Study Questions - The Collection

To be posted in the Study Questions folder in FirstClass

1. Describe the relationships between the following:

• Stella and James
• Bill and Harry
• James and Bill

2. What "facts" are presented in this piece on which all the characters can agree? (what "truths" are known?) What things do remain in doubt about?

3. Characters in the play are constantly contradicting themselves? Can you find examples? Why do you suppose they do this?

4. Character business (the actions characters perform in addition to the dialogue) often gives a stronger impression of what is happening in a play than does the dialogue itself. How is this evident in The Collection?

5. How does this style of playwriting differ from what you see In Brecht in terms of type of dialogue, scene length and writing, and character development? Which do you prefer?