Term
| pg.87"Wherever you come near the human race, there's layers and layers of nonsense...." |
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Definition
| The stage manager is provinding some exposition and insight into the story for the readers and the audience. Humans have a habit of concentrating and taking great pride in some things that are just layers, and not the center. You need to focus on the center, the essence of life to be truly happy. |
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Term
pg.88 "There's something way down deep thats eternal about every human being." "They're waitin'. They're waitin' for something that they feel is comin'. Something important, and great. Aren't thaey waitin' for the eternal part in them to come out clear?." "And what's left when memory's gone, and your identity, Mrs.Smith." |
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Definition
| The stage manager is still speaking to the audience, providing exposition. He delves deep into the meaning of life and death, causing both the reader and the audience to think. There is something of you, your soul that will last forever, and it's not any sort of physical, or material object. The essence of you, maybe your attitude, will be eternal and immortal. Your impact on those around you, will be eternal. |
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Term
| pg.93 "Childbirth. I'd forgotton all about that. My, wasn't life awful- (with a sigh) and wonderful. |
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Definition
| This was said by Mrs.Soams to the assembled dead and the audience. The basic gist was theat for the living, life is a turmoil, a struggle just to get to the next day, and to aquire more material possesions. In that sense, that struggle, life was awful- but you were still living. There was joy and laughter, and the world was full of people tellling you to live your life to the fullest. |
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Term
| pg.96 "Live people don't understand, do they? |
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Definition
| This quote is said from Emily to Mrs.Gibbs. She is implying that live people dont understand or appreciate the importance and simple joy of just living. Most live peoples goal is to forge through life, when you should really live every day as if it was your last, because one day, it will be. |
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Term
| pg. 99 "And as you watch it, you see the thing that they-down there- never know. You see the future. You know whats going to happen afterwards. |
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Definition
| Emily, in a way is still very naieve, seeing how new she is to being dead. She has no idea about the pain that comes with seeing loved ones who can no longer see the present you. The Stage Manager is gently trying to explain this, but I think he knows that the only way for her to accept it is to experience the pain herself. |
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Term
| pg.100 No!- At least choose an uninportant day. Choose the least important day in your life. It will be important enough. |
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Definition
| Like the Stage Manager, Mrs.Gibbs has resigned herself to the fact that Emily has her mind set on traveling through her memories. Here she is trying to make the experinces as leat painful as possible. Emily still has no conception of the pain that comes with going to the past. Just seeing someone you used to know, or love, on the most ordinary day, is painful enough. |
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Term
pg. 107 "Oh, Mama, just look at me for oneminute as though you really saw me. Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I'm dead. You're a grandmother, Mama. I married George Gibbs, Mama. Wally's dead too. Mama, his appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it- don't you remember? But, just for a moment now we're happy. Let's look at one anouther. |
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Definition
| Emily is now feeling the horror that the assembled dead had tried to help her avoid.Her life is over, and she has so many regrets, ones that can't be changed.You go back into you're memories to remember the good times, only to reconize the signs, and know what's going to happen in the future, good or bad, and not be able to inform anyone in the memories about it. |
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Term
| pg 108 " I can't. I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one anouther. I didn't realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back- up the hill- to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good by, Good by world. Goodby, Grovers Corners, Goodby to clocks ticking... and Mama's sunflowers. And food anf coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths... and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anyone to realize you. |
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Definition
| Emily has accepted the reality that she is dead and that the majority of live people will only ever get the basic gist of the meaning of life. She realizes that memories and the past should be left as they are, and going back is painful, and not for the best if only to clarify feelings for those you love. |
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Term
| pg. 109 "Simon Stimpson that aint the whole truth and you know it. Emily, look at that star, I forget its name." |
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Definition
- From Mr. Gibbs to Simon.
- A valiant attemp at cheering Emily up and erasing the sting from Simon's words, Mrs.Gibbls brings up the bueaty of nature and earth.
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Term
| pg.109 "Yes, now you know. Now you know! That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance, to go up and down trampling on the feelings of those... of those about you. To spend time as though you have a million years. To be always at the mercy of one self- centered passion, or anouther.Now you know- that's the happy existence you wanted to go back to. Ignorance and blidness. |
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Definition
- From Simon Stimpson to Emily.
- He is reffering to himself.
- He has carried his mindset from life to death, and still has many issues to deal with.
- Life is so much more than ignorance and blindness.
- He never truly experienced the joys, only the blackness and pain.
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