themes in sweat by lynn nottage
This Study Guide consists of approximately 52 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Sweat. John Earl Jelks is heartbreaking as Chris's father, a maddened drug addict who has lost the respect of his family. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. "[9], The play's political context has also been noted. In a world deemed as free, there are still so many disparities within that statement. Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Building,200 Stanger Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, Phone: 540-231-6779, Fax: 540-231-7157,news.liberalarts@vt.edu Variety quotes the bartender, Stan, as warning the other characters that "You could wake up tomorrow and all your jobs are in Mexico", to which the characters respond with lethargy and disbelief. Saturday-Sunday February 25 & 26 at 2pm . "Sweat - Themes" eNotes Publishing The two men have not seen each other since the events that led to their incarceration. Dor Arena Theatre at CSUB. Nottage , through not making sweat a more general , traditional , " spectacle " , with large set pieces , costumes , etc . [9] The Wall Street Journal review suggested the play "explained" Trump's win. Local factory workers mull around a watering hole run by one of their former colleagues, Stan (Michael O'Keefe). Tracy is a middle aged white woman. . Log in here. Word Count: 524. I hope that they will ask really tough conversations, not just of themselves but of the legislators and the people who are in power, she said. The discrimination towards Oscar and others throughout the play stuck out to me because it is hard to see people who work so hard get torn down due to their heritage. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. She . Sweat - Lynn Nottage 2016-12-13 A hard-hitting new drama from the Pulitzer Prize-winning . Teachers and parents! Tracey and Jessie grow bitter. They both work at the factory and worry that they will be laid off. After what went down. Reviews focused on the similarities between the portrayal of the industrial working class in a Rust Belt town, and that being a significant area and demographic in the 2016 United States presidential election. An immediate divide is created between Cynthia and her friends. AHRM NewsASPECT News|Awards and Honors|Bookshelf|Communication News|English News|History News Stan tries to stop it but ends up getting hit. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), read analysis of Working-Class Disillusionment, read analysis of Relationships, Status, and Resentment, read analysis of Economic Strain and Race Relations, read analysis of Shame, Regret, and Forgiveness. Cmon. College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought, Department of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management, Department of Human Development and Family Science, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Department of Science, Technology, and Society, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for European Union, Transatlantic, and Trans-European Space Studies, Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies, Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, News Stories on International Initiatives, Sweat explores themes of race, gender, ethnicity, class, and labor relations in a deeply human way, Winning words: Cara Daggett, Thomas Gardner, and Madeline Eberhardt honored with Phi Beta Kappa awards, William Price honored with emeritus status, A career and technical education alumnus reflects on his experiences in the School of Education, School of Education doctoral student receives prestigious internship, The Virginia Tech chapter of Omicron Tau Theta initiates eight new members, Heidi Anne Mesmer helps teachers decode reading instruction, Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Tech supports students with disabilities across the region, School of Communication senior awarded inaugural Tech Sideline Endowed Scholarship, Cybersecurity expert offers safety tips for online holiday shopping, A new map reconstructs the social landscapes of Southwest Virginia prior to European arrival, Alumni Industry Leader Spotlight: Sofiat Abdulrazaaq, Nobelist Karen OBrien delivers lecture about climate change and society, Alumnus Kevin Roberts named next president of the Heritage Foundation, Tokyo Olympics a once-in-a-lifetime experience for School of Communication alumna, Michael Hughes honored with emeritus status, Researchers reflections offer insights on collaboration, Cadet chosen to highlight the colors at the Virginia game, Ending programs for gifted students wont create equity for rural youth, https://www.youtube.com/embed/YcReO9WfWeQ, Lights, gingerbread, eggnog some holiday sights and tastes have global roots, Virginia Tech School of Education nurtures STEM potential in the Mississippi Delta, Student-athletes excel on and off the court. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Jason, in particular, is notably altered by his time in prison, where he becomes a white supremacist. The BMCC Theatre Department invites you to enjoy the performance of 'SWEAT' by Lynn Nottage, directed by Diane Dowling. The play alternates between the same characters in 2000 and 2008, a plot structure that allows the audience to see how these choice pan out over timeand the shame and guilt that characters feel in response to their actions, even eight years later. It opened my eyes that racial slurs used in this production are still used today, and I believe that should've scared anyone in the audience. By clicking Receive Essay, you agree to our, Stereotypes inThe House on Mango Street Essay Example, Theme of Sexism in The Scarlet Letter Essay Sample, Argumentative Essay: The Dehumanization Of The Holocaust, Role of Social Class in Jane Eyre (Essay Sample), The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver Book Review, Essay Sample on Fahrenheit 451: The Frightening Analogy Between Societies, In Cold Blood and Criminal Justice Essay Example, Class Hierarchy inThe Great Gatsby Essay Example, Scrooge's Transformation in Dickens' A Christmas Carol Essay Sample, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. ', 'Come From Away', and 'Anastasia' Lead 2017 Drama Desk Award Nominations", "2017 Tony Award Nominations: 'The Great Comet' and 'Hello, Dolly!' The second is the date of The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. [] Im not prejudice, I say, you are who you are, you know? This section contains 1,616 words (approx. Overall, I believe that this production was truly eye-opening and although many problems are discussed, the awareness raised about racial tension was the most significant. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. The characters in Sweat have spent decades of their lives thanklessly laboring in Reading Pennsylvania's local steel and textile mills amid poor working conditions, disrespectful management, and union disputes. There are a group of friends that work for the steel factory. Centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania, Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. Stan, a middle-aged white man with a limp, bartends, and when the two women invite him to dance with them, he refuses. Everyone tries to stay positive, but as the strike goes on, they begin to get desperate. Moving up the corporate ladder results in a loss of friendships and social exclusion. I feel that its a common problem in our society to portray immigrants as needy and that they get special treatment for their race. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contactSusan Sanders prior to the event. Carroll, in his few scenes as the parole officer, conveys the father figure both boys need to rehabilitate. Jason and Chris are the sons of the two women who find themselves on opposite sides over the strike, but the young men are workers themselves and try to support the strikers. View our Privacy Policy. Nottage said her dream is that audience members, after seeing the play, will be inspired to sit down and talk to someone with whom theyve never had a conversation. Ive taken orders from idiots who were dangerous, or even worse, racist. Enjoy live events at insider prices. The ramifications of humanity's anger hangs over the play, yet Nottage hints at the power of forgiveness and redemption. This is shown in many of the bar scenes. She doesnt really believe a floor worker will get the promotion, but when Cynthia talks about applying, Tracey decides to as well. eNotes.com [5] She has compared her time talking to former steelworkers in Reading with the occasion when she stayed in the town of Mansfield in the English Midlands and interviewed workers during the 1984 miners' strike. For online purchase, find ticket links here. This contributed to the story of the play, as we continually see different scenes centered around drinking, especially after work or on stressful days. [8] Reviews of the play have described the characters as representing blue-collar workers who voted in Donald Trump as president. But I meancmonyou guys coming over here, you can get a job faster than. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sweat is preceded by an excerpt from Langston Hughes's "Let America Be America Again," a poem that critiques the false promise of the American Dream and encourages poor and working-class Americans (among other marginalized groups) to rise up and "make America again"essentially to "redeem" the oppression they've faced and the opportunities For a thoughtful portrait, turn to playwright Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat', "The First Theatrical Landmark of the Trump Era", "Lynn Nottage: 'Nostalgia is a disease many white Americans have', "Review: Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat' Examines Lives Unraveling by Industry's Demise", "Off Broadway Review: Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat', "Lynn Nottage's SWEAT Headed to The Public Next Year; Broadway on the Horizon? The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Sweat is about the private toll of this great decline. After the lockout goes forward, Cynthias friendship with Tracey completely disintegratesand when the play jumps forward from 2000 to 2008, its revealed that theyve never reconciled. Alumni, Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics, Theatre Department Performance: SWEAT by Lynn Nottage. 199 Chambers Street Oscar reiterates how he was born here as well, yet Tracey was too blinded by the difference in ethnicity to see her wrongdoing. The play opens in 2008, and we meet Jason and Chris as they individually speak to their parole officer, Evan. Pietz portrays Jessie as a lonely woman hiding in a glass of alcohol. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. You dont want to go down that road, weve got too much history between us. During the play Cynthia applies for a managing job at the plant which causes some problems. Tell me about whats been going on. Themes and Colors LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sweat, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Although much of the . Try it today! Students The kind but stalwart officer (Kevin T. Carroll) hopes a reunion between the two will help heal their wounds. Variety described Nottage as going into "the heart of working-class America". They both are arrested for assault and are released eight years later. CYNTHIA: Ive stood on that line, same line since I was nineteen. News Stan tries to stay positive, but as the parole officer,.... Get updates on new titles an online source, it is important to include all dates. The power of forgiveness and redemption ive stood on that line, same line since I was.. Lonely woman hiding in a world deemed as free, there are group... 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