‘Who’s Afraid of Sojourner Truth?’ Pitchcopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2aNbgslP0
Dear Editor,copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48NUN20HYi
Enclosed in this document is a series of scenes that could be included in a new play entitled ‘Who’s Afraid for Sojourner Truth?’. I believe this shall make for a valuable examination of the human condition that will enthral audiences for many years. I request that you send me a reply with your thoughts on these scenes and any advice you have for the piece as a whole.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vVxqx9gmU
Yours sincerely,copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHXAu8QXuF
Anabelle Pierce121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WuWCDlzDj
copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyOLtBNtjM
Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth Characterscopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjiHQJe0ZA
Margaret (Martha)- Named after Margaret Walkers[1]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoiSYN1PLv
James (George)- Named after James Baldwin. A theology professorcopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJ4juyVi1e
Harriet (Honey)- Named after Harriet Powers. Believed to be mulatto[2] (instead of slim-hipped)copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Nxnvn6Jo6
Norman (Nick)- Named after Norman Lewis. A biology professorcopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjuDbtrdjc
The scene is the living room of a house on the campus of a small Alabama collegecopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOWO7qm2Jo
Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth[3] Possible Scenescopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPcNcHbjrz
Page 19 (Act 1)-copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLSUp4oQiH
JAMES: Biology, huh?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31vZPDqcGa
[NORMAN does not answer... nods... looks.]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWZMKcuWvV
I've read somewhere that folks like you are trying to make the Bible illegal. You're trying to prove something with your.... what are they called? Prokaries?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVGpP5ueWM
NORMAN: I believe you mean prokaryotes.[4]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0OrZE5qQL
JAMES: I know what I meant. Those strange cells. I saw some diagrams of them. Now how are you planning to make my job illegal with those tiny things? You didn't answer my question about Theology.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqIAdtMHpi
NORMAN: This prokaryotes business you're talking about...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVdjl3pPhm
JAMES: Oh, that. [Dismisses that with a wave of his hand]. That's very... very frightening... very... foreboding. But Theology is a great deal more... foreboding. I am in the Theology Department.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcmqEm4JNU
NORMAN: Yes... you told me. I am old enough to have an adequate memory capacity.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡuolcYzGLh5
JAMES [Disparagingly]: Now, now. You and your wife have no memories to keep. Life must be too easy... for you to have memories. You know, memories are ultimately irrelevant unless they make your life miserable. But you wouldn't understand. You're probably from the SCLC[5] or something. I bet you have a lot of hope. If that's the case, you clearly have no memories. Be glad you don't run the Theology Department. There's a lot to memorise. Even I do not run the Theology Department.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3U1gdmjDcA
NORMAN [Uncertain as to how to react]: Well, if it's any consolation, I do not run the Biology Department.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡZONmerIibv
JAMES: You're twenty-one!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFUySS7yDo
NORMAN: Twenty-eight.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGiGXw3gaf
JAMES: Perhaps when you're forty-something and look fifty-five, you will run the Theology Department.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡR93Fwh7eAi
NORMAN: ...Biology...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNYElRxtqa
JAMES: ... the Biology Department. Personally it is my belief that you have to be old to be in the Theology Department. I almost ran the Theology Department, but... well... during the war I essentially ran it but I wasn't given a title or anything. I wonder what it's like to have a title. I guess I'll never know. I should be glad to be a teacher in the first place. Hm... Your wife doesn't have very dark skin... has she... is she?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4RaLPHO6R
NORMAN: What?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4X18CxpKMZ
JAMES: I don't mean to suggest that I'm against that sort of color... I'm not one of those Deuteronomy[6] men. No-siree... not me. You've got to keep religion in moderation, though that may sound strange coming from me. I was implying that your wife is... pale-skinned.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xM1c8SJBi
NORMAN: Yes... she iscopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtnME8BmXH
JAMES [Looking up at the ceiling]: What are they doing up there? I don't see any point in them powdering their faces. Who's going to look?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Ff9iNz2A
NORMAN [false heartiness]: You know women.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡz57m6kuY46
JAMES [gives NORMAN a long stare of feigned incredulity... then he turns away and mutters]: Not one single goddamn title. Everyone came back and I was replaced by Professor Shelton[7]. [bluntly] Have any kids?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYAELeNnBK
NORMAN: Uh... no... not yet. [Pause] You?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PMK4W2Sv4
JAMES [threateningly]: That's for me to know and you to find out. No kids, huh? I thought you'd... make them out of test tubes. You biologists. Does it feel good playing God? Maybe you'd be able to make them... History professors. [he smiles proudly. NORMAN laughs mildly in embarrassment] I would love to play God if I was in the Biology Department. But you are going to have kids.... anyway... in spite of... whether you can make them History professors.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5aArgUWeY
NORMAN [unsure how to respond]: Yes... of course. We want to wait a little, until we're settled.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wXCaJRX6s
JAMES: And this... [With a handsweep taking in not only the room, the house, but the entire town] this is your heart's content- Ciudad Blanca, Brahmapura, Hawaiki[8]... You think you're going to be happy here in Alabama, eh?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡHahuVmqXeV
NORMAN [a little defensively]: I hope we'll stay here.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H0chsscoH
JAMES: And every definition has its boundaries, eh? Well, it isn't a bad college. It isn't Spelman or Howard[9], but at least it's small enough to give us a little community. Then again, it would be nice to be as prestigious as those schools. Maybe then I'd have a shot of running the Theology Department.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqd83oRUlX
NORMAN: I don't mean... forever.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡn38Fx32X1h
JAMES: Well, don't let that get bandied about. The old man wouldn't... groove with that. Is that how you kids speak these days? When you're forty-six you'll be trembling with embarrassment at the memory of using words like that. Well, if I was twenty-one I would...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3YUggmIsK
NORMAN: I said I'm twenty-eight.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDbELe2D9o
JAMES: Yes, yes. As I was saying, Margaret's father has... high expectations of us. We're supposed to stick together, our kind. Like we've got cement between us. We have to stay the same, talk to the same people. I don't remember the last time I looked a white working man in the face. Perhaps that's for the best. Look for too long and you get buried. One time a Latin professor looked a pretty.... lily girl[10]... in the face... [Closes his eyes as if shielding his memories. He opens them and changes the subject] ...So are you planning on using those... prokalytes...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwrJcYMeWO
NORMAN: Prokaryotes...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPRtJ7K5Qc
JAMES: Prokaryotes... to prove that the Bible is wrong?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgP1VBgXep
NORMAN [a little testily]: I never thought about doing such a thing.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOWNy8MlmI
Page 94 (Act 2)copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Sy0mi86oY
HARRIET [still with her dream]: I DON'T WANT TO BE... NO!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡief8gbJw8X
JAMES: How wonderfully ignorant you are. If only I had your childish naivety. You have no idea what's going on, do you?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuMSik14Fo
HARRIET: NO!... MY SKIN... [Begins to cry] I DON'T WANT... TO LOOK... BLACK... I don't... want... to look... black. I'm afraid! I don't want to be hurt anymore... PLEASE!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPgmPCEYI2
JAMES [nodding his head... speaks with a mix or rare compassion and amused disapproval]: I should have known.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1hd9yoT5x
HARRIET [snapping awake of her nightmare]: What! What?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ12DUkYVpE
JAMES: I should have known the whole business... the headaches[11]... the whining... the...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡjctzzjcdhV
HARRIET [terrified]: What are you talking about?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfWys66QZb
JAMES [ugly]: Does he know about this? Did you start doing this to yourself before you met him?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQdqu7Ks29
HARRIET: Doing what? Stay away from me!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mmAWVT89b
JAMES: Don't worry, snowflake... I wouldn't... Oh, my God, that would be a joke, wouldn't it? But don't worry, snowflake, HEY! How do you do it? Hunh? How do you distance yourself from the only people who give a damn about you, hunh? Pills? PILLS? You got a secret supply of pills? Or what? Poisonous cream? PRAYER?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qq1YS75J7
HARRIET: I feel sick.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7YuxtChVF
JAMES: You going to throw up again? Curl up on the tile floor in the darkness?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡr21ODXJw5T
HARRIET [panicked]: Where is he?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaj7bh0jnJ
JAMES: Where's who? There's nobody here, snowflake.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEQp9nSMFO
HARRIET: I want my husband! I want a drink!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6RsUupE0v
JAMES [stifling a laugh]: Do you need me to turn the rest of the lights on? [Harriet obliviously nods with a smile. From off-stage comes the sound of MARGARET's laughter and the crashing of dishes.]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIFQQQ8Q9v
[Yelling] That's right! Go at it!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAaqZkOS6t
Page 103 (Act 3)copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxAyZu3p93
MARGARET [shouting]: Answer it! [softer] You can be our little servant around here for a while, and you can serve us, the nicest, richest white family in America. Doesn't that sound fun? You can start being a servant right now.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGMzxCqGtz
NORMAN: Look, lady, I'm no flunky to you.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3amuaGi3N
MARGARET [cheerfully]: Sure you are! You're ambitious, aren't you? You're probably wishing for a better life as we speak.[12] You didn't chase me around the kitchen and up the goddamn stairs out of mad, driven passion, did you now? You were thinking a little about your career, weren't you? You young ones are always about your career. You hardly focus on what's important. [Lost in her imagination like a child playing dress-up] But since I'm from a white family I know what matters. A nice, big house with a white picket fence, and a happy marriage with at least one child. That's not too hard, is it?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKkmjkRmJ0
NORMAN: You've gone off your rocker.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDHcdfPEVj
[Door Chimes again]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7notRyaaB
MARGARET [calmly, surely]: No, baby, I haven't. Go answer the door, [NORMAN hesitates.] Look, boy, once you aspire to something higher, you get caught in the clouds and can't escape. I thought young men like yourself were good at learning things like that. Now, git!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWmiiFC91l
NORMAN: Aimless... wanton... pointless...copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rZRDd6tR1
MARGARET: Now, now, now; just do what you're told like a good boy. Show little old Margaret that there's something you can do. Hunh? Atta boy.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡM589tB02Mb
NORMAN [considers, gives in, moves towards the door. Chimes again]: I'm coming, for Christ's sake!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ701pFEyG
MARGARET [tuts at his blasphemy, then clasps her hands]: HA HA! Wonderful; marvellous.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡZI7ZzLcFe4
[NORMAN flings open the door, and a hand thrusts into the opening a great bunch of snapdragons; they stay there for a moment. NORMAN strains his eyes to see who is behind them.]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡG19PaDqbGc
MARGARET: Oh, how lovely!copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkWtkYT0Cs
JAMES [appearing in the doorway, the snapdragons covering his face: speaks in a patently artificial deep voice]: Flowers; flowers for da butiful lady in dis house[13]. Flowers.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCaOBKAOqP
NORMAN: [murderosuly] Very funny.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6Q2V0Gmcm
Extra scene- Epiloguecopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyGw21uW27
[NORMAN and HARRIET exit. MARGARET and JAMES are momentarily silent in an atmosphere of quiet intensity.]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJJzylj89J
MARGARET: We're never going to change, are we?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2QO5MPL91
JAMES: I wouldn't dream of it.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IAOfCQJzS
MARGARET [almost in tears but in a soft voice] And the boy?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXBAwaVPj5
JAMES: We can always have another one. [changing the subject to NORMAN and HARRIET] Young people are so fascinating, don't you think? They always seem to think they can rule the world, one pro... one little cell at a time.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡzh7p5ccVYl
MARGARET: What would happen if I... did change? If I... was like Norman or Harriet?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡW54wUj9K3I
JAMES: I'd divorce you. I don't need that attitude in my house. [his voice becoming almost gentle] Now get some sleep or your old man will yell at you.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTFfucpp2I
MARGARET: I want to read for a few minutes.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB0C16Pd1N
JAMES: What in the world's name would you want to read? 'Narrative of Sojourner Truth'?copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXTCuNVEyY
MARGARET: [a little testy] I meant light reading. I... I don't have the courage to read something like that right now.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcS2rmfRMh
JAMES: Are you afraid of Sojourner Truth?[14]copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgTATUGI7I
MARGARET: I... am... James... I... am....copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGGpjadeOM
[1] JAMES and MARGARET are named after famous Black authors whereas NORMAN and HARRIET are named after Black visual artists. This emphasises the differences between the two couples.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbY6epttgf
[2] A historical term for a biracial personcopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQwErpy77G
[3] Sojourner Truth is a civil rights activist and author: http://www.biography.com/people/sojourner-truth-9511284copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDmw3GGgVv
[4] Prokaryotes are single-cell organisms that evolved into more complex organisms: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9841/. JAMES is wary of the existence of these cells as they may prove that evolution is true and creationism is false.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28H1fVqIoH
[5] SCLC stands for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and is an African-American civil rights organisation: http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_southern_christian_leadership_conference_sclc/. The fact that JAMES references this group is regards to youthful naivety highlights the contrasting personalities and beliefs between the two characters, which is also visible in the original play. JAMES has become accustomed to the racism surrounding life in the 1960s and, though he would prefer change, he does not believe such change is possible. NORMAN, on the other hand, is accused of believing he can make a better future. In the original play GEORGE and NICK represent opposing sides in the Cold War, so in this play JAMES and NORMAN represent different experiences for black people during this time.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9yuNZTm71
[6] Deuteronomy 7:3–4: 'You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. lThen the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.'copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WEptH59Y1
[7] As a symbol of JAMES' defeat, Professor Shelton happens to share the same surname as Robert Shelton, who was a leading force in the United Klans of America (A group within the KKK): http://archive.adl.org/issue_combating_hate/uka/rise.htmlcopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡF19m2pht8G
[8] These are all mythological places in or created by countries that have been colonised. They reference the false dreams of the people who have colonised and those been had their land and freedom taken such as slaves from Africa. JAMES is making a joke about the futility of dreams of a better life, as he believes that the situation is always the same for people of colour whether they're in a foreign country or Alabama.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6QJADIu0Q
[9] These are historically black colleges: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcucopyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3MasfSypQ
[10] A euphemism for a 'white girl', as lilies are known for being white.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4SJrV9Iph
[11] Skin whitening pills have the side effect of headaches: https://www.illuminatural6i.com/info/skin-whitening-pills/copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAnfkYS3sT
[12] This is a reference to how the American Dream has led to many people, including African-Americans, being willing to perform degrading and menial tasks serving white people. This shows how, despite their antagonistic attitudes towards each other, MARGARET and JAMES have similar beliefs about their situation as African-Americans are unavoidable, highlighting how similar Martha and George in the original play really are. The parallels between the latter couple can be seen in the original play when Martha admits that she loves George due to his ability to understand the nature of her games. The characters both in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' and 'Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth' have stayed together because of their similarities.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXWG8pW0Xm
[13] JAMES, in keeping with the differences between him and NORMAN, is resigned to the racism that has affected his life. He is therefore playing up racist stereotypes for a joke.copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxqJhREqA3
[14] MARGARET is showing that she, in contrast to the much younger NORMAN and HARRIET, fears changes- changes JAMES may make to the games they play and changes to her circumstances. Therefore someone as liberal as Sojourner Truth is a frightening figure. copyright protection117ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZE5eZ472w
