1. Many have pointed out that reading a book is a much more interactive process that watching a movie or a play, because the reader creates her own mental version of the characters, the setting, the action, etc. from the writer's descriptions while the watcher simply has to accept the version provided. Reading a play can require even more imagination, because the descriptions given of the characters, setting and action are often much more sparse. Many book authors describe settings in extreme detail and novelists often give us direct insight into the thoughts and motivations of characters. In a play the detail of setting is often left to the imagination of the set designer and conveying the emotions and motivations of the characters is often largely left to the craft of the actors and director. Does having to supply so much information yourself work for you as a play-reader? In other words, does the experience seem richer, weaker, more difficult, more challenging, etc. when compared to reading a novel?
2. I understand James "beat me to it" by selecting the first and only other play for FHBC consumption -- The Merchant of Venice. How did your experience reading a Shakespeare classic differ from reading what many consider a modern classic? What do you gain or lose moving from Shakespeare's use of language compared to the more straight-forward language of Miller's characters? Although different in language and structure, do you see any parallels between Shakespeare and Miller?
3. a) I chose Miller because he is considered a modern master and because his works have been banned --- it is Banned Book Month, after all. In 1970, Miller's works were banned in the Soviet Union after he campaigned for the freedom of dissident writers. Any comments on the irony of the Soviet Union banning Miller?
b) I chose All My Sons because it is much less well known than Death of a Salesman or The Crucible which many of us read for school or have seen portrayed on stage or screen. All My Sons was Miller's first real success. It was written and produced for the Broadway stage in the late 1940s. What are the themes of the play and do they still resonate today?
4. Were any scenes or characters particularly impactful or memorable to you? Why? Did any development in the story surprise you?
5. (SPOILER ALERT!) Why does Joe Keller kill himself?
6. Did you like the play?
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