Question 1: Describe the character of Mrs. Johnstone. What are her key traits, and how does her background influence her actions in the play?

Answer: Mrs. Johnstone is portrayed as a struggling, working-class woman who is caring, vulnerable, and desperate. She is a mother who makes difficult sacrifices to provide for her children. Her background of poverty influences her decisions, such as giving up one of her twins to ensure both children have a better life. Her warmth and resilience are contrasted with her moments of despair, which can be shown through her tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language during performances.

Question 2: Explain how the character of Edward is depicted differently from Mickey through costume and stage movement. How do these choices reflect their personalities?

Answer: Edward is often dressed in smarter, cleaner clothing, reflecting his upper-class background, while Mickey wears more casual, worn clothing signifying working-class origins. Stage movement for Edward tends to be more poised and controlled, demonstrating his upper-class etiquette and confidence. Mickey may exhibit more energetic, unrefined movements, suggesting his social struggles and youthful impulsiveness. These choices help the audience visually and physically distinguish their social statuses and personalities.

Question 3: Perform a short improvisation: Imagine Mrs. Johnstone finds out about the twins' separation. Using voice and gesture, demonstrate her emotional state. (Practise and record your performance.)

Answer: Students should depict Mrs. Johnstone with a mixture of shock, grief, and anger. Use a trembling voice to show her emotional distress, wide eyes to express disbelief, and gestures such as clutching her chest or covering her face. The improvisation should convey her inner turmoil and sense of loss, highlighting her maternal instincts and deep emotional connection to her children.

Question 4: Analyze how the playwright uses contrast between Mrs. Johnstone’s and Mrs. Lyons’ characters to create dramatic tension.

Answer: The contrast between Mrs. Johnstone’s warmth, honesty, and working-class background and Mrs. Lyons’ cold, manipulative, and upper-class demeanor creates dramatic tension. This difference emphasizes themes of social class and deception. The audience becomes aware of the class divide and the manipulation that occurs, heightening emotional engagement. The playwright uses dialogue, stage positioning, and contrasting costumes to reinforce this contrast.

Question 5: Draw a character map for Mickey, Edward, and Mrs. Johnstone. Include key traits, relationships, and a brief note on how each character changes throughout the play.

Answer: Students should create a visual map with each character in a circle or box. Next to each, list traits: for Mrs. Johnstone – caring, desperate, maternal; for Mickey – impulsive, loyal, insecure; for Edward – privileged, reserved, naive. Connect the characters with lines indicating relationships: Mrs. Johnstone as mother to Mickey and the twin; Edward as Mickey’s brother in secret; Mrs. Lyons as antagonist. Notes on change could include Mrs. Johnstone’s resilience, Mickey’s descent into trouble, and Edward’s loss of innocence, showing their development.

Question 6: What stage directions would you include to show Mickey’s emotional decline from childhood to adulthood?

Answer: Stage directions could include: 'Mickey’s posture becomes more slouched and disheveled', 'His facial expressions shift from innocence to frustration or anger', 'He gestures aggressively or with clenched fists during confrontations', 'Lighting dims subtly as his mental state deteriorates, and his voice may become louder or more strained.' These directions visually and physically communicate his emotional decline.

Question 7: Discuss the significance of the recurring motif of 'the lottery' in the play and how it relates to the characters’ fates.

Answer: The 'lottery' motif symbolizes chance, fate, and the randomness of life. It reflects how the characters’ lives are shaped by circumstances beyond their control, such as birth and social class. The motif emphasizes themes of luck and tragedy—highlighting how a simple decision or coincidence can drastically alter lives. In performance, this can be represented through a visual or verbal repetition, reminding the audience of the play’s themes.

Question 8: Describe a dramatic scene where Mrs. Johnstone confronts Mickey about his behavior. Include suggestions for body language and tone of voice to convey her emotion.

Answer: In this scene, Mrs. Johnstone should appear anxious and sorrowful. Use a gentle yet firm tone to express concern. Body language might include leaning forward, reaching out to Mickey, or clasping her hands tightly. Her facial expressions should show worry and sadness. The scene could build in intensity with her voice rising slightly as she pleads or scolds, reflecting her maternal desperation. Use pauses and silence to heighten emotional impact.

Question 9: Reflect on how the characters’ dialogue reveals their personalities and social backgrounds. Provide examples from the play for Mrs. Johnstone, Mickey, and Edward.

Answer: Mrs. Johnstone’s dialogue often includes colloquial language and informal speech, reflecting her working-class background, e.g., 'What’s the use of dreaming?' Mickey’s speech is also informal, with slang and contractions, highlighting his youth and social status, e.g., 'I dunno.' Edward’s dialogue tends to be more formal and refined, demonstrating his upper-class upbringing, e.g., 'I say, Mickey, I’ve got a new bicycle.' These speech patterns help reveal their personalities and social environments.