Neighborhood 3

I was unable to attend class this week and participate in the class discussion about the play, however i can airways share here. This is not the first play that i read, in my English 102 I read "the crucible" which is quite interesting. Neighborhood 3 is different, I was initially amused that it was about video games and about zombies. I enjoyed starting to read this play because it is by far one of the most interesting piece I read all semester. The wording and dialogue was so simple to read and to understand and it was kind of funny as well. I enjoy reading plays because I am able to picture every scene in my head and actually get a sense of how it will play out in screen.

Building Barriers? Liberty and Justice for All exhibit

Attached is the press release for the Building Barriers exhibit which will be displayed in building c. One of my pieces from this class will be displayed there.


Building Barriers Exhibit opening reception

Neighborhood 3

I see plays as being different than stories because plays dive straight into context usually and stories give a strong background before they begin the actual story line. On the surface, Haley's play is very different than other play's I've read however the subliminal message and use of an alternate reality are two common themes in a lot of writing. The use of a virtual reality by the author is definitely a unique (and modern) touch. I'm pretty sure that  this  is the first piece of writing I'm reading that deals with a virtual reality.

I believe that this play can be relate-able to many teens, especially here in the U.S.. I can see that maybe some teens will be interested in reading this and it will in turn open the door for them towards more Literature.

On a deeper level, I see that Haley is expressing some real life internal struggles in this play. It's set in suburbia which speaks volumes. Many teens (or adults) who live in suburbia try to escape their monotonous life there through video games and unfortunately sometimes through drug use. The boredom that ensues for a teen in a suburban lifestyle is expressed in the writing style of Neighborhood 3. To begin, part 1,  walkthrough, has no rhythm to the words. The sentences do not begin with capital letters and the context of this piece is bland. By bland I mean that here we are described the neighborhood very generally, we do not see anything exciting, we do not feel anything exciting, and we do not see any people. There is barely a subject of interest here and I believe this reflects life in suburbia.

The dialogue also reflects the points I stated above. There is minimal capitalization, minimal goal context, and the use of dialogue I believe allows the reader to ping-pong back and forth between the characters. This ping-pong use of dialogue again reflects the repetitive lifestyle of these characters. Haley also adds silence and dullness into the dialogue when she inserts "..." numerous times.

I find it odd that on page 11, Trevor states: "That's the last time I had it/when I was over here/my mom doesn't buy/ Chocolate Milk.". Here 'i' is not capitalized but 'Chocolate Milk' is. Perhaps this also mirrors the characters feeling of internal un-importance.

Drugs are mentioned when Mikaela asks Trevor if he wants Vicodin very casually. As the news and media has shown to be true, drug use (soft drugs, hard core drugs, and prescription drugs) is almost an epidemic in suburban towns. Here Haley is speaking volumes because this casual offering of drugs and life style of drug use is something that is very casual and trivial in suburban areas. Later on, Leslie mentions that her daughter might had had anorexia and Steve admits he also had to force his daughter to eat. They express these family issues so casually that in reality it is worrisome. Self harm (through drug use, bodily harm, etc) is not something to be taken lightly however many suburban towns are aware of it yet don't acknowledge it. Here I believe Haley is expressing all of this and mimicking the suburban tone in the nonchalant mentioning of these bigger issues.

Neighborhood 3

This play is more interesting than other texts i read this semester. I understand what was going on and it was easier to follow along to it. The duologue was short, simple but funny. The "walkthroughs" gave enough details to help me understand what was about to happen in the up coming scene without giving any duologue.  

I never read a play before Neighborhood 3; reading this play I wish i read some. With the details provided i was able to picture every scene, what they was going or going to do. I seen plenty of Tyler Perry plays before they turned into movies. Tyler Perry plays were comedy but delivered a message at the end. When Makela asked Trevor if he wanted "coke" i thought she was talking about the real thing until she said we just have stupid stuff like "grape juice." Also when she was talking about the "joy stick" Makela was talking about something else while Trevor was talking about playing an actually game, he didn't catch on to what she was implying. 

Neighborhood 3

How are plays different from other texts that we've read this semester? How is this play different from other plays you've read? (Or have you ever read a play before? Have you seen one?) Some other questions I have:

• How do you read this play? How do you make sense of it?
• How are the "Walkthroughs" distinct from the scenes? What are they doing? (What is their purpose(s)?)
• Do you notice the double entendres (double meanings) in the script? Give examples.
• There are a lot of different characters in this play. Why are only four actors supposed to perform it? 
• Notice the format of the play. No caps, no punctuation. Why?

How are plays different from other texts that we've read this semester?

Plays have an even bigger task of "showing" versus "telling." The relationships between characters have to be established through dialogue and the way they interact with one another. 

How is this play different from other plays you've read?

This play is a little more realistic in how conversational it is. In some plays you have to suspend your disbelief because the way the characters speak to one another is a little maudlin or schmaltzy. 

How are the "walkthroughs" distinct from the scenes?

The walkthroughs are distinct from the scenes in that they are written in the style of a game guide but help to further show us how involved the game is and the blurred lines between the game and "real life." The technology of the game is allowing people to play in a virtual reality that is just like their actual reality. 

Do you notice the double entendres in the script?

There are a lot of different characters in this play. Why are only four actors supposed to perform it. 

I have noticed that throughout the play the characters are not easily distinguishable so this could add to the confusion

Notice the format of the play. No caps, no punctuation.

Based on what I've read so far, the play deals a lot with an addiction to video games. The play is formatted like text conversation, further adding to the theme of an overexposure to technology. 

Neighborhood 3 - The Walkthroughs

When I first read the walk-through sections I read it as the writer setting up the scene that we are about to read. The play is about a video game. So these walk-through sets up the different scenes to seem like different boards or levels on a video game. It instructs the characters or players where to go. When reading this play, the walk-through gives me a pretty good illustration of what I might see if I were watching this scene live. The set-up of the walk through also gives me a feeling that I am actually reading about a video game.

Neighborhood 3 and Plays

How are plays different from other texts that we've read this semester? How is this play different from other plays you've read? (Or have you ever read a play before? Have you seen one?) Some other questions I have:

• How do you read this play? How do you make sense of it?
• How are the "Walkthroughs" distinct from the scenes? What are they doing? (What is their purpose(s)?)
• Do you notice the double entendres (double meanings) in the script? Give examples.
• There are a lot of different characters in this play. Why are only four actors supposed to perform it? 
• Notice the format of the play. No caps, no punctuation. Why?