8/9/2019 Dramatic Interp

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Kegan JenkinsOral InterpretationDr. Kerry Graves22 October 2014

A LIE OF THE MIND

By: Sam Shepard

1. This scene is about Frankie seeing for the first time what his brother did to his wife, Beth andthis mental state he left her in.This scene is about Beth trying to find someone to love and take or her who wont harm her.This scene is about Beth trying to seduce Frankie in her childish sort of way.

2. The first persona is Beth, Jakes wife, a pretty young woman whose brain has been damagedby the brutal beating inflicted on her by Jake, who left her for dead. She is recovering physically,but she functions mentally like a child. She has moments when she is disturbingly lucid.Following Frankies arrival at the farm, Beth transfers her love for Jake onto Frankie.

This second persona is Frankie, Jakes younger brother, who, because of his concern for Beth,has gone to her familys farm in Montana to corroborate Jakes story of having killed Beth. Whiletrying to get around Mikes guarding of Beth, Frankie is mistaken for a deer and shot in the legby Baylor, Beths father. Because Baylor does not want the sheriff to know of the shooting,Frankies wound is not treated by anyone but Beth, who tries to seduce him. Frankie ends upfalling in love with Beth.

3. Since Beth has a mental impairment she doesnt really speak in coherent, completesentences. So when comes to interoperating what she is trying to say, you really have to readbetween the lines. That presents an interesting, but fun, challenge.

4.I see a foreign environment around me. There is tattered, worn out furniture, one of which isthe couch Im sitting on. The cushions are so old they are flat as pancakes and I feel the metalof the couch frame pressing into my body. The room is brisk around me and I feel a deep chill.The air is damp and a musty smell permeates my nose. I hear silence except for the softcrackling of a fire. Pain throbs up my leg from my recent bullet wound. My mouth is dry, I canteven remember the last time I had a drink.

5. Beths major objective is to try to help take care of Frankie and tend to his wounds, but she isalso trying to seduce him in her own childish way.

Frankies major objective is to try to find a way out of this place as fast as possible and get outof this awkward situation with Beth before it gets him into trouble.

6. Frankie doesnt want Beth to help with his wound because it puts him in an awkwardpositions and he doesnt think he should look at his Brothers wife that way.

Beth isnt helpful at all in getting Frankie out of there and just distracts him with her randomscatter-brained talking.