Assignment on Clifford Odets, "Waiting For Lefty" (1935)

Read "Wiaiting for Lefty" as published, plus the original scene "V. The Young Actor", which you should download from our FTP site.

There are 8 scenes in the play, including "V. The Young Actor": An untitled introduction; "I. Joe and Edna"; "II. Lab Assistant Episode"; "III. The Young Hack and His Girl"; "IV. Labor Spy Episode"; "V. Interne Episode"; and and untitled conclusion, after the stage direction "Blackout", largely spoken by Agate Keller.

Here are six suggestions: (a) anticommunism; (b) the role of women; class analysis and how it is conveyed; (c) working class consciousness vs the consciousness of the workers; (d) the portrayal of employers and their men -- bosses, union mis-leaders, goons, et al.; (e) economic issues vs. political issues; (f) economic issues vs ideological issues.

Other themes are possible too.


Writing Assignment:  Read the whole play. Write 350 words or a bit more on three themes you see in the play.

Groups 1 and 3: write on themes (a), (b), and (f). Groups 2 and 4: write on themes (c), (d), and (e).

Email to your group and to me.