Chapter Outline

Study the chapter outline below. Use the page numbers below each topic to refer to the corresponding section in Contemporary's GED Language Arts, Reading. When you are finished, go to the Flashcards or choose a different activity or chapter from the menu on the left.

Drama

(See page 249)

Drama consists of written works designed to be acted out on a stage in which the writing consists almost entirely of dialogue between characters.

Comparing Drama and Prose

(See pages 249–254)

Similarities between drama and prose:

Both tell a story.
Both create settings in which characters act out the events of the plot.

Differences between drama and prose:

Novels have a narrator while plays have stage directions.
Novels group sentences into paragraphs while plays are written in script form.

Recognizing the Parts of a Script

(See pages 255–259)

Acts are the major sections of long plays.
Scenes are specific episodes from a story set in one place and occurring during a fixed time period.
The cast list introduces the characters.
Stage directions establish the setting and suggest a character’s tone of voice, feelings, facial expressions, gestures, and actions.
Dialogue reveals character and advances the plot.

Story Elements of Drama

(See pages 260–262)

The setting is the place, time, and atmosphere in which the play occurs.
The plot is the series of events tracing the action of the play.
Characterization consists of the methods for revealing appearance, personality, and behavior.
The theme is the general statement that explains the underlying meaning of the play.

Characters: Performers of Drama

(See pages 263–266)

The observer makes inferences about the characters dramatic role by examining the characters’ behavior:

comments about themselves
comments about other people
responses to each other’s comments
reaction to events

Reading a Complete Scene from a Play

(See pages 267–276)

Ask the following questions to understand the elements and meaning of drama:

Where and when does the scene occur?
What is the topic of conversation?
What is the literal meaning?
What is the relationship between stage directions and dialogue?
How do other characters respond to the first speaker?
Does the dialogue reveal a conflict between characters?

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