‘Who’s Afraid of Sojourner Truth?’ Pitchcopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYIfOQ5wZk
Dear Editor,copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRJ10Fca4P
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLp8IzOUUT
Yours sincerely,copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpSZEGQKdP
Anabelle Pierce167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UZ4hJEDf5
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Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth Characterscopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyj1H1BvVv
Margaret (Martha)- Named after Margaret Walkers[1]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡocVgcAX2ka
James (George)- Named after James Baldwin. A theology professorcopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpKydlfH77
Harriet (Honey)- Named after Harriet Powers. Believed to be mulatto[2] (instead of slim-hipped)copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKGyMnAnSw
Norman (Nick)- Named after Norman Lewis. A biology professorcopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgJOxVpuYJ
The scene is the living room of a house on the campus of a small Alabama collegecopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ9qomLE3T
Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth[3] Possible Scenescopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiDrRpPsNH
Page 19 (Act 1)-copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGYIvwEU1C
JAMES: Biology, huh?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGsN6RaSwe
[NORMAN does not answer... nods... looks.]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡLixoJpOzRB
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQifyNLcIM
NORMAN: I believe you mean prokaryotes.[4]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡPntibAalsG
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdY8CIxqhp
NORMAN: This prokaryotes business you're talking about...copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yfkNN8z0R
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPeP8ppiLS
NORMAN: Yes... you told me. I am old enough to have an adequate memory capacity.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm5XuIG18X
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡqawFvktDTu
NORMAN [Uncertain as to how to react]: Well, if it's any consolation, I do not run the Biology Department.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡufkJ5s8vKU
JAMES: You're twenty-one!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJgtHKbnLk
NORMAN: Twenty-eight.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcvRS1bmE5
JAMES: Perhaps when you're forty-something and look fifty-five, you will run the Theology Department.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9lbSqD1Wo
NORMAN: ...Biology...copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡWj7cMPWYcI
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxVOpNPB9u
NORMAN: What?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0E2bxtPzp
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvIlHvaEum
NORMAN: Yes... she iscopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNUiCj5sUf
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBgBDs96hI
NORMAN [false heartiness]: You know women.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡvueePVK0Ae
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmX2hgEAm7u
NORMAN: Uh... no... not yet. [Pause] You?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡB45SGJkQPB
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡzl6NzWJjWj
NORMAN [unsure how to respond]: Yes... of course. We want to wait a little, until we're settled.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjhzAxeaTm
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvqLn7uIXj
NORMAN [a little defensively]: I hope we'll stay here.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwEqkem3xj
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5CDFdbUn4
NORMAN: I don't mean... forever.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2AGNXOhGM
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0jgrDuNG1
NORMAN: I said I'm twenty-eight.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ737KHMXSGk
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWnxDbvstb
NORMAN: Prokaryotes...copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5cxlDbPrR
JAMES: Prokaryotes... to prove that the Bible is wrong?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyVYiCKfvr
NORMAN [a little testily]: I never thought about doing such a thing.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsoYZ29vuD
Page 94 (Act 2)copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIITg3wrTX
HARRIET [still with her dream]: I DON'T WANT TO BE... NO!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKveIOQt4l
JAMES: How wonderfully ignorant you are. If only I had your childish naivety. You have no idea what's going on, do you?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEOjDOlNjQ
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0y9TPdpg6
JAMES [nodding his head... speaks with a mix or rare compassion and amused disapproval]: I should have known.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAQSOyGF2L
HARRIET [snapping awake of her nightmare]: What! What?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XpPh3DCQX
JAMES: I should have known the whole business... the headaches[11]... the whining... the...copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgX1qRRDh8
HARRIET [terrified]: What are you talking about?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDIzwx8dca
JAMES [ugly]: Does he know about this? Did you start doing this to yourself before you met him?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYe8o3prH2h
HARRIET: Doing what? Stay away from me!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvyDxYuoBL
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlpfUVM39Y
HARRIET: I feel sick.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7dmwgLXYO
JAMES: You going to throw up again? Curl up on the tile floor in the darkness?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEjNhRMMfo
HARRIET [panicked]: Where is he?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMJX1ETNH2
JAMES: Where's who? There's nobody here, snowflake.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVaZiGg4Ef
HARRIET: I want my husband! I want a drink!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTTcHb3uXj
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv5Ct7gmVY
[Yelling] That's right! Go at it!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHUAHchXgV
Page 103 (Act 3)copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9P7lxip1g
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡIULOwfWNBR
NORMAN: Look, lady, I'm no flunky to you.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1yFCgSTd9
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡOriEyEbR3d
NORMAN: You've gone off your rocker.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M7SBE7xrJ
[Door Chimes again]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡocLWSncLgq
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5ScKqRVhU
NORMAN: Aimless... wanton... pointless...copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pHghiUpPm
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dzVasjndz
NORMAN [considers, gives in, moves towards the door. Chimes again]: I'm coming, for Christ's sake!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7FGkp7blp
MARGARET [tuts at his blasphemy, then clasps her hands]: HA HA! Wonderful; marvellous.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uONL66GwV
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2G9CBk4UHh
MARGARET: Oh, how lovely!copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvpacJzkVV
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2qyQbFWSb
NORMAN: [murderosuly] Very funny.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUR1wtlBo3
Extra scene- Epiloguecopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTzh3L1D6X
[NORMAN and HARRIET exit. MARGARET and JAMES are momentarily silent in an atmosphere of quiet intensity.]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQZYoPa4M2
MARGARET: We're never going to change, are we?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEX7GuB250
JAMES: I wouldn't dream of it.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XTEfWqgzx
MARGARET [almost in tears but in a soft voice] And the boy?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7nd6M3gQP
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6ufeaJPcO
MARGARET: What would happen if I... did change? If I... was like Norman or Harriet?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiMJX1Fnif
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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwniKt4NKV
MARGARET: I want to read for a few minutes.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡD218igi25v
JAMES: What in the world's name would you want to read? 'Narrative of Sojourner Truth'?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVODFLFk8X
MARGARET: [a little testy] I meant light reading. I... I don't have the courage to read something like that right now.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3uWlfqq3a
JAMES: Are you afraid of Sojourner Truth?[14]copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGdnPvD7xJ
MARGARET: I... am... James... I... am....copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoFr2kdHFm
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfp9cLpCcs
[2] A historical term for a biracial personcopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡNy90VYvy63
[3] Sojourner Truth is a civil rights activist and author: http://www.biography.com/people/sojourner-truth-9511284copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKsXcuipbX
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQcb0oWq19
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOH2OC0kb7
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡouRQr3lKtw
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡHenUpojmOk
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH8dJXQKh1
[9] These are historically black colleges: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcucopyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFvIwXMRIf
[10] A euphemism for a 'white girl', as lilies are known for being white.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡoquMkTaEgY
[11] Skin whitening pills have the side effect of headaches: https://www.illuminatural6i.com/info/skin-whitening-pills/copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMG7Zp5P9m
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡR02nJzlwr3
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPtgBOaLtq
[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 protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsdqzcQF2Z
