VINCENT LOPINTO: I am American. In 1910 my great-great grandfather came to America from Naples, Italy. He entered through Ellis Island. The only English he spoke was “America!” He moved into a one-room apartment on the Upper East Side, and after a few years married an Italian girl also living in America. They moved to Brooklyn, and my great-great-grandfather got a job in construction with others that had come from Naples before him. I think he was scared to death, to be perfectly honest. Back in Italy, though, he would work his whole life for nothing. America promised to be different. A country where dreams could come true. Question Use the following excerpt from the play I Am American to answer the question. What is the effect of this exposition in the play? (1 point) Responses It describes the daily life of a main character. It describes the daily life of a main character. It describes how the events of the play got more complicated. It describes how the events of the play got more complicated. It introduces a conflict that must be resolved. It introduces a conflict that must be resolved. It gives background information about one of the characters.

Answer 1

The effect of this exposition in the play is that it gives background information about one of the characters. It provides insight into the character's heritage and the experiences of their great-great-grandfather as an immigrant, setting the stage for understanding the character's identity and the themes of the play.