themes in sweat by lynn nottage


online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. Ive got twenty-four years on the floor. The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. Jessie, another worker at the factory, is not so happy with how her life has turned out and has some problems with alcohol abuse. Ive absorbed a lotta shit over the years, but I worked hard to get off that floor. Divisions surface when the African American Cynthia is promoted from the shop floor to supervisor over the head of her white oldest friend, Tracey. Students Superlatively acted Leanne Best, Martha Plimpton and Clare Perkins in Sweat at Donmar Warehouse, London. Tell me about whats been going on. Similarly, O'Keefe plays the barkeep as one-note and frequently flubs lines. Sweat switches between 2000 and 2008 as Lynn Nottage tells the story of a group of friends who work together on the factory floor. eNotes.com grounds " Sweat " , emphasizing it 's the everyday - nature of the plays themes . Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. New York, NY 10007 Since the twenties, okay? People of color are being persecuted by individuals in power because of the color of their skin, leaving them in fear for their life. [5] Nottage herself even spoke at the strike, which is what made her realize she had to do more. Nottage has said that she was particularly influenced by a New York Times article reporting on the city specifically, and by the Occupy Wall Street movement more generally. During the play Cynthia applies for a managing job at the plant which causes some problems. I dont think you get it, but if I walk away, Im giving up more than a job, Im giving up all that time I spent standing on line waiting for one damn opportunity. In 2008, Chris and Jason both find themselves back at the bar to find some peace. Sweat. TRACEY: [] I know the floor as good as Cynthia. Nottage said her dream is that audience members, after seeing the play, will be inspired to sit down and talk to someone with whom theyve never had a conversation. Tensions between friends come to a head when Olsteads begins making changes and floor workers face the threat (and, eventually, the reality) of a lockoutand the newly promoted Cynthia comes to be seen as a traitor. Three best friends, Cynthia (Portia), Tracey (Mary Mara), and Jessie (Amy Pietz), pass the time at the bar joking and drinking to obliteration in order to survive the daily grind. In Sweat, Tracey was adamant that Cynthia only got the promotion because she's black and that Oscar could only get a job at the Warehouse out of pity. Text-only Version, Information for: The volume covers Nottage's plays, productions, activism, and artistic collaborations to display the extraordinary breadth and depth of her work. eNotes Editorial. This contributed to the story of the play, as we continually see different scenes centered around drinking, especially after work or on stressful days. This specific scene supports how the usage of alcohol as a prop was continually utilized as a coping mechanism for many characters. The play alternates between the same characters in 2000 and 2008, a plot structure that allows the audience to see how these choice pan out over timeand the shame and guilt that characters feel in response to their actions, even eight years later. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. By showing how people, Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. As the months of 2000 pass, the relationships that create the foundation of Sweat begin to unravel and we come to see the events that led Chris and Jason, two best buds with exuberance for their future, to wind up in prison. I do. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. The collection contains chapters on each of her major works . The kind but stalwart officer (Kevin T. Carroll) hopes a reunion between the two will help heal their wounds. [15] A five-star review of the production by Peter Mason in the Morning Star newspaper described Sweat as "a tension-filled drama with a turbulent, consuming plot and a cast of highly engaging characters who demand attention from the off," adding of the Donmar cast that "it would be difficult to imagine a better set of players to take on the difficult task of portraying such complex individuals". Teachers and parents! date the date you are citing the material. Sweat is about the private toll of this great decline. Cmon. Lynn Nottage's Sweat was published in 2015 and won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2017. She doesnt really believe a floor worker will get the promotion, but when Cynthia talks about applying, Tracey decides to as well. CYNTHIA: [] I dont deserve the things youve been saying. Tracey and Jessie grow bitter. Whether its the discussion that Oscar doesnt deserve a job or him being attacked, they are all just as equally painful and wrong. Download the entire Sweat study guide as a printable PDF! It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. They also work at the plant, although Chris talks about going to college. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. date the date you are citing the material. Refine any search. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves at the best online prices at eBay! Ed. The sheer amount of time that characters spend together in the lived-in and comfortable bar after work emphasizes just how important a similar sense of familiarity and comfort is in their relationships with one another. publication in traditional print. Be angry, but dont make it about this(Points to the skin on the back of her hand) Look at me, Tracey. Log in here. Although Cynthia breaks the rules by warning Tracey, Jessie, Chris, and Jason that a lockout is imminent, they begin to see her as a betrayer rather than a trusted member of their inner circle due to her position of authority over them. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine. The BMCC Theatre Department invites you to enjoy the performance of 'SWEAT' by Lynn Nottage, directed by Diane Dowling. Religion and Culture News|Reserve Officer Training Corps News|School of Education News Last Updated on October 12, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. As the play switches back to 2000, we hope to learn what happened between them. The play was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. It will unconditionally squander the time. Im on your side, Cynthia tells them, but Tracey challenges her: Then act like it, she says. When Cynthia is promoted, the difference of social status is directly introduced. They built the house that I live in. LitCharts Teacher Editions. The characters in Sweat have spent decades of their lives thanklessly laboring in Reading Pennsylvanias local steel and textile mills amid poor working conditions, disrespectful management, and union disputes. Sweat challenged my thinking and led me to analyze serious problems that still have not been solved. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. She is on and off with her husband, Brucie, who is addicted to drugs. When Cynthia is promoted from shop floor worker to manager and her coworker and friend Tracey is not, their friendship suffers, and others make accusations of racially based preference, as Cynthia is Black and Tracey is white. "Sweat - Summary" eNotes Publishing Her friend Cynthia is a black woman who also loves to hang out with her friends at the bar and is a hardworking woman in the factory. Sweat was a meaningful production as there are many important themes to take away from the story. Content Warning: Strong language, drug references, some suggested violence, If you have any questions, contact Emma Ruopp ateruopp@bmcc.cuny.edu, Borough of Manhattan Community College They get tax breaks or something. Themes and Colors LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sweat, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Sweat charts the connection between the broader economic trends that animate and shape American society and the lives of individual Americans who are affected by those trends. Some characters use racial slurs towards Latinos and show him that he isn't welcome in the Olstead factory. Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. In a world deemed as free, there are still so many disparities within that statement. An immediate divide is created between Cynthia and her friends. Faculty & Staff Struggling with distance learning? [8][12] The production began previews on Broadway at Studio 54 on March 4, 2017, before opening on March 26. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Word Count: 508. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. [16] The production transferred to the West End's Guielgud Theatre, running from 7 June 2019 to 20 July. Started in 74, walked in straight outta high school. Download the entire Sweat study guide as a printable PDF! She . Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. The amount of original essays that we did for our clients, The amount of original essays that we did for our clients. Lynn Nottage, originally born and raised in Brooklyn, New York produced the award-winning play, Sweat. Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. To cover up how hurt he is, Jason mocks Chris and tells him hell never succeed in such a low-paying career before asking, But seriously, man, why didn't you tell me? Despite Jasons tough exterior, its clear that hes genuinely upset by Chriss attempts to leave their shared lot in life behind and pursue higher education. Note: All essays placed on IvyMoose.com are written by students who kindly donate their papers to us. It tells the story of Reading, Pennsylvania, but it be could any place, it could be any post-industrial city across the landscape., Your browser does not support iframes. Synopsis for SWEAT: SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. Who is the antagonist in the play Sweat by Lynn Nottage? He used to work at the plant but he was injured from a factory accident. Reviews focused on the similarities between the portrayal of the industrial working class in a Rust Belt town, and that being a significant area and demographic in the 2016 United States presidential election. The play was directed by Lynette Linton, and featured Clare Perkins and Martha Plimpton as the mothers and Osy Ikhile (Chris) and Parick Gibson (Jason). Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, "Pulitzer Prize winner on 'Sweat,' her Broadway play about Trump's America: 'Being poor is one of the hardest jobs in the world', "Who are these Trump voters? Variety quotes the bartender, Stan, as warning the other characters that "You could wake up tomorrow and all your jobs are in Mexico", to which the characters respond with lethargy and disbelief. 100% plagiarism free, Orders: 7 [26], Sweat received three 2017 Tony Award nominations: Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for both Johanna Day and Michelle Wilson. Accessibility TRACEY: Yeah? Last Updated on October 4, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. Mainly the women in her family who were teachers, activists, and artists. Similarly, when Cynthia earns a promotion from floor worker to Warehouse Supervisor at Olsteads, Tracey becomes spiteful and downright crueleven though she, too, applied for the job. You hear from the old gang? The discrimination towards Oscar and others throughout the play stuck out to me because it is hard to see people who work so hard get torn down due to their heritage. Seeing the effects of job loss and the economic struggle these people were facing first hand is what truly inspired her work for the play Sweat. CYNTHIA: More money. The management/worker division begins to separate the friends, and racial tensions separate them further. Most of the play takes place in a local bar, where friends like Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie (a trio of middle-aged women whove all worked at Olsteads Steel Tubing plant for decades) gather to socialize with one another and with the beloved bartender, Stan. To combat this constant strain and underappreciation, the members of Readings working-class community depend upon tight-knit relationships with one another as a means of stress relief, support, and fulfillment. Carroll, in his few scenes as the parole officer, conveys the father figure both boys need to rehabilitate. The main themes in Sweat are race and class in the workplace, the effect of work life on the family, and economies and individuals. This website uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. [1] The Los Angeles Times also states, "The play seemed to analytically grasp what too many political pundits had missed: the seething anger that turned a reliable blue state such as Pennsylvania red". The union, there to protect the workers, has become overwhelmed and impotent. Two hostile men sit in separate rooms with the same parole officer after being released from an eight-year prison sentence. date the date you are citing the material. Management wants to cut wages, and the union will have to vote to accept the concessions or go on strike. This is shown in many of the bar scenes. In a sense, Reading represents a broader diminishment of the American middle class, a sector of the population whose once-reliable sources of worksuch as in factories and millshave been in decline in recent years. At the beginning of 2000, every character is either part of the working class or experiencing the repercussions of union strikes. As a community already steeped in tradition and resistant to outsiders, this downturn causes Readings white working class to become downright hostile toward black and Latinx peopleeven individuals they once called friendsbecause they believe minorities are stealing their jobs away. Tracey? As Warehouse Supervisor, Cynthia has a newfound insiders perspective into the management side of the plant. CYNTHIA: Ive stood on that line, same line since I was nineteen. TRACEY: Stillyou werent born here, Berks. American playwright lynn nottage won the 2017 pulitzer prize for drama for. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. . 5 pages at 400 words per page) Thrash rock music from the early millennium sets the mood and evokes tension. The bartender is Stan, who used to work at the factory with them until he suffered an injury. Get professional help and free up your time for more important things. Stan is severely injured, and the youths are arrested, convicted, and incarcerated. There are many scenarios that lead to this violent event, but I believe they are all significant in showing that, big or small, these racial attacks need to end. In 2000, we meet best friends Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie. A Critical Companion to Lynn Nottage places this renowned, award-winning playwright's contribution to American theatre in scholarly context. The last date is today's LitCharts Teacher Editions. The plays setting offers an appropriate stage on which to explore this theme. The playwright shows how owners manipulate individual efforts to advance in order to destroy solidarity and instead foster suspicions, mistrust, and rifts between friends. She has now become one of people working to undermine the union by hiring cheaper labor. Due to a lot of anger and resentment throughout the production, there were various racial slurs that stuck out to me because of our current problem of racism in society today. Sweat dissects the insidiousness of privilege and entitlement, reminding audiences that there's always someone on a lower plane to blame for your troubles, and there will always be someone who stands to profit from your loss. Cynthia gets the promotion, and Tracey wonders if its just because Cynthia is Black. John Earl Jelks is heartbreaking as Chris's father, a maddened drug addict who has lost the respect of his family. [] Im not prejudice, I say, you are who you are, you know? [4] The play was produced off-Broadway in 2016, and on-Broadway in 2017. Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. Thus, these essays are of lower quality than ones written by experts. Complete your free account to request a guide. Thursday-Saturday February 23-25 at 7:30pm. Nottage began to write the play in 2011 and set its events during two notable economic downturns: the 2000 to 2001 recession following the dot com bubble and the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. Although such connections are often indirect, they arise through tangible realities such as corporate downsizing and non-union hiring practices. Unfortunately, that kinetic energy is all on one level, high, so the audience feels distanced from the characters. eNotes.com, Inc. Do you know what its like, she asks, to get up and have no place to go? For the equally tough Cynthia, work is a means of advancement and her union card is a symbol of racial acceptance. publication online or last modification online. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. The bartender in the play is Stan. The two men have not seen each other since the events that led to their incarceration. Tracey talks about an upcoming promotion at work and how there is a rumor that they want to promote someone from the floor to a manager position. Characters such as Jessie use alcohol to cope with their problems to the point of being out of control, which was an important symbol specifically used by Jessica Hightower, Scenic and Properties designer of Sweat. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. You dont know what its been like to walk in my shoes. It normalizes the common habit of many working-class individuals who come home exhausted or agitated from working extraneous jobs. 2023 . If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance JASON: Shit, I just kinda thought wed retire and open a franchise together. Chris finds Cynthia living in a small, rundown, messy apartment . The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Guide as a printable PDF, walked in straight outta high school my shoes rundown, apartment! No place to go find themselves back at the plant was injured from a factory.... Place in a small, rundown, messy apartment two men have not seen each other the... That Oscar doesnt deserve a job or him being attacked, they are just. Or experiencing the repercussions of union strikes get up and have no place to go at. Our clients, the amount of original essays that we did for clients., Cynthia has a newfound insiders perspective into the management side of the bar.! 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage [ ] im not prejudice, I say, are... Separate them further important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP without... Family who were teachers, activists, and the union by hiring cheaper labor and will be first. Who were teachers, activists, and will be the first date the. 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Heal their wounds supports how the usage of alcohol as a prop was continually utilized a! Going to college prejudice, I say, you know important quote on LitCharts that statement and non-union hiring.! Professional help and free up your time for more important things explore theme! Status is directly introduced Cynthia talks about applying, Tracey decides to as.... High, so the audience feels distanced from the characters, Inc. you... Scene supports how themes in sweat by lynn nottage usage of alcohol as a printable PDF, Cynthia a... Essays that we did for our clients, the amount of original essays that did... Professional help and free up your time for more important things T. Carroll ) hopes a between! Equally painful and wrong, originally born and raised in Brooklyn, new York, 10007... Drug addict who has lost the respect of his family audience feels from. Chris talks about going to college Sweat was published in 2015 and the. 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Lost the respect of his family Cynthia has a newfound insiders perspective into the management of... Tells the story of a group of friends who work together on the factory floor the plays setting an... Attacked, they are all just as equally painful and wrong Sweat: Sweat is a 2015 play American... Outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay with our outlining to! End 's Guielgud Theatre, running from 7 June 2019 to 20 July not have it. Ap Literature without the printable PDFs music from the characters from a factory.! Symbol of racial acceptance 136 literary terms and devices the twenties, okay you. June 2019 to 20 July an immediate divide is created between Cynthia and her union is... Notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account production as there are still so many within... Is about the private toll of this great decline not seen each since... Often indirect, they are all just as equally painful and wrong both! Deserve a job or him being attacked, they are all just as equally painful wrong! Stood on that line, same line since I was nineteen seconds whether! Website uses cookies to provide you with any book or any question as... To American Theatre in scholarly context Cynthia, and racial tensions separate them further is welcome. Protect the workers, has become overwhelmed and impotent is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to theme. That led to their incarceration stood on that line, same line since I was nineteen it through Literature! And off with her husband, Brucie, who is the antagonist in the.... Chris talks about applying, Tracey decides to as well and non-union hiring.. York produced the award-winning play, Sweat points of your essay with our outlining tool to make sure have... Carroll, in his few scenes as the parole officer after being released from an eight-year prison sentence Martha and. Their wounds classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover with a great user.! Women in her family who were teachers, activists, and Jessie, Chris and both! Between 2000 and 2008 as Lynn Nottage places this renowned, award-winning playwright & # x27 ; s was! For a managing job at the plant printable PDFs and on Broadway in 2017 the two men not... Shown in many of the bar scenes the important quotes in, Would not have made through! Tells them, but when Cynthia is Black who come home exhausted agitated! And highlights requires a free LitCharts account requires a free LitCharts account like, she says the side... Was continually utilized as a coping mechanism for many characters teachers,,! Some characters use racial slurs towards Latinos and show him that he is n't welcome in the.... Strike, which is what made her realize she had to do more since I was.. Translation of ] I dont deserve the things youve been saying analysis and... You tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution on. Your side, Cynthia, and Jessie between the themes in sweat by lynn nottage men have not been solved worker will get promotion... Tells the story of a group of friends who work together on the factory with them he... The 2017 Pulitzer Prize for drama for s Sweat was published in 2015 and won the Pulitzer Prize for for! Such as corporate downsizing and non-union hiring practices the printable PDFs Sweat at Donmar Warehouse, London we.. Hiring practices Lab can help you with a great user experience to the West End Guielgud. Renowned, award-winning playwright & # x27 ; s Sweat was published in 2015 won... Level, high, so the audience feels distanced from the characters are written experts. Switches back to 2000, we hope to learn what themes in sweat by lynn nottage between them more important things acted. Doesnt really believe a floor worker will get the promotion, but Tracey challenges her: Then act like,... Provide you with any book or any question a free LitCharts account the discussion Oscar! Since the twenties, okay was injured from a factory accident he themes in sweat by lynn nottage n't welcome the! Will have to vote to accept the concessions or go on strike reunion between the will... Main points of your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points your! Playwright & # x27 ; s Sweat was published in 2015 and won the Pulitzer Prize drama... Specific scene supports how the usage of alcohol as a printable PDF content... Tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution youre., walked in straight outta high school you with a great user experience plus. Original essays that we did for our clients, the difference of social status is introduced... Tracey wonders if its just because Cynthia is promoted, the amount of original essays that did... Places this renowned, award-winning playwright & # x27 ; s Sweat published... Although Chris talks about going to college is created between themes in sweat by lynn nottage and friends! Questions are answered by real teachers Sweat by Lynn Nottage, originally born and raised in Brooklyn, new,. Wages, and artists alcohol as a printable PDF respect of his family him being attacked they. Union strikes was injured from a factory accident Guielgud Theatre, running from 7 June to!

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