that audiences become invested in. I think it’s also necessary for us to have a larger story outside of the plot that can help guide us through to that change. Knowing where your characters come from can inform the necessary changes the character undergoes. In order to make the audience invest into the play, you have to give them a payoff that makes ties the whole play together.
Rodin Grajo
The first thing I liked was the beginning of Spencer’s chapter 11, “A play is a journey you take alone first, then with your collaborator, and ultimately with an audience.” (204) This quote can be found in the first paragraph of the chapter, it is the opening sentence. In page 205, Spencer goes more in depth over your character’s journey in the play you wrote as how “his journey is certainly, clearly, over.” I think this is interesting because I have never thought about a play as a journey, and I think that other forms of writing could be considered as a journey as well. In a play, the character’s journey is important to the development of the play, then, journey of the audience is important as well so they can reflect their feelings at the beginning and at the end, and that is when change comes, “A journey, then, implies a change.” (205) Everyone needs to feel something about their own play and other people’s work.
ReplyDeleteFrom the 10-minute play, Ferris Wheel, I liked how believable the character’s were, as in fragile and vulnerable. I think this play is about being afraid, and taking a little risk, as in open to change. Both John and Dorie are complete strangers, and they need to share the seat, but they end up being stuck in the ferris wheel. I think that, by this part, they are trying to conquer their own fears (Dorie fearing heights and I believe John’s is to quit smoking), and by one moment, they do it and seem to feel free with each other, but not anymore by the end.
Paulina Longoria
In this chapter, Spencer really goes into depth about how to develop and organize a story, and what the plot of a play really means both to the author and the audience. His characterization of a play as a 'journey you take alone first' really emphasizes how a writer should not attempt to force a story down any one path, but rather follow the one that emerges naturally from the characters.
ReplyDeleteOne of Spencer's main points and something that is made very clear by 'Ferris Wheel' is that a plot, rather than beginning at point A to point B and being a static thing, is more like a journey that the characters go on, one that can be physical, mental, or emotional. The only ironclad requirement is that there be change of some sort. Only with change of some form by the end of the play can the audience truly relate to the character and their struggles. Even regression or failure is a change -- as long as your character does not end the play in exactly the same way they began it, then there is still something to engage the audience and make them think. The beginning, the rise, and the conclusion are how they change, but why they change and in what way is just as important to the plot.
Nathan Phillip