Drama : The Right Thing To Do

Drama :The Right Thing To DoBy Martyn Ford

Form 4 Literature ComponentsSynopsisA man is lying in the street. Three people, Patrick, Rebecca and David pass by and thy look at him not knowing what to do. They are in two minds whether to walk away or do something to help him. They push the act of checking on the man to each other as each feels it is not their problem. As they are hesitating and arguing, a woman in blue comes and she immediately starts helping the man. She instructs each on of them to do certain things David has to call for an ambulance, Rebecca to get water from a house nearby and Patrick to feel the mans pulse. The lady and Patrick see the bottle of pills in the mans pocket. He has to take one if he feels ill. They help him to take a pill and he feels better. The woman walks away quietly unnoticed by the famous TV chef. The ambulance takes him away and the three bystanders are happy they have done the right thing by heling the man They commented on the woman walking way, not wanting to help.SettingTime :Place : Daytimethe sidewalk of a street in townThe Right Thig to Do by Martyn Ford11/10/2015Plot AB1A woman in blue helped the man by giving instructions to the three bystanders. They were instructed on what they should do during an emergency. The man recovered after he was given a pill from his medicine bottle. He thanked them quietly.AExposition2Rebecca and Patrick saw a man lying on the pavement. They did not do nothing except looked at him. They felt it had nothing to do with them.BConflict

3The three bystanders were happy the man recovered and was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. They congratulated themselves for a job done. They felt the woman did not help much. They felt helping the man was the right thing to do.CClimax

4David passed by and asked about the man. He too did not make any attempt to check on the man. All three felt that they were not duty-bound to help the man.DFalling Action

5The ambulance came and after the doctor and nurse had checked on him, they took him to the hospital. Michael Scott thanked the three bystanders for their help.EResolution

Match A to B.Practice 1Answer the following questions1. Who wrote the play The Right Thing to Do?Martyn Ford(i) Who was the first person to see the man lying on the pavement of the street?

(ii) What are the three things she did before she started to walk away?

(iii) Why do you think she looked around her?2RebeccaShe stopped , looked around at the man and then looked around her.She did this to make sure nobody was around to see her ignoring the man and walking away.3. Who came by and stopped to look at the man too?Patrick4What specific thing did he want to know about the man?

What reason did he give her? What do you think of his reason?

He wanted to know if the man was dead.His reason was she was there first. I think that is unreasonable as he could have helped the man even if he came by later.5ii. How did he react to the situation?

Who was the next person to stop by?

iii. How would you feel if you have seen them in the street? Give your reason.

DavidHe merely asked questions and said that it was not his problem whether they helped the man or not.I would have felt angry because for the three healthy grown-up to not even raise a finger to help a sick person on the road is a despicable attitude.6i.How did Rebecca react to the womans answer to their questions?

ii.How did the woman rebuke her?

iii.Do you think Rebecca deserved to be told off?She answered that then he was not her problem.The woman told her to be quiet.Yes, she deserved it because in spite of the fact that he was a stranger to her, the woman helped the man, something that Rebecca should have done.7What did the woman instruct the following people to do?Rebecca

Patrick

David -

To get some waterTo feel the mans pulseTo call for an ambulance8Describe the three bystanders reaction to the whole incident after the man recovered and was taken away to hospital?They felt pleased that the man had recovered and that it was due to their efforts. They credited and congratulated themselves for doing the right thing. No credits went to the lady in blue. It was the right thing to do and we were there for himPractice 4Number the following sentences to show the correct sequence of the story. The first one has been done for you.AA woman in the blue sees the man and she bends down to help the man.( )BRebeca sees a man lying on the pavement of the street.( )CShe tells the three of them to do as she instructed call the ambulance, get the water and feel the mans pulse.( )DDavid comes by an all three bystanders feel it is not their problem.( )EThey give the man a pill from his pill bottle and he recovers and thanks them quietly.( )FMichael Scott thanks the three bystanders before leaving with the ambulance.( )GThe ambulance comes and the doctor and nurse examine the man.( )HShe is wondering what she should do when Patrick comes by and both look at the man.( )12345678Match the examples listed below to the appropriate literary devices and elements.ExamplesDevices & Elements1The three bystanders congratulated themselves for doing the right thing and forgot to credit the woman in blue.AFlashback2The man lying on the street is symbolic of public apathy when help is needed.BLanguage and style 3The bystanders recalled the woman in blue as being bossy rather than helpful.CIrony4Yes, but its not my problem And its not my problem! : We did everything. Yeah. Everything.Dtone, mood and atmosphere5Dialogue exaggeration and repetition of words.Erepetition6The three bystanders looking at the man lying on the street gives a clear image of helplessness in the face of emergency.Fdiction7Oh, be quiet and help. Got on! Feel his pulse.Gsymbol8Uncertainty, serious mood and relief.Himagery12345678Fill in the blanks with suitable expressions from the text.Rebecca sees a man lying n the pavement of the street. She looks at the man, then she looks around and seeing that (1) , she starts to walk away. However, she stops and goes back (2) again. Just then, Patrick walks past and he looks at the man. He asks about the man and wants to know (3)? Davis comes by and after asking a few questions and arguing with the other two finally says, And (4)! As they are hesitating and arguing, a (5) comes and she immediately starts helping the man. The three bystanders want to know her relationship with the mans condition because as Rebecca says, Then (6). But, she tells them to b quiet and instructs David to (7), Rebecca to get water and Patrick to (8) They help him to take a pill and he feels better. The woman goes away quietly unnoticed by the others.Choose the answers from here!call the ambulance

Is he deadthere is nobody aroundfeel the mans pulsehes not your problemto look at the manwoman in blueIts not my problem12345678