The Anniversary Party

Set Designer

Had I partaken as the role of costume designer in The Anniversary Party, I would have to consider the individual backgrounds of the attendees. While I would plan so that the majority would be clad in nice clothes, similar to clothing when going out to a recognized restaurant for dinner, and well groomed to the best of their abilities, I would avoid any loud colors. Given that it is a special occasion, muted colors including those of floral color would be more appropriate to not distract viewers from the important moments in the scene. There will be some tensions in scenes despite there being a reconciling between the couple, but originally, the clothing will have to be as if they had planning to spend a lovely night feigning polite smiles and enjoying themselves. 

I would have elected the clothing for women to include pleasant earth tones, long dress skirts, cardigans, soft floral patterns, dresses, and blouses ranging in the soft spectrum of colors. Low heels paired with non-attention-grabbing jewelry will be acceptable in their age. Nothing loud resembling a younger teenaged self would be present, save for possibly, in their childlike-demeanor. The men would either have a classy casual leather jacket, or nice jacket pair with pressed button-up dress shirt and pants.

As the night progresses and the drinks go around, the costumes would change mildly with jackets removed, rolled up sleeves or vests unbuttoned. The top few buttons on the dress shirts would be loosened to represent their gradual relaxation of character and original nervousness disappearing.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Watching the film by Tom Stoppard, my original reaction was to feel out of place. Having had previous experience with the playwright, I was almost inclined to ask if whether or not I heard correctly that the film showing was indeed Hamlet. The ambiguous beginning to the well-known play from the viewpoint of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seemed to hardly have any meaning other than just pondering the chances and events in life. Their importance to the tale, I later realized, was not greatly significant at the time due to Shakespeare not introducing them in the story until the King and Queen sent for them. The old friends of Hamlet had their existence consist of asking questions to one another of purpose. "Who am I? Who are you? What is your name?" were questions voiced by the two indicating their search of identity and reflecting it within most individuals in today's society. As events unfolded and Hamlet appeared fall deeper into madness, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern turned from questioning to hysteria. After all, having not being told they were side characters, they often lacked information pivotal to the story and were pushed by however life, or in this case the decisions of others in the playwright, wished to direct them.

Their lack of control over everything, mimicked in the abrupt, disorienting changes in scenery, was easily related to by how daily life can catch one off guard so easily. Throughout the play I often found myself cursing how blind they were to their own fates and how they would not make decisions of their own. While their fates where often decided according to the king and queen's decrees,  I hoped they would be able to stray from the tale, even slightly, and choose to change something.

Though I understand there was likely a different message meant to be given, I took the lesson to be: have your own persona. The repeating theme of the concept of death and the final words voicing their missed chance to have changed their fate led me to one conclusion. To avoid being a side character in your own life, you must think for yourself and make your own decisions impacting your life and those around you. While coming to terms with the fact that not everything is able to be controlled and that transcending death is only possible through the memory of the living, individuals should make informed choices on how to affect surroundings past themselves. How your choices will affect your image should be second to how they affect future events/generations to come.

The Dew Breaker

The Dew Breaker

The Dew Breaker proved to be an interesting read regarding the female and male relationships in different time periods. Though I had difficulty identifying with characters through the multiple stories on a personal level, I was able to comprehend the quiet themes of how every individual has secrets they'd rather keep hidden from the public.

Within the novel, Danticat portrayed a pattern in gender relationships that has been stereotypically linked to society since the dawn of man. Men in her writing often held their masculinity of importance and found their power mainly in their brute strength. Whether this be for the better of their country, their family, or their own pride, it is noted that the men did not have outstanding levels of intelligence, but rather a stubbornness to stick to their own opinions. These thoughts that corrupted their minds for several years would often lead to vengeance.
The women, on the other hand, had a standing in stark contrast with the men. While they mainly kept their behavior was muted, with the exception of the more rebellious Ka, their power was in the knowledge they kept. They were strong in their sense of holding themselves and family together despite their darker views on life. Through their hardships, they often survived through focusing on beliefs, release though art or work.

Though the present day has broken the boundaries that define the specifics of the old housewife roles, women in the novel find similiarities as being seen as the caretakers of families. The females within The Dew Breaker remain somewhat supportive of their family even in hard times, such as Anne does in the case of her husband getting redemption, but the males have difficulty being placed in one set role. After facing obstacles from events in their Haitian government, the males were categorized as the somewhat more violent role. Relationships with fathers are less connected and sometimes hold negative connotations. Finding an identity with loyalty to their nation, the male leadership is viewed as a stern figurehead rather than that of a family caretaker.