Receiving Helpdesk

how did mrs soames die in our town

by Leonard Bode Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

Soames, and Simon Stimson (suicide by hanging). Town undertaker Joe Stoddard is introduced, as is a young man named Sam Craig who has returned to Grover's Corners for his cousin's funeral. That cousin is Emily, who died giving birth to her and George's second child.

Full Answer

Who is Mrs Soames in the group of Dead Souls?

Soames appears in the group of dead souls in Act III. One of the few townspeople we meet outside of the Webb and Gibbs families, Mrs. Soames offers a sense of the interrelated nature of the lives of the citizens of Grover’s Corners.

How did Simon Simson die in a Christmas Carol?

In Act III, we discover that he died suddenly from a ruptured appendix while on a Boy Scout trip. Simon Simson The organist of the Congregational Church who is the subject of town gossip because of his alcoholism.

What happened to Emily Webb in a Christmas Carol?

Emily Webb Gibbs The Webbs' intelligent daughter, who grows up during the play, joins the two major families when she marries George Gibbs, and dies later during childbirth. Wallace "Wally" Webb Emily's younger brother and one of the spirits in the last act.

What does Joe say about Emily's grave?

What is the choirmaster's misfortunes in Grover's Corners?

What is the paperboy routine in Grover's Corners?

What is Howie's reappearance in Grover's Corners?

Who is George's next door neighbor?

Who is George's sister in Grover's Corners?

Who is Emily's brother?

See more

About this website

How did Wally Webb die in Our Town?

Wally Webb Wally dies young, the result of a burst appendix on a Boy Scout trip. His untimely death underscores the brief and fleeting nature of life.

What purpose does the character of Mrs. Soames serve in the wedding scene?

In what ways does Mrs. Soames serve as a dramatic foil for the other characters in this final scene? She makes the marriage seem fun and laid back (sentimental), when in all reality it was the most serious time of their lives and they are having cold feet about their wedding.

Why did Simon Stimson commit suicide?

In contrast to Mrs. Soames' idealism is the negative view of Simon Stimson, who committed suicide because of his alcoholism.

What does Mrs. Soames mean when she declares that life was awful and wonderful?

Soames mean by "My, wasn`t life awful/and wonderful"? That Emily dying was awful but her wedding was so wonderful; life has it`s lows but also its highs that shouldn`t be ignored.

What is Mrs Soames opinion of Simon Stimson?

Soames' opinion of Simon Stimson? She thinks that his drinking problem is the worst scandal in the town.

Is there a stage kiss in Our Town?

After George and Emily exchange rings and a kiss, the scene freezes briefly in a tableau, and the Stage Manager, still acting as the clergyman, muses about the number of couples he has married over time.

What does Emily realize when she relives a day from her life?

Emily realizes that living people don't really understand what's important or appreciate life. They are in the dark and troubled. Emily figures out that she can go back and relive moments of her life if she wants, but Mrs. Gibbs warns her not to.

Who dies on a Boy Scout trip in Our Town?

Wallace "Wally" WebbWallace "Wally" Webb Emily's younger brother and one of the spirits in the last act. In Act III, we discover that he died suddenly from a ruptured appendix while on a Boy Scout trip.

How old is Mrs Webb in Our Town?

between 30 and 55Mrs. Myrtle Webb – female age between 30 and 55 or so. Wally Webb – young boy age 11 to 13.

What was Mrs Gibbs offered $350 for?

Gibbs tells Mrs. Webb that she has some news: a traveling secondhand furniture salesman recently offered her the hefty sum of $350 for her highboy, an old piece of furniture.

What is the climax in the play Our Town?

climax After dying in childbirth and joining the dead souls in the cemetery, Emily returns to relive a day from her earthly life, which makes her realize how little the living appreciate the value of life. falling action Emily returns to the world of the dead souls in the cemetery.

What does Mrs Gibbs serve her husband for breakfast?

In Act II of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, Mrs. Gibbs serves French toast to her husband. He is delighted and makes a grateful fuss over this special... See full answer below.

Our Town Character Analysis | LitCharts

Need help on characters in Thornton Wilder's Our Town? Check out our detailed character descriptions. From the creators of SparkNotes.

Our Town Character Breakdown - Chester Theatre Group

Our Town Character Breakdown: 14 actors. Attention Young Actors!! Seeking non-traditional casting. Stage Manager, for example, need not be male.

Our Town Characters | GradeSaver

General note on characterizations. None of the characters in Our Town are very psychologically complex. Wilder wanted the characters themselves to be as representative and archetypal as possible, so that the audience would not tie these events and ideas down to individual character types, but generalize the story to themselves.

Our Town Act 2 Flashcards | Quizlet

Start studying Our Town Act 2. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.

Our Town Characters | Course Hero

Character Description; Stage Manager: Known only by his title, the Stage Manager generally performs as a narrator, not a character; he is onstage almost constantly, but none of the living characters knows he is there.

Why is Emily among the dead important?

Another reason for Emily's importance is that she has been a key player in the drama all along. Therefore, to place her among the dead gives the drama a tighter structure by holding the focus on her.

What does Joe wonder about the tombstones?

Meanwhile, Joe wonders if the dead chose the verses which appear on the tombstones. He reads Simon Stimson's epitaph and recalls that Simon committed suicide. The epitaph is only a few notes of music which Simon chose before taking his life. Sam asks about Emily's death and learns that she died during childbirth.

What does Wilder say about the dead?

In contrast to their peace, the living constantly combat troubles. Wilder indicates that most people are so weighted down with life's troubles that they are unable to appreciate the simple fact that they are alive. Emily has yet to make this discovery. Because the spirits plead with Emily not to relive her past, the audience is prepared for her terrible disappointment in the next scene. Since Emily is able to live in the present and see the future, she will understand the futility and misunderstanding which clouds human life.

What is Emily's hair tied with a ribbon?

Emily, wearing a white dress and girlishly long hair tied with a ribbon, emerges from the crowd of mourners.

Why is Emily important in the drama?

Another reason for Emily's importance is that she has been a key player in the drama all along. Therefore, to place her among the dead gives the drama a tighter structure by holding the focus on her.

Who is Emily's cousin in Act 3?

Summary and Analysis. Act III: Part 2. Summary. After the Stage Manager ends his introductory speech, we see Emily's cousin, Sam Craig, enter and address the undertaker, Joe Stoddard, who is supervising Emily's grave. Sam introduces himself because he moved to Buffalo twelve years earlier.

Why does Emily wear a white dress?

Because Emily wears a white dress and a youthful hairstyle, she evokes her joyous departure from Act II as George's bride. Thus, Wilder blends the two acts, thereby emphasizing the innocence and femininity of his main character. Mrs. Soames, a minor character, again performs an important function.

Where was Si Crowell killed?

A scholar at Massachusetts Tech, he is killed in France during World War I before he can use his education. Si Crowell Joe's younger brother, who takes Joe's job as paper boy in Act II to indicate the passage of time.

Who saved a man from freezing to death?

Constable Bill Warren The town law enforcement officer, whose duties require him to be sure that doors are locked and that drain pipes are adequate. On February 7, 1899, he saves a man from freezing to death. Professor Willard A faculty member of State University who recites facts about Grover's Corners.

Why is Simon Simson the subject of town gossip?

Simon Simson The organist of the Congregational Church who is the subject of town gossip because of his alcoholism. As a suicide who hangs himself in the attic, Simon's memories of the past are negative.

Where is Grover's Corners?

She realizes that Grover's Corners is part of New Hampshire, part of America, part of the world, the universe. This expanding image is central to Wilder's theme. Mr. Charles Webb The editor and publisher of the Sentinel, the town's newspaper, and one of its most important citizens. He lives across from the Gibbs family.

Who is Emily Webb Gibbs?

Emily Webb Gibbs The Webbs' intelligent daughter, who grows up during the play, joins the two major families when she marries George Gibbs, and dies later during childbirth. Wallace "Wally" Webb Emily's younger brother and one of the spirits in the last act.

How old is George Gibbs' son?

George Gibbs Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs' sixteen-year-old son, who discovers his love for Emily, marries her in the second act, and grieves for her loss in the third act. Rebecca Gibbs Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs' daughter, who is four years younger than George.

What does Joe say about Emily's grave?

The town undertaker. Joe prepares Emily’s grave and remarks on how sad it is to bury young people. This statement emphasizes a theme that grows ever more apparent throughout the play and receives its most explicit discussion in Act III: the transience of human life.

What is the choirmaster's misfortunes in Grover's Corners?

Wilder uses Mr. Stimson’s misfortunes to explore the limitations of small town life. Mr. Stimson appears in the group of dead souls in Act III, having committed suicide by hanging himself in his attic. He is perhaps most notable for his short speech in Act III, when he says that human existence is nothing but “ [i]gnorance and blindness.”

What is the paperboy routine in Grover's Corners?

The paperboy. Joe’s routine of delivering papers to the same people each morning emphasizes the sameness of daily life in Grover’s Corners. We see this sameness continue when Joe’s younger brother, Si, takes over the route for him. Despite this sameness, however, each of the conversations Joe has while on his route is unique, suggesting that while his activities are monotonous, daily life is not.

What is Howie's reappearance in Grover's Corners?

The local milkman. Howie’s reappearance during every morning scene—once each in Acts I, II, and III—highlights the continuity of life in Grover’s Corners and in the general human experience.

Who is George's next door neighbor?

Emily is George’s schoolmate and next-door neighbor, then his fiancée, and later his wife. She is an excellent student and a conscientious daughter. After dying in childbirth, Emily joins the group of dead souls in the local cemetery and attempts to return to the world of the living.

Who is George's sister in Grover's Corners?

George’s younger sister. Rebecca’s role is minor, but she does have one very significant scene with her brother. Her remarks in Act I—about the location of Grover’s Corners in the universe—articulate an important theme in the play: if the town is a microcosm, representative of the broader human community and the shared human experience, then this human experience of Grover’s Corners lies at the center of a grand structure and is therefore eternal.

Who is Emily's brother?

Emily’s younger brother. Wally is a minor figure, but he turns up in Act III among the group of dead souls. Wally dies young, the result of a burst appendix on a Boy Scout trip. His untimely death underscores the brief and fleeting nature of life.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9