Both Rebecca’s father and Sojourner Truth are influential in the play, but neither of them appears. In 1-3 sentences, draw conclusions about why the playwright did not include these characters in the play’s action.

Answer 1

The absence of both Rebecca's father and Sojourner Truth from the play's action may serve to highlight the themes of legacy and the impact of past influences on the characters’ present lives. By not including them directly, the playwright allows their ideologies and values to resonate through the characters' experiences and dialogues, emphasizing how the absence of these figures still profoundly shapes the narrative and the characters' development. Additionally, this choice focuses the audience’s attention on the contemporary dilemmas faced by the characters, making their struggles more immediate and relatable.