Drama :The Right Thing To Do

By Martyn Ford

Form 4 Literature Components

SynopsisA 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 man’s pulse. The lady and Patrick see the bottle of pills in the man’s 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.

Setting

Time :Place :

Daytimethe sidewalk of a street in town

Plot A B

1 A 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.

A Exposition

2 Rebecca 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.

B Conflict

3 The 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.

C Climax

4 David 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.

D Falling Action

5 The 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.

E Resolution

Match A to B.

Practice 1Answer the following questions

1. 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?

2

Rebecca

She 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?Patrick

4 i. What specific thing did he want to know about the man?

ii. 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.

5

ii. How did he react to the situation?

i. Who was the next person to stop by?

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

David

He 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.

6 i. How did Rebecca react to the woman’s 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.

7 What did the woman instruct the following people to do?

i. Rebecca –

ii. Patrick –

iii. David -

To get some water

To feel the man’s pulse

To call for an ambulance

8 Describe 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 him”

Practice 4Number the following sentences to show the correct sequence of the story. The first one has been done for you.

A A woman in the blue sees the man and she bends down to help the man.

( )

B Rebeca sees a man lying on the pavement of the street. ( )

C She tells the three of them to do as she instructed – call the ambulance, get the water and feel the man’s pulse.

( )

D David comes by an all three bystanders feel it is not their problem.

( )

E They give the man a pill from his pill bottle and he recovers and thanks them quietly.

( )

F Michael Scott thanks the three bystanders before leaving with the ambulance.

( )

G The ambulance comes and the doctor and nurse examine the man.

( )

H She is wondering what she should do when Patrick comes by and both look at the man.

( )

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Match the examples listed below to the appropriate literary devices and elements.

Examples Devices & Elements

1 The three bystanders congratulated themselves for doing the right thing and forgot to credit the woman in blue.

A Flashback

2 The man lying on the street is symbolic of public apathy when help is needed.

B Language and style

3 The bystanders recalled the woman in blue as being bossy rather than helpful.

C Irony

4 “Yes, but it’s not my problem” “And it’s not my problem!” : “We did everything.” “ Yeah. Everything.”

D tone, mood and atmosphere

5 Dialogue – exaggeration and repetition of words. E repetition

6 The three bystanders looking at the man lying on the street gives a clear image of helplessness in the face of emergency.

F diction

7 “Oh, be quiet and help.” “ Got on! Feel his pulse.” G symbol

8 Uncertainty, serious mood and relief. H imagery

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Fill 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 man’s 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 dead

there is nobody around

feel the man’s pulse

he’s not your problem

to look at the man

woman in blue

It’s not my problem

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3

45

6

7 8

All the best!

Po Po Tun 2015

Form 4 Literature Components