Merlene Odums Analysis

Xiang Li

Actor/ Playwright Assignment

Theatre 101

10/06/2017

1. My name is Merlene Odums. I am an 34 years old women and I was born in May 20th, 1885.

 Her name shows on the script, based on her age of the children and the background. I think she is around 34. On the other hand, because they want to have better life from their child. poor people usually will have many kids when they are very young So, from now she should be born in 1885, and the date of the birth I choose same day with Lisa Kron.

2. My ethic is African

 From the internet I find out Odums is a very rare family name, There is only about 400 people family name is Odums that live in United States. And most of them are from western Africa. From the background that be described

4. My husband abandon us.

 Her husband did not show up in this entire play and She did not say anything about her husband. On the other hand, at the first part of the script did not tell two kids last name, Form those information I think her husband abandoned them or another situation is she just do not know who is the father of these two kids.

5. I have two kids. A 9 years old daughter named Antoinette, and a 7 years old son named Claude.

 Information was be given in the script.

6. I was a receptionist. But from the disaster I am homeless person and have no job.

 Sher ask for a desk job from Clay, she might be work at a hotel as a receptionist or waitress before.

7. My closest is my two kids, I have no husband and other relatives. The only hope I got is these two lovely kids.

 From the play we can feel the love that Merlene give to their kids. They might be the only two relative that she got right now.

8. I am not get along with the Mr. Wynn and Ms. Dion. Although offer me a nice job is not their duty, they still want me and my lovely young kids play in casinos. We have nothing no money. But they still want earn money from us. I do not live them at

In that time take education is very expensive. Her family have no money offer her go the college. But she said she have some education and should know how to read so I think she went to middle school. Have she might have some individual study as well.

11. My goal is to have an apartment can live and have a job

 From script we can see she want Clay to offer her a job and an apartment.

12. Houston is the place I want to go in five years

 In script it said Her been to Houston and Oklahoma. It means these two places is the good place to her. After the conversation I think Merlene do not like Vegas at all. So, she will move to Houston, because in Houston she went to right place, it shows she want to stay at there.

PLAYWRIGHT

That is so crazy, why people do that. Grab chips? Why they are so evil. They have hands and legs, they should find a job and have a common brand-new life. Although I do not like Mr. Wynn and Ms. Dion, hope they did not get hurt and can offer me a job and apartment. I can take care my kids better, when I get my salary I can take them to have nice meal and send then to school, they will make lots of friends there, and will never have this terrible life