Sure Thing by David Ives - Essay Example

Sure Thing by David Ives Introduction David Ives Sure Thing is a short play, which has two characters (David 3). It is set up in a coffee shop where we are shown how young people experience many problems when they try to date. The focus is when Bill tries to woe Betty, and she shuts him down a couple of times (David 5). So what is comic? What is serious? As Bill tries his luck with Betty. In Jane Martin’s Beauty, we see two characters that are struggling with the persons they are (Jane 2-7). So how do Carla and Bethany come to learn the life of the other is not perfect? Thesis Statement In David Ives Sure Thing, we experience several comedic scenes: the premise itself as Bill tries to meet and get to know Betty, but is shut down again and again (David 7). The sounding bell at the end of each scene of Sure Thing is comedic as the bell sounds like a gong of disapproval every time something wrong or inappropriate is said. In Jane Martin’s Beauty, we see comedy as Bethany tries to distract Carla from her phone call in the first scene (Jane 7). Carla is talking to some stranger on the phone, but Bethany does not care she wants to be heard and the way she does it, comical. The first scene, Carla also tries to remember the boy calling him is comical as she tries and tries, but can’t figure out where she met the man. The impolite and uncultured way Betty answers Bill is comedy in Sure Thing. Betty insists on being rude while answering Bill as he makes an effort to find out more about her (Jane 8). The timing of the scenes of Sure Thing are all comical as Betty is rude then she becomes nicer to Bill and goes off again being rude. There are several scenes of both Sure Thing and Beauty that shows how serious they are. Sure Thing is a play about two people who meet in a coffee shop (David 11). This is an example of how modern relationships start. In Beauty, Carla wishes she was Bethany and Bethany wishes she was Carla (Jane 9). This shows exactly how modern day youths are and how they do not appreciate who they are. In the first scene of the play, Carla receives a phone call, but doesn’t know the person calling her (Jane 9). This shows just how many boys are after her just because of her physical appearance and nothing more. The mood of the play set up in Sure Thing shows how important the play is and how two young people meeting in a coffee shop to know one another is important before starting a relationship. Bethany wishes to cure her uncle from a terrible disease when the magic genie asks her what her wishes are. Jane Martin brings out Bethany as a humane person who wishes people well. Therefore, this paper will discuss seriousness and comedy part o f the play. Body Comedy as seen in David Ives’s Sure Thing and Jane Martin’s Beauty The premise of Sure Thing itself is comic – A man (Bill) tries to meet and get to know a girl (Betty) but the girl shuts him down again and again and again. Bill: Is this seat taken? Betty: No it's not Bill: Would you mind if I sit here? Betty: Yes I would Bill: Oh (Bell) At the beginning of Jane Martin’s Beauty, Bethany keeps on interrupting Carla’s conversation on the phone and insists on being heard. Carla tries to concentrate on her conversation, but she cannot. The way Bethany interrupts her on the conversation is comical. The phone conversation went down as follows (Jane 9-12): “In love with me? You’re in love with me? Could you please describe yourself again? Uh-uh And you spoke to me?” In David Ives’s Sure Thing, there is a sounding bell to end each scene. The bell indicates something wrong or inappropriate has been said and needs to be interrupted. The bell sounds like a gong of disapproval as is often in talent shows. Bill tries to make a conversation with Betty by asking her which book she is reading. The answer he gets is ‘the sound and the fury’ which Bill identifies as it is written by ‘Hemingway’. The book is obviously not written by Hemingway, but Faulkner (David 11-15). Bill: What’s the book? Betty: The Sound and The Fury Bill: Oh, Hemingway (Bell) Another element showing comedy in Sure Thing is the impolite and uncultured what Betty answers Bill (David 15-17). Bill: Do you come in here a lot? Betty: Why are you asking? The timing of the play as a whole is comical. Betty is impolite to Bill when they start having a conversation then she becomes nicer, and they start having a decent conversation. Bill is now on a roll thinking they are on good terms with Betty to his surprise (Jane 6-9)! Bill: Do you come in here a lot? Betty: Every once in a while do you? Bill: Not much anymore, not as much as I used to. Before my nervous breakdown (Bell) …………………………… Betty: … None of which interests me mister! Seriousness as is seen in David Ives’s Sure Thing and Jane Martin’s Beauty In Jane Martin’s Beauty, Carla wishes she was smarter and could do well as Bethany while Bethany wishes she could be more beautiful as Carla so that more boys pay attention to her. This shows how many young people do not appreciate what they are worth of and wish to be someone else. The need to be someone different from what you are is a major issue in today’s society as the youths do not appreciate themselves. The play Sure Thing by David Ives is about two people that meet up in a coffee shop acting as an example of how modern day relationships start. David Ives tries to show how important it is to meet someone, have a conversation and get to know them before being serious in a relationship. The fact that Bill and Betty could not create an instant connection shows how normal it was and how it is part of the many things in a relationship (Jane 9-12). As the play Beauty starts, Carla receives a phone call and doesn’t seem to know who’s calling her. Part of her conversation goes like; “In love with me? You’re in love with me? Could you please describe yourself again? Uh-uh And you spoke to me?” Jane Martin wanted to bring out the aspect of physical beauty being a major issue in today's society. We see Carla has many boys interested in her who has only seen her once, but still are interested in her due to her physical appearance alone. Physical appearance has been a major issue among peers that lead to people wishing they could be someone else. Bethany in this case makes one her wishes as ‘to be beautiful' so as to get attention and boys interested in her. The setting of David Ives's Sure Thing itself shows how serious it is. The play is important in such a way that it sets the mood of the play. It is set in a coffee shop where two people, Bill, and Betty meet. The connection that Bill and Betty experience in the coffee shop is important as they connect despite the ringing bell that always disrupts their conversation. How Bill doubts himself before talking to Betty shows how people can fear making a mistake when trying to be in a relationship. Bethany from Jane Martin's Beauty makes one of her wishes as to getting her uncle cured of a terrible accident which shows how humane and caring she is. Conclusion From David Ives’s Sure Thing, we learn how important it is to meet and know someone when interested in having a relationship with them. Bill also shows us how being patient helps in almost all situations as he never gave up on trying to talk to and get to know Betty better. Jane Martin shows us how people always want something else that doesn’t belong to them and to be someone different from what they are from the play Beauty. However, we learn that the life that we so desire to live isn’t perfect after all. Works Cited David Ives. Sure Thing. 2013. Web. 2014. Jane, Martin. Beauty. 2014. Web. 2014. < http://www.bubblews.com/news/2446630-beauty-by-mary-jane> Read More