ipl-logo

The Whipping Man Matthew Lopez Full Text

1345 Words6 Pages

The Production of The Whipping Man, created by Matthew Lopez, was set in Civil War which took place in April 1865, in what seemed to be the Jewish celebration of the Passover, and the tragedy of President Abraham Lincoln. During this time, there was a significant amount of themes discuss within the play. Matthew Lopez production, The Whipping Man illustrated a compelling story of themes about slavery, freedom, and relationships. The theme relationship and slavery was illustrated in Act I of the script when John was describing what happened with Caleb and his friendship and how a legacy of slavery continues.
JOHN. Caleb and his father went with me the first time I was sent. Did you know that Simon?
SIMON. I did
CALEB. John
JOHN. Mr. Deleon felt things where getting two chummy around here between me and Caleb. Between us and the DeLeons. Felt Caleb didn’t fully appreciate the true relationship between a master and his slave. So off we all went. To learn.
What happened first, Caleb? You remember? (No answer from CALEB)
JOHN. Caleb and his father stood in the corner and watch as the Whipping Man put me on my knees. Didn’t you, Caleb? The Whipping …show more content…

How did you love her, Caleb? Like you love a dog. You love a dog, you feed a dog. But when he acts up, you also-
(boom-SMACK!)
-beat a dog. You might have thought you loved Sarah but you also owned her. And if this hadn’t all just happened, you would have owned your baby, too. You would have owned your own child, Caleb. (Act II Scene III)

This last example illustrates the complex reality of slavery, and the reality behind Caleb and Simon daughter Sarah. The last theme freedom was illustrated in Act II of the script when Simon takes a sip of wine for the first time; SIMON brings the glass to his lips. He lets the wine slide down his throat. It tastes like freedom. He closes his eyes. This shows a visual image of Simon gripping look at new-found freedom he is about to experience.

Stage

Show More
Related

  • Odyssey Quotes

    1132 Words  | 5 Pages

    Odyssey Quiz Erin Brzusek 1) Book I, page 7-8, lines 236-254 “’As for my sailing here-/the tale was that your father had come home,/ therefore I… he can do anything’”(Mentês). 1 Athena, disguised as Mentês, is speaking to Odyssey’s son, Telemakhos. Mentês enters Odysseus’ home in search for Telemakhos. Once Telemakhos sees Mentês he brings him to a more secluded area away from the suitors in order to speak with him. Curiously, Telemakhos asked Mentês “’What kind of ship is yours, and what course brought you here?

    Read More

  • Does Frederick Douglass Create An Image Between True And False Christianity

    450 Words  | 2 Pages

    The corrupt and irresponsible power that the slave owners use and endure over their slaves is detrimental and has a massive effect on the slave owners’ own moral health. The theme helps the image of slavery as seen by Douglass’ explaining it as beyond natural for the victims involved. Douglass also describes a behavioral pattern that slaveholders have as it portrays the hurting effect of slavery. He points to how many slave-owning men have been tempted to pursue adultery and rape, becoming fathers of the born children with their female slaves. Such action and deceit threatens the unity of the slave owner’s family.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Horizon In Their Eyes Were Watching God

    675 Words  | 3 Pages

    Personal experiences often shape how people see the world. This can be said for people’s views of love and what love means to the individual. In Zora Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main character Janie searches for love and what true love is to her ever since she first got married. As Janie lives her life, she experiences marriage with three men: Logan Killicks, Jody starks, and Tea Cake, each of whom she initially believes she loves. However, as the story continues, she realizes that she does not truly love any of them except for Tea Cake.

    Read More

  • Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    958 Words  | 4 Pages

    It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood” (Douglass 43). Now Educated, he is able to understand his worth, not monetary but internal. Douglass assures, “I could see no reason why I should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master” (Douglass 60). Employed under Master Hugh he advocates for his worth, “I applied to Master Hugh for the privilege of hiring my time” (Douglass 61). Douglass employs slight arrogance, however, within his new mindset, allows for a different approach to Master Hugh than that of a slave; but as a

    Read More

  • The Narrative Of The Life Of Fredrick Douglass

    377 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass presents an insight into the power differences between a slave and his master. In this account , Douglass proves that slavery destroys not only the slave but also the owner. The “poison of irresponsible power” that masters hold has a damaging effect on their morals and beliefs (Douglas 39). This immense control in the hands of a person will break their kind heart and finest feelings turning them into those of a demon. Douglass uses flashbacks , deep characterization, and appeals to the emotions to address the negative effects of slavery.

    Read More

  • American Slaves Dehumanization

    1947 Words  | 8 Pages

    He was a cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding. He would at times seem to take great pleasure in whipping a slave. I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a

    Read More

  • Barn Burning Theme Analysis

    1313 Words  | 6 Pages

    Dunn Sidni Dunn Hensley English 11/ Fourth Period 27 February 2018 Part 12:Rough Draft In Barn Burning William Faulkner uses very many themes to show the emotions of these characters and how they felt. They all acted the same being all angry at each other. He really shows the readers how bad a family can really feel for these characters from what they showed they felt how they felt. Faulkner also uses perspective to help tell his stories. This comes being shown out through his main characters in helping to tell those stories.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Gem Of The Ocean By August Wilson

    2089 Words  | 9 Pages

    The author August Wilson is known for writing ten plays based on each decade about the way African Americans were treated in the 20th century. Him being half African American was able to relate and was vivid to the way they were treated. Although, slavery was abolished but discrimination and racism continued which did not made them free and did not obtained the respect that they so much seek. In this essay I will discuss what effects does slavery still have on the characters in Gem of the Ocean, some forty years after its abolition? Why is this important?

    Read More

  • Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    648 Words  | 3 Pages

    Douglass begins uses paradox to show how slavery was inhuman by acknowledging how slave overseers treated the slaves when did wrong or doing what was not told by them. ‘’ He would whip her to make her scream and whip her to make her hush. ’’(page 5). Douglass appeals

    Read More

  • Is Frederick Douglass Fair Or Unfair

    1161 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the book Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass on page 10 explains, “....a suitable distance between the end of the whip…” The slaves were whipped when they behaved bad, but why would anyone get whipped, even if they were behaving bad. Also in the same book Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass on page 10 states, “They were frequently whipped when least deserving..” They were whipped when they didn’t do anything. Imagine when they did deserve it.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Use And Abuse Of Power Essay

    498 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass shows the imbalance of power between slaves and their masters. In his book, Douglass proves that slavery is a destructive force not only to the slaves, but also for the slaveholders. “Poison of the irresponsible power” that masters have upon their slaves that are dehumanizing and shameless, have changed the masters themselves and their morality(Douglass 39). This amount of power and control in contact with one man breaks the kindest heart and the purest thoughts turning the person evil and corrupt. Douglass uses flashbacks that illustrate the emotions that declare the negative effects of slavery.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Eulogy For John Proctor

    979 Words  | 4 Pages

    “I never knew such goodness in the world.” (p. 118) The words I spoke to John in the last few moments of his life ring in my head on this mournful day. I only have little time here with you before I make my way back to Salem, but I would give anything to speak of my dear John today.

    Read More

  • Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes Courage Analysis

    768 Words  | 4 Pages

    She says to Eric, “He just wants me. He’s crazy, but he’s simple crazy. He would have killed you that night, but not to be mean. He’d have killed you to get to his ‘family.’ That 's me.

    Read More

  • 'Slavery Exposed In Octavia Butler's Kindred'

    996 Words  | 4 Pages

    Slavery was a long, slow process of dulling. Slaves had the constant fear of physical violence, the threat of losing the ones they love, and endured a life of always being treated as subhuman. One way that slavery dulled those in its grip was the constant fear of physical violence. Their masters could hurt or kill them at any moment and there’s nothing they could do. Dana explains how whippings were

    Read More

  • Russell's POV: A Short Story

    1280 Words  | 6 Pages

    HARRY’S POV It’s no wonder Russell hasn’t been found, considering I took his cold, limp body and threw it over Rose Lake’s bridge, above a lake notable for it’s various visits by suicidal individuals. If I do say so myself, I did a fairly good job. Russell was a nobody, there isn’t a single person that cares about him.

    Read More

More about The Whipping Man Matthew Lopez Full Text

Open Document