Michael J Moody The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds Analysis Directing

Part One- The reasons

1. why did you choose the play? What about it appeals to you?- I originally choose this play solely because I need a girl, girl scene for directing. But as I read it I really started to enjoy this play because Tillie showed me that everyones life is important and that we all contribute to a greater cause then ourselves. Just like the atom I saw a scene with Amanda Judd playing Tillie during Acting B and I really liked the scene where Tillie and Ruth are talking amongst each other and Ruth is saying how much the school is going to laugh at their mother. I like this particular scene because Ruth has a lot of tactics that she uses in order to insure Tillie feels terrible. I feel like as a director I could provide the actor playing Ruth with even more tactics through my staging and I feel that would add more dynamic and make the scene more interesting. I also adore Tillies character. Although she has the least amount of lines I really enjoy her character because she is very collected and occupied by her in own thoughts. She is also a very good conflict avoider and knows how to get what she wants from her mother and sister, Shes very passive and collected and those are qualities I wish I had. . 2. What character do you relate to the strongest and why?- I think I relate to the Ruth the most because of her manipulative nature. She likes getting whatever she wants. For example she wants to make Tillie feel bad so what does she do? She tells Tillie that everyone is going to laugh at their mom, and that she looks really bad in the bow, and that her looks really messy and even goes as far

as taking Tillies rabbit Peter from her. Although I dont like this fact i know that when I really want something I sometimes manipulate people in order to get what I want and that is something that Ruth is definitely good at. 3. Pose 2 or more questions that begin with why and answer them-

Why is Tillie so infatuated with the concept of atoms? One reason I think
Tillie enjoys the atoms is because atoms are a part of everything which means that she is a part of everything. What I mean when I say that is that in Tillies opening monologue she says He told me to look at my hand, for a part of it came from a star that exploded too long ago to imagine. Or perhaps this part of me became lost in a terrible beast, or became part of a huge bird that flew above the primeval swamps She likes atoms because they are a part of everything. So if an atom is a part of a star one of those atoms from that beautiful exploded star could be a part of Tillie. Tillie believes that atoms from beautiful things can be a part of her but she also believes that she can also get atoms from other non appealing things like terrible beast and things of that nature. Another reason why Tillie is so in love with the concept of atoms is because they are sort of explain her perspective on life. Atoms are small and minute. And to Tillie she feels that she is small and non-important to everyone. Her mother, her sister, her teachers, her school, everyone. But when she learns that even though all atoms are small they are all needed for a more bigger cause she develops a new view on life. I believe that Tillie is content with the fact that even though she feels that she is not important and very minute she is still contributing to a bigger cause in life that she may not even fully understand. Just like the atom.

Why is Beatrice controlling of Tillie and Ruths success? Beatrice

character is very interesting and has a lot of different dynamics that make up her personality. In the play something happened to Tillie and Ruths fathers that sets the whole family off balance. I think that Beatrice knows that Ruth will not be successful because ever since their father left Ruth has been off in the head.. So she doesnt spend much time suppressing her and not letting Ruth do certain things she enjoys. But I believe that she knows that even though Tillie is very quiet and that people make fun of her that she is the smartest person in the family and that she will be successful. So that is why Beatrice is always keeping her out school because she knows that Tillie is very intelligent and will make something of herself and that would make Beatrice very jealous. Beatrice is always talking about her various failed career including A Real estate course, Beauty school and a dancer. So if someone else in the family besides her becomes successful that would fill her with a lot of jealously. So to avoid that from occurring she continually suppresses Tillie, verbally abusing her to keep her down, and keeps her out of school as much as she can so that she can ensure that Tillie stays away from success. To no avail however. 4. What dominant image did you see upon reading the play and why? When I see this play I see the structure of an atom. Since Beatrice thinks she the center of attention I would have Beatrices head replace that part of the Nucleus. Then inside the nucleus are the protons and neutrons. Since Ruth and Nanny are both centered around Beatrice I would have Ruth and Nannys head replace the protons and neutrons. Lastly I would have Tillie replace the electron. Electrons

dont cross the nucleus. They go and circle around the atom and dont often interact with the protons neutrons and the nucleus. Thats a lot like Tillie. She tries to stay out of the way of everyone elses path. If Tillie were any part of the atom I think she would be the electron. 5. Give 8 words representing the major themes or actions of the play Atom- the smallest unit of matter and a euphemism for life. Envy- Beatrice envys Tillies success because of her lack of success in her own life Broken- This play is about a broken family. Ever since the father left their family the family had been damaged in some way and it affects them now. Example Ruth now has lost her mind and has nightmare a lot and Beatrice has become more controlling Science- Tillie is really into the study of science Rabbit- Tillie best friend is Peter the rabbit. Beatrice is constantly trying to get rid of the rabbit and ends up killing the rabbit and Tillie ends up giving Ruth the rabbit to make her stop being so mean. Plants- Tillie is really into the subject of plants and growing things because that is what her science fair is about Dreams/Nightmare- Ruth often has different interesting dreams and nightmare through the course of the play that even leads to sleepwalking. Suppression- Beatrice suppresses Tillies success because she feels bad about not being successful in her own life.

6. Is there a general theme/idea/visual/verb that reflects your thinking of

the play you did not mention in # 4 or #5- I really loved the character Tillie..
I think a theme Tillie helped me realize is that everyone is important. She took the concept of the atom and that the atom is so small and minute and unimportant and at times we all feel like that atom. Like we dont matter in the world. But Tillie says that atoms, even though they are small are a part of great things and without those atoms life couldnt exist. It makes you feel like that even though you dont feel that youre important and that your life doesnt matter. But if you use Tillies idea of the atom it makes you realize that even though you dont feel important each and every one of us are contributing to a bigger cause.

7. Straight Crooked Square Short Open Little Bright Win Down Stiff Hard Sleek Chaos Spring Winter Melancholy Curved Jagged Round Small Closed Fast Dull Loose Dark Pliant Smooth Cumbersome New Summer Happy Pensive Diagonal Smooth Long Large Big Slow Glossy Up Light Soft Rough Order Old Fall Sad Satisfied

Part two Given Circumstances

A Environmental- In The Effect of Gamma Rays On Man in the Moon

marigolds there is not much mention of the outside world as far as Region or City is concerned but the setting of the play is very interesting. This is the only mention of a setting in the whole entire play but it is very important and even gives you a backstory to the play. A room of wood which was once a vegetable store and a point of debarkation for a horse drawn wagon to bring its wares to a small town. This first thing the playwright brings up in his setting of the play is he brings up the fact that the house used to be a vegetable store and that it was a sort of a stopping point so that you could give your products to the small town like vegetables and fruit and things of that nature. This is important to the play because it shows that this place used to be very important and have a lot of business.

But the store is gone and a widow of confusion has placed her touch on everything. A door to NANNYs room leads off from this main room, and in front of the door hang faded curtains which allow ventilation in the summer. There is a hallway and a telephone. A heavy wood staircase lead to a landing with a balustrade, two doors, and a short hall, BEATRICE sleeps in one room; TILLIE and RUTH share the other. Next Paul Zindel says that even though the store used be a place of communion and popular it is now torn up and a place of confusion and sadness. That is important because that relates to the family dynamic. Beatrice, Tillie, and Ruths family used to be fine when their father was still with them. Everything was fine with their life and they were living there life normally. And just like the Store it was normal. The store was functioning just fine. But after Beatrices husband left the family, everything got turned upside down. Just like the Store it was all fine but now a days it is all tattered and torn up. The playwright also mentions where everyone stays in the house. Nanny has her own room as well Beatrice but Tillie and Ruth have to share a room. Now you can conclude that the reason why Tillie and Ruth have to share a room together is because that they are the kids. But I think that another reason that they could have to share a room is because Beatrice doesnt believe that her kids are really important enough to have their own rooms.

Objects which respectable people usually hide in closest are scattered about the main room: newspapers, magazines, dishes; empty bottles; clothes; suitcases; last weeks sheets. Such carelessness is the type which is so perfected it must have evolved from hereditary processes; but in all fairness to the occupants. It can be pointed out that after twilight when shadows and weak bulbs work their magic. The room becomes interesting. With this part of the setting you start to see how the family acts through their environments. Things that people usually would clean up are just sprawled all over the house. But the things that are all over the floor also tell us something about the characters. The Newspapers and magazines all over the ground shows that someone in the family reads often. The dishes and the empty bottles on the floor shows that the family really doesnt care to much about a clean house. The clothes and suitcases suggest that maybe one of the characters in the family likes to travel a lot if they have a suitcase out and about. And the last weeks sheets hanging around just further pushes the idea that the family does not care about cleanliness.

On a table near the front left of the room is a small wire cage designed to hold a rabbit. Near this are several school books, notebook papers, and other weapons of high school children. A kitchen area, boasting a hot plate, has been carved near the bottom of the staircase, and the window, which was formerly the front of the vegetable store, is now mostly covered with old newspapers so that passersby cannot see in. A bit of the clear grass remains at the top but drab, lifeless drapes line the sides of the window With this description of the setting you now know that there are kids living in this house as well. He says that there is a rabbit in a small cage as well as school books and notebook paper which implies that there one if more kids living in the house and the kid and or kids probably own that rabbit as well since there descriptions were paired together.

3. Date- There is no direct mention of what the date is in the play. The only really mention of any type of date is when Tillie and Janice begin to talk about Past, Present and Future In their science fair projects. Tillies science project was her studying the effect of gamma- rays on the man in the moon marigolds. On the presentation of her project there are 3 panels set up that are labeled Past, Present and Future For her panel that says Past Tillie talks about how her seeds that she planted had been introduced to various degrees of radiation. For her panel that says Present she talks about the plants re action to the degrees of radiation. She concluded that the plants that were exposed to a little bit of radiation grew and they appeared to be normal in appearance. The plants that

were exposed to moderate radiation mutated the flowers. Some of the mutations included double bloomed flowers, giant stems and variegated leaves. The plants that received a lot of radiation either died or were yielded as dwarf plants. Next she talked about the Future. She says that in the future when more is known and understood about radiation and the atom that it would change the whole world. Janice, Tillies competition for the science fair also talks about the Past Present and the Future. Janice science project was her boiling the skin off a cat and re arranging the bones. She beings her presentation just like Tillies talking about the Past. She says that she got her cat from the A.S.P.C.A after it was hit by a car. After she gets the cat she boils the cat in a sodium hydroxide solution until most of the skin came off. She then had to scrape the rest of the skin off the bones with a grizzle. She then goes onto her Present saying that the reason why this project is important is because it can teach kids about anatomy even if there are some bones missing. Lastly she goes on to her Future stating that she is going to donate her science fair project to the science department and if there was another science fair next year that she may want to try this same experiment with a dog.

4. Economic- The Hunsdorfer family economic situation isnt too great. Since their house used to be a vegetable store it is obvious that business went down so they had to change the store into something else to keep revenue coming in. Beatrice is also always trying to find a new house to buy so that they can get out of the house they are currently in but repeatedly concludes that they dont have

enough money to buy a new house. Beatrice also complains about how her job that she does now( taking care of old people) doesnt pay her much and that she wishes she could have stayed with one of her other various career paths

5. Political- There is no real mention of politics but Beatrice on numerous occasions expresses her distaste for the schools education system. She has a couple of things that she dislikes about the school system. One of them being Beatrice feels like they waste too much time teaching science. Tillie always comes home from school and tell Beatrice about what she learned in science and Beatrice feels like science is a waste of time. Beatrice also feels that they need to be teaching them more things that they can actually use in life because Beatrice feels that school is a waste of time and that you dont really need it in real life.

6. Social- As far as the social ladder is concerned Beatrice is desperate to be on top. She is constantly trying to be in control of everything. She tells Mr. Goodman, Tillies science teacher what Tillie is going to do and what she is not going to do as well as belittles him. She yells at Ruth constantly and even though she respects Ruth more than she does Tillie she still puts Ruth down. And Beatrice barely notices Tillie until Tillie is in the semifinals for the science fair. Beatrice knows that out of both of her children Tillie is the smartest and is the one destined for a future. So to keep Tillie under wraps she keeps Tillie down by threatening to kill Tillies rabbit because Tillie loves her Rabbit and keeping Tillie from school so that she wont learn anything or have any fun. Now onto Ruth,

after Ruths father left the family, Ruth lost her mind and started having crazy nightmares. She is somewhat of a rebel and likes to work the system to her advantage. Her mother likes to put her down and since Ruth is put down by her mother Ruth takes out her frustration by putting Tillie down. There are multiple cases in the play were Ruth makes fun of the way Tillie dresses or talks about how everyone thinks Tillie is a laughing stock of the school. This is Ruths way of feeling empowered. The last character in the play is Tillie and she catches hell from everyone. She is very quiet but inside her quiet mind lies a lot of wisdom. She tends to try to avoid conflict with her mother and her sister but they always end up attacking her in some way. She deals with all of this conflict by her belief in the concept of atoms. She believes that even though her life may seem crappy due to her father leaving, the school making fun of her and her mother and sister constantly verbally abusing her that she is still a part of something that is bigger than herself and that keeps her strong.

7. Religion- There is no mention of religion

B Previous Action- there is a whole bunch of events that happen before the play starts that drastically effects the current events of the play. The first things is that the place that the Hunsdorfer family live used to be a very successful vegetable store. Now a days its just a rundown shack that they now use as a home. Before the play started the Hunsdorfer family was fine. Beatrice was married to a man and they had two children together Ruth and Tillie. Everything in the family

was pretty normal up until Beatrices husband decided to pick up and leave the family. Thats when everything turned bad. Beatrice loses her job, and Ruth apparently loses her mind and starts having strange nightmares that she cant get rid of and the family starts to fall apart. There are some things that have been happening at Beatrice and Tillies school as well. For one Tillie had a science project that she had to present In front of the whole school in which she had a model of the atom that she cranked and the mechanics of the atom would start moving. Everyone started laughing at Tillie because she wasnt dressed the norm and the things that she had on made it look like she was some sort of mad scientist. Also before the play started Beatrice has kept Tillie home from school numerous times. Mr. Goodman had given Tillie a rabbit that she could take care of named Peter and she gave her some Man in the Moon marigolds that had been exposed to Cobalt-60 that she could use for her science fair project.

C Polar Attitudes Beatrice is a woman that isnt going to change. She is very hateful towards the world because she feels like the world has treated her unfairly because the world took her father away and made her husband leave her stranded with two kids to raise on her on and didnt give her a career. She also is very head strong. What she says go. She never backs down from an argument, and will fight, argue, and even threaten the life of things that her daughter hold dear in order to show that she is right. She is also very opinionated, She feels that education is pointless,

that science is something that will get you nowhere, and that even though her daughters both love that rabbit that all the rabbit is a pooping machine that needs to die. No matter what, when it comes to Beatrice if she believes something no one in the world is going to be able to persuade her to think otherwise. Tillie- Tillie is pretty much the exact opposite of her mother. Her mother is very mean and opinionated but Tillie is very lighthearted and doesnt like conflict. Another important thing about Tillie is that she is a believer. Tillie life is very sad. She has a father that left her family, an older sister who has a lost her mind and to top it all off she has a mother who is constantly verbally abusing her and wants to kill Rabbit. But there is one thing that keeps Tillie from going crazy like the rest of her family. And that is because she is a believer. What I mean when I say she is a believer is that she is a believer of atoms. Most people would have gone crazy in her situation but she doesnt and thats because she believes in the concept of atoms. Atoms are a part of everything. Its important of water, clothes, pianos. Anything you can possibly think of atoms are a part of it. Which means that atoms are also a part of us. And thats what Tillie finds so fascinating. She believes that just like atoms we are all a part of something bigger. So she feels that even though life is very rough for her that she is part of a bigger picture. And that is how she manages to stay sane in her insane environment.

Dramatic Event

Beatrice doesnt allow Tillie to go to school

Tillie tells Beatrice about the cloud machine and other scientific findings

Tillie begs her Beatrice to let her go to school.

Beatrice lets her and Tillie wins the science fair

B The major dramatic question-

Poc- the lights go down a song called the theme of lost children begins to play. And then Tillie begins her opening Monologue He told me to look at my hand for a part of it came from a star that exploded to long ago to imagine. This part of me was formed from a tongue of fire that screamed through the heavens until there was our sun. And this part of me- this part of me- was on the sun when it itself exploded and whirled in a great storm until the planets came to be then the lights start to come up as Tillie continues to talk. And this small part of me was then a whisper of the earth. When there was life, perhaps this part of me got lost in a fern that was crushed and covered until was coal. And then it was a diamond millions of years later- it must have been a diamond as beautiful as the star from which it had first come. Now instead of Tillies voice speaking it is now a recording of Tillies voice. Or perhaps this part of me became lost in a terrible beast, or because part of a huge bird that flew above the primeval swamps. And he said this thing was so small- part of me was so small it couldnt be seen- but it was there from the beginning of the world. And he called this bit of me an atom. And when he wrote the word, I fell in love with it. Atom. Atom. What a beautiful word. Then the phone rings and Beatrice begins talking on the fun

II- Beatrice gets a call from Tillies teacher saying that she didnt show up to school again.

MDQ- Will Tillie convince her mother to stop controlling her and let go?

RA- Ruth tells Beatrice about how everyone laughed at Tillie when she showed everyone her model atom. Ruth also has a crazy nightmares during a storm that knocks the whole power out of the house. Tillie makes it to the semifinals for her science project against Janice a girl whose science project is about her boiling a cat and cutting the fur off of it.

CR- Beatrice was going to go with Tillie to the science fair but Beatrice and Ruth get into a fight and Ruth really hurts Beatrices feeling. So Beatrice tells Ruth to go with Tillie instead and Beatrice decides to stay home and drink.

CX- Out of rage Beatrice lets Tillie and Ruth leave to the science fair but kills the Peter the Rabbit while Tillie and Ruth are at the science fair.

FA- Ruth has another screaming fit once she finds out that Peter the Rabbit is dead.

POT- Tillie ends the show with a conclusion monologue The conclusion my experiment has shown some of the strange effects radiation can produce and how dangerous it can be if not handled correctly. Mr. Goodman said I should tell in this conclusion what my future plans are and how this experiment has helped me make them. For one thing, the effect of gamma rays on man in the moon marigolds has made me curious about the sun and the stars, for the universe itself must be like a world of great atoms- and I want to know more about it. But most important I suppose, my experiment has made me feel important- ever atom in me, in everybody, has come from the sun- from places beyond our dreams. The atoms of our hands, the atoms of our hearts. Tillie says the rest of these words and she is beaming with happiness Atom Atom. What a beautiful word.

D Beats and Title

BEAT ONE-(Can I go to school mom) pg 1 he told me to look at my hand pg 10 then shut up

BEAT TWO (Story time) pg 11 do you have devils kiss down there pg 21 remember this, remember that remember this, that

BEAT THREE (More science) pg 21 today I saw it pg 26I swear money makes money

BEAT FOUR (Nanny) pg 27 What is cobalt 60? pg 38 THEM HOTSY AND HONEY- RIGHT NANNY?

BEAT FIVE (The dangers of radiation) pg 38 Half-life, if you want to know what half-life is ask me pg 43 oh I do, goodbye Mr. Goodman

BEAT SIX ( Ruths nightmare) pg 43 Mother shes going to have one again! pg 45 theres nobody after you

BEAT SEVEN (Beatrices Father) pg 46 oh well, well just get you a little hot milk pg 58 whats left for me

BEAT EIGHT (Science fair) pg 58 NANNY DID YOU HEAR THAT pg 67 oh my god

BEAT NINE (Betty the Loon) pg 72 the only competition you have to worry about is Janice Vickery pg 80 mother! The taxi will be here any minute

BEAT TEN (Show down) pg 81 Your lucky im coming, without all this rushing me pg 90 Goodnight Betty the Loon

BEAT ELEVEN (Marigolds and Cats) pg 91 The past: I got the cat from the A.S.P.C.A. pg 98 atoms will change the whole world we know

BEAT TWELVE (Peter the Rabbit) pg 99 MAMA! MAMA! She won! pg 109 Atom, atom what a beautiful word"

E Line by Line Verbs. With my line by line verbs for the scene that Im directing I am a little torn between which one would be an easier objective to play for the actors as far as Ruths character.

Ruths Objective: To get Peter the Rabbit from Tillie

Or

Ruths Objective: To ruin Tillies mood

Line by line verb 1 Ruth- The only competition you have to worry about is Janice Vickery. They say she caught it near Princess Bay Boulevard and it was still alive when she took the skin off it- (to intimidate her.)

Line by line verb 2 Tillie- Let me do that, please, Ruth- (to delude her)

Line by line verb 3 Ruth- Im sorry I touched them, really- (to mock her)

Line by line Verb 4 Tillie- why dont you feed Peter?- (to preoccupy her)

Line by Line verb 5 Ruth- Because I dont feel like feeding him. Now I feel like feeding him. I heard that it screamed for three minutes after she put it in because the water wasnt boiling yet. How much talent does it take to boil the skin off a cat and then stick the bones together again? Thats what I want to know. Ugh. I had a dream about that, too. I figure she did it in less than a day and she ends up as one of the top five winners and you spend months growing atomic flowers. (To terrify her)

Line by line verb 6 Tillie- Dont you think you should finish getting ready? (to evade her)

Line by line verb 7 Ruth- Finish? This is it!- (to challenge her)

Line by line verb 8 Tillie- are you going to wear that sweater? (to challenge her)

Line by line verb 9 Ruth- Look, dont worry about me. Im not getting up on any stage, and if I did I wouldnt be caught dead with a horrible bow like that.- (to criticize her)

Line by line verb 10 Tillie- Mother put it- (to convince her)

Line by line verb 11 Ruth- Theyre going to laugh you off the stage like when you cranked that atom in assembly I didnt mean that the one theyre going to laugh at is mama- (to provoke her)

Line by line verb 12 Tillie- what?-(to divert her)

Line by line verb 13 Ruth- I said the one theyre going to laugh at is Mama oh let me take that how off. (to hassle her)

Line by line verb 14 Tillie- Its all right- (to dissuade her)

Line by line verb 15 Ruth- Look, just sit still. I dont want everybody making fun of you.(to humiliate her)

Line by line verb 16 Tillie- What made you say that about Mama- (to question her)

Line by line verb 17 Ruth- Oh I heard them talking in the

science Office

yesterday. Mr. Goodman and Miss Hanley. Shes getting $12.63 to chaperon the thing tonight. (To antagonize her)

Line by line verb 18 Tillie- What were they saying- (to question her)

Line by line verb 19 Ruth- Miss Hanley was telling Mr. Goodman about Mama when she found out you were one of the five winners. And he wanted to know if there was something wrong with Mama because she sounded crazy over the phone. And Miss Hanley said she was crazy and she always has been crazy and she cant wait to see what she looks like after all these years. Miss Hanley said her nickname used to be Betty the Loon. (to intimate her)

Line by line verb 20 Tillie- Ruth youre hurting me. (To oppose her)

Line by lien verb 21 Ruth- She was just like you and everybody though she was a big weirdo, There you look much better! Peter if anybody stuck you in a pot of boiling water id kill them, do you know what? What do they call boiling the skin off a cat? They call it murder, thats what I call it. They say it was hit by a car and Janice just scooped it up and before you could say bingo is was screaming in a pot of boiling water. Do you know what theyre all waiting to see? Mamas feather. Thats what Miss Hanley said. She said Mama blabs as though she was the Queen of England and just as proper as can be and that her idea of getting dressed up is to put on all the feathers in the world and go as a bird. Always trying to get somewhere, like a great big bird. (To attack her)

Line by line verb 22 Tillie- Dont tell Mama, please it doesnt matter- (to preoccupy her)

Line by line verb 23 Ruth- I was up there watching her getting dressed and sure enough, shes got the feathers out. (To hurt her)

Line by line verb 24 Tillie- You didnt tell her what Miss Hanley said? (To dissuade her)

Line by line Verb 25 Ruth- Are you kidding? I just told her I dont like feathers and I didnt think she should wear any. But ill but she doesnt listen to me- (To intimidate her)

Line by line verb 26 Tillie- it doesnt matter- (to dismiss her)

Line by line verb 27 Ruth- It doesnt matter? Do you think I want to be laughed right out of the school tonight, with chris Burns there, and all? Laughed right out of the school, with you electric hair and feathers on that stage, and Miss Hanley splitting her sides- (to attack her)

Line By line verb 28 Tillie- Promise me you wont say anything? (To plead with her)

Line by line Verb 29 Ruth- On one condition-(to intimate her)

Line by line verb 30 Tillie- What?

Line by line verb 31 Ruth- give peter to me- (to torment her)

Line by line verb 32 Tillie- The taxi will be here any minute and I wont have all this stuff ready. Did you see my speech? (To preoccupy her)

Line by line verb 33 Ruth- I mean it Give Peter to me (to challenge her)

Line by line verb 34 Tillie- He belongs to all of us (to explain to her)

Line by line verb 35 Ruth- For me. All of me. What do you care? He doesnt man anything to you anymore, now that youve got all those crazy plants- (to attack her)

Line by line verb 36 Tillie- will you stop? (To plead with her)

Line by line verb 37 Ruth- if you dont give him to me im going to tell Mam that everybodys waiting to laugh at her.-(To blackmail her)

Line by line verb 38 Tillie- where are those typewriters cards?- (to preoccupy her)

Line by line verb 39 Ruth- I MEAN IT! Give him to me? (To antagonize her)

Line by line verb 40 Tillie- Does he mean that much to you?- (to question her)

Line by line verb 41 Ruth- Yes!

Line by line verb 42Tillie- All right- (to give in)

Line by line verb 43 Ruth- Betty the loon. Thats what they used to call her you know. Betty the Loon! (to hurt her)

Line by line verb 44 Tillie- I dont think thats very nice- (to dissuade her)

Line by line verb 45 Ruth- First the had Betty the Loon now theyve got Tillie the Loon.. You dont have to worry about me turning you in for any old plants. How much does a taxi cost from here to the school I wish shed give me the money it costs for a taxi and for all that cardboard and paint and flowerpots and stuff. The only time she ever made a fuss over me was when she drove me nuts- to torture her- (to attack her)

Line by line verb 46 Tillie- Tell her to hurry please- (to preoccupy her)

Line by line verb 47 Ruth- By the way, I went over to see Janice Vickerys pot that she did you know what in, and I started telling her and her mother about the worms in Mr. Alexander Brougham legs, and I got thrown out because it was too near dinner time. That Mrs. Vickery kills me. She cant stand worms in somebody elses legs but she lets her daughter cook a cat- (to hurt her)

Word ChoiceBeatrice word choice, consist of very condescending words to express her loathing off certain subjects. She uses words like the modern world and forcibly detaining. She uses these type of words to sound intelligent but in a condescending manner when she is talking about things she doesnt like. Tillie on the other hand does the exact opposite. She uses very short words to avoid conflict between her mother and sister. She just uses words like no and please to get her points across. This is important because everyone else in the play uses relatively big words to express what they are feeling. But instead Tillie choose to use as few words as possible and use smaller words.

Sentence structure-

Beatrice goes into long monologues when she talks. Even

though her points are very simple, she feels as if the more she talks the more intelligent she sounds. She especially gives a lot of words when she is arguing her point are trying to convince someone of something. For example Beatrice says Hello? Yes it is who is this?... I hope there hasnt been any trouble at school oh shes always been like that. She hardly says a word around here, either. I always say some people were born to speak and others born to listen Now I dont want you to think I dont appreciate what youre trying to do, Mr. Goodman but im afraid its simply useless. Ive tried just everything, but she isnt a pretty girl- I mean, lets be frank her problems, are you married, Mr. Goodman Beatrice goes into a long lengthy monologue when the only thing she really needed to say to sum up that whole speech was that her daughter is quiet and that she doesnt find her daughter, Tillie very attractive. Tillies sentence choice is very interesting. Because when she is talking to her mother her sister or Mr. Goodman or Ruth she is very short with her sentence. She usually responds with one worded sentences. But when she is talking about science she goes into very huge monologues. That shows that she is really in love with science because she is always quiet until the subject of science comes up.

Metaphors and Similes I think there is a double metaphor within this play. The first part of the metaphor is Tillies concept of the atom. Atoms are a part of everything. They are a part of the trees, the grass, animals, and even us. And even though atoms are very small without them life would end as we know it so even though they seem pointless they are part of a greater good. Tillie believes that that concept can also apply to humans as well. Even though are lives seem pointless and seem unimportant we all contribute to a greater cause that is bigger than ourselves. Now thats the first part of the metaphor. But I think we can take that metaphor a step further. I feel like Tillies family is sort of like the structure of an atom. The nucleus is the center of attention and the most important part of the atom. So I feel like the nucleus should be Beatrice. There are also protons and neutrons that are by the nucleus that dont make much contact with nucleus but are still important. I feel like that would be Ruth and Nanny because they still make contact with Beatrice but not much. The last part of the atom is the electron. The part that orbits the atom and doesnt interact with the nucleus or the protons and neutrons. I feel like that would be Tillie because she tries to avoid contact with Beatrice( the nucleus or the center of attention) or Ruth and Nanny( the secondary attention)

Character Analysis

In the full play

What is your characters super-objective? Tillies super objective is to get

her mother to let her to school more so that she can win the science fair

What is the main obstacle your character faces?- Tillies main obstacle
that she faces is Beatrice because she is unchanging in her ways.

Within the play, does your character win or lose this super-objective?
At what specific point- Tillie wins her objective. Her mother lets her go to the science fair and Tillie wins first place and comes home to her still unimpressed mother.

How does your character change?- Tillie realizes that even though her life
seems small and unimportant but like the atom she is part of something bigger than herself.

In the scene-

What is your characters objective?- Tillies objective is to avoid Ruths

attacks at all costs and to make sure her mothers name is not tainted.

What is the main obstacle your character faces?- Ruth is relentless in

her tactics and is determined to ruin Tillie.

What one thing does your character find to be the greatest help in reaching his/her objective?- Tillies greatest help in reaching her objective
is Peter the Rabbit because when Tillie gives Ruth the Rabbit Ruth stops attacking Tillie

Within the scene does your character win or lose his/her objective? At
what specific point?- Tillie wins her objective when she gives Ruth the rabbit

How does your character change?- Tillie realizes that Ruth is always going
to get what she wants.

Identify 3 tactics your character uses in the scene to obtain their objective. Tillie tells Ruth to feed the Rabbit, Tillie tries to change the subject
numerous times and she even ends up giving Ruth the Rabbit so she would leave her alone.

AS TO THE CHARACTER:
Name three central qualities that define this character throughout the play.- Quiet, intelligent, and a Dreamer

What is the characters background?- Tillie is the only one in her family
who hasnt lost her mind. She is infatuated with the concept of atoms. And

believes that even though her life doesnt seem to important that she is part of something bigger than herself

A significance of the title

the title of the play is The effect of gamma rays on man in the moon marigolds. Obviously this directly relates to Tillies science project because her project deals with what happens when you expose Man in the Moon marigold to different variations of radiation. I feel like there is more symbolism dealing with the title but I cant seem to find it.

ThemeI think the theme of this play is that even if you dont feel like your important remember that you are an asset to a greater goal. Tillie really emphasizes this fact through her concept of the atom

Mood of the playthe play is very somber and depressing. Half of the family is insane, their father left them, and they live in a broken down vegetable store so that depressing feels come through the dialogue and the setting of the house.

Mood of the beatThe mood of the beat im directing is very push and pull. Throughout the whole entire beat Ruth is constantly attacking and pushing Tillie both verbally and physically and Tillie responds by pulling away and trying to avoid conflict with her sister.

ConceptMy concept is going to the Atom and my verb is going to be Orbit I think the atom is mentioned to many times throughout the play for it not to be my concept. When you read about the atom in this play it is not just one of the smallest units of matters but it represents life. In this play the atom shows you that life is worth living. The reason why Im using the word Orbit as my verb is because of Tillie. If Tillie was any part of the atom it would be the electron. Because it orbits the nucleus( Beatrice because she is the center of attention and Nanny and Ruth being the neutrons and protons) and avoids conflict with it. That is what Tillie does throughout the whole play. She stays quiet and stays out of everyones way and tries to avoid conflict and since she does that she discovers her love for the atom.

Lights- I wouldnt have very many lights in this show because this show feeds off of giving the audience a depressing feel. The only times I would use lights(besides having the stage bright enough where the actors can be seen) would be when Tillie talks about the atom or science. Any time she would talk about any of those two subjects I would have a dim spotlight on her to further emphasize the importance of science to the audience

Costumes- The costumes in the show are very interesting because the costume choices have to be abnormal to show the audience that there is something off about the family. But they cant be to abnormal of clothing because Tillie has to be the clear one odd one out with her choice of clothing. For Beatrice costume id have an oversized colorful robe. Made up of different reds and blues and greens to show her expressive nature. For Ruth I would have her wear stocking and a tattered faded red dress and have her wear very bright red lipstick to show how she is constantly trying to be older than she actually is. And finally for Tillie id have her wear some blue overall over a long white sleeve shirt. Over that id have her wear a large white jacket. I would have this look because I wanted her to look somewhat like a scientist to provide contrast between Ruth and Beatrice. Beatrice and Ruth are both wearing weird clothes but those clothes are more acceptable out in society than Tillies outfit because Tillie just looks like a mad scientist.