‘Who’s Afraid of Sojourner Truth?’ Pitchcopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx8DCUiWlU
Dear Editor,copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyblY1fz2y
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRCgQiDVGf
Yours sincerely,copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNjdB7FCHZ
Anabelle Pierce241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMa5F8rnLdO
copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gB8MuxDc9
Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth Characterscopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsq225KzOi
Margaret (Martha)- Named after Margaret Walkers[1]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdetVuM3Y5
James (George)- Named after James Baldwin. A theology professorcopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIFQyqsnOj
Harriet (Honey)- Named after Harriet Powers. Believed to be mulatto[2] (instead of slim-hipped)copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9BPyfsXUv
Norman (Nick)- Named after Norman Lewis. A biology professorcopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhP3qP32gn
The scene is the living room of a house on the campus of a small Alabama collegecopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTjo4LiRsk
Who's Afraid of Sojourner Truth[3] Possible Scenescopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FtHJ2ajiH
Page 19 (Act 1)-copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6uluffABi
JAMES: Biology, huh?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi3Mpd6I6V
[NORMAN does not answer... nods... looks.]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6A5BAdh8sD
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEA77WAHfJ
NORMAN: I believe you mean prokaryotes.[4]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡVk0IwqS6ku
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjmYjkQLMG
NORMAN: This prokaryotes business you're talking about...copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHWU09AHT3
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDNsTp9cVv
NORMAN: Yes... you told me. I am old enough to have an adequate memory capacity.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzsbrnam9K
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡyx1HtCKtwu
NORMAN [Uncertain as to how to react]: Well, if it's any consolation, I do not run the Biology Department.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFBfYEvyj6
JAMES: You're twenty-one!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBocFA4rBb
NORMAN: Twenty-eight.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡR49vT4oQP1
JAMES: Perhaps when you're forty-something and look fifty-five, you will run the Theology Department.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6Q6vk5vpT
NORMAN: ...Biology...copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XYIjEu5eX
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡlofL8zKdc1
NORMAN: What?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1SkyEdMsI
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFWDtBs4Dr
NORMAN: Yes... she iscopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwURxmxurr
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSkImKEe3x
NORMAN [false heartiness]: You know women.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHNgHMsCBQ
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9zoa0huFd
NORMAN: Uh... no... not yet. [Pause] You?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBHPvhHQNa
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0NcIAFElB
NORMAN [unsure how to respond]: Yes... of course. We want to wait a little, until we're settled.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tTpw8f8cq
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgvl0iHWtZ
NORMAN [a little defensively]: I hope we'll stay here.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fcnVYZeEw
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtpmflEyT9
NORMAN: I don't mean... forever.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgOvFgD5S5
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TdWeTzqiM
NORMAN: I said I'm twenty-eight.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡS18921F5ty
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7rkVkXuNy
NORMAN: Prokaryotes...copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1M05EuRHly
JAMES: Prokaryotes... to prove that the Bible is wrong?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JxZHNtScl
NORMAN [a little testily]: I never thought about doing such a thing.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5hitZ8hiY
Page 94 (Act 2)copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaEGytVc46
HARRIET [still with her dream]: I DON'T WANT TO BE... NO!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKw5WFNvaZ
JAMES: How wonderfully ignorant you are. If only I had your childish naivety. You have no idea what's going on, do you?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5b2v4dOb4
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5SMz4MzfE
JAMES [nodding his head... speaks with a mix or rare compassion and amused disapproval]: I should have known.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiPhpuEB3E
HARRIET [snapping awake of her nightmare]: What! What?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡVemmVzdfVp
JAMES: I should have known the whole business... the headaches[11]... the whining... the...copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡrICwBsygDJ
HARRIET [terrified]: What are you talking about?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡZs2sPkaMBs
JAMES [ugly]: Does he know about this? Did you start doing this to yourself before you met him?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡlF1l5q9IUR
HARRIET: Doing what? Stay away from me!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCaPfkRzdm
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNXe2Vyvnf
HARRIET: I feel sick.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5BZmshHOw
JAMES: You going to throw up again? Curl up on the tile floor in the darkness?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SQFhJCvGt
HARRIET [panicked]: Where is he?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpKI9b3VbS
JAMES: Where's who? There's nobody here, snowflake.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2AJkuA3uR
HARRIET: I want my husband! I want a drink!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGDpRZkqGg
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡexsdLhtGdT
[Yelling] That's right! Go at it!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bOPHoMPXD
Page 103 (Act 3)copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AYuic17zt
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SJ7xFIZTa
NORMAN: Look, lady, I'm no flunky to you.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JKNPCvnaP
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEmkfZogHP
NORMAN: You've gone off your rocker.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHRCToJoGc
[Door Chimes again]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUuv7zqnMZ
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xtQ1pQtmI
NORMAN: Aimless... wanton... pointless...copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JStm5btnv
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bB8aImgJs
NORMAN [considers, gives in, moves towards the door. Chimes again]: I'm coming, for Christ's sake!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5tDTEOfWy
MARGARET [tuts at his blasphemy, then clasps her hands]: HA HA! Wonderful; marvellous.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AaIfAZTLk
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKrz2sGaUF
MARGARET: Oh, how lovely!copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rf7n4O7Bn
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxWMHFFqXw
NORMAN: [murderosuly] Very funny.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74XmglFOQJ
Extra scene- Epiloguecopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡguy54X3FUy
[NORMAN and HARRIET exit. MARGARET and JAMES are momentarily silent in an atmosphere of quiet intensity.]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwOohvNWSn
MARGARET: We're never going to change, are we?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtkXa037WZ
JAMES: I wouldn't dream of it.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡXG4wuDlckq
MARGARET [almost in tears but in a soft voice] And the boy?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQDdZDOfrl
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5W6VH3lfT6
MARGARET: What would happen if I... did change? If I... was like Norman or Harriet?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCewghqyyz
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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnVx6DsDeK
MARGARET: I want to read for a few minutes.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tLb4u3MpY
JAMES: What in the world's name would you want to read? 'Narrative of Sojourner Truth'?copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMarqsiDj5
MARGARET: [a little testy] I meant light reading. I... I don't have the courage to read something like that right now.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZ74IvFN2S
JAMES: Are you afraid of Sojourner Truth?[14]copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZYTH3KoXW
MARGARET: I... am... James... I... am....copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvqzFgHqnK
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3VeDCoAxv
[2] A historical term for a biracial personcopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0kEzoymPJ
[3] Sojourner Truth is a civil rights activist and author: http://www.biography.com/people/sojourner-truth-9511284copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡAol2X3KeOP
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ThOj8kO8x
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpW3Fp3yAO
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPxmd8A3xg
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuKKbmctmp
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rYrUpcz9V
[9] These are historically black colleges: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcucopyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj6vvrXRul
[10] A euphemism for a 'white girl', as lilies are known for being white.copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSClJ6rkP5
[11] Skin whitening pills have the side effect of headaches: https://www.illuminatural6i.com/info/skin-whitening-pills/copyright protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2sh2Dv9kX
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuxhTmGocZ
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBPDU7jlHG
[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 protection237ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAeRd3XW5Y
