The playwright's decision to exclude both Rebecca's father and Sojourner Truth from the play's action emphasizes the personal struggle and generational conflict between Rebecca and her mother regarding women's suffrage. By focusing on the dynamic between these two female characters, the play highlights the intimate and emotional aspects of the suffrage movement, showcasing how it impacted families and relationships. Additionally, the absence of these influential figures allows the narrative to remain centered on the personal journey of young women like Rebecca, making their fight for rights more relatable and immediate for the audience. This approach underscores the importance of individual voices in the broader historical context of social change.
by Joanna Evans
The fight for suffrage drives a wedge between a spirited young woman and her mother. . . .
Characters
NARRATOR
REBECCA, 17 years old
MAMA, her mother
BEFORE RISE: NARRATOR enters, addresses audience.
NARRATOR: Did you know that women in the United States weren’t allowed to vote until 1920? That’s when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, extending voting rights to all women. If you do your math, you’ll find that women couldn’t vote for nearly 150 years after our nation was created out of the Revolutionary War. . .talk about injustice!
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Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
Both Rebecca’s father and Sojourner Truth are influential in the play, but neither of them appears. In 3-5 sentences, draw conclusions about why the playwright did not include these characters in the play’s action.
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