February 26, 2008

Scene from Hostage

The scene that I would like to discuss is in act three. The scene I decided to discuss is in act three pages 217-218. This scene is when Mr. Pat draws a circle around Leslie and tells him to stay in it. The scene that I would like to discuss starts at:

Pat: “Now I am going to draw a circle round you with this piece of chalk. Now, you move outside that circle you’re a dead man.” (Page 217)

This scene ends with:

Pat: “Walk in” (page 218)

This scene I found particularly interesting because when I first read the script I did not pick up that Mr. Pat draws the circle around the soldier which later Miss Gilchrist is told to get into as well. The thing I found interesting is that when I was watching the play I was thinking to myself does the circle symbolize something else? Is there an outside meaning to this circle? I think personally it indicated fear of the soldier. While watching the play the soldier gets out of the circle and the volunteer grabs his gun and forces him into the circle. The soldier steps out of the circle even though there is a chance that he will be shot for doing this. Before Mr. Pat draws the circle the soldier did not seem much like a hostage. I found that when the circle is drawn, then he seems more like the hostage. Seeing the play allowed me to see the importance of the circle more clearly from this scene.