Thornton WilderThornton Wilder

A Brief Biographical sketchA Brief Biographical sketch

Thornton WilderThornton Wilder

born 1897 in Madison, Wisconsinborn 1897 in Madison, Wisconsin

died 1975 in Hamden, Connecticutdied 1975 in Hamden, Connecticut

4 siblings4 siblings

educated parents: read to himeducated parents: read to him

Teaching CareerTeaching Career

Taught high school FrenchTaught high school French Taught poetry at HarvardTaught poetry at Harvard Lectured on literatureLectured on literature Considered himself Considered himself

a teacher 1a teacher 1stst, a writer 2, a writer 2ndnd

His WritingHis Writing(bibliography)(bibliography)

Has written: Has written:

– FictionFiction– Broadway Broadway

musicalsmusicals– ScreenplaysScreenplays– DramasDramas

Pulitzer Prizes for:Pulitzer Prizes for:

The Bridge Of San The Bridge Of San Luis Rey (1927).Luis Rey (1927).

Our TownOur Town (1938). (1938).

The Skin Of Our The Skin Of Our TeethTeeth (1943) (1943)

Our Town:Our Town:settingsetting

Based on Peterborough, New Based on Peterborough, New Hampshire, where Wilder spent Hampshire, where Wilder spent his summers.his summers.

Characters: Gibbs and Webb Characters: Gibbs and Webb familiesfamilies

Action focuses on George & Action focuses on George & Emily’s childhood, courtship, Emily’s childhood, courtship, marriage, and death. marriage, and death.

ThemesThemes

Universals in everyday lifeUniversals in everyday life Brevity of lifeBrevity of life Living life to the fullestLiving life to the fullest CompanionshipCompanionship Superficiality of the theaterSuperficiality of the theater

SymbolsSymbols

Natural cyclesNatural cycles

Stages of lifeStages of life

TimeTime

MorningMorning

NarratorNarrator

The stage manager:The stage manager: transcends timetranscends time breaks the 4breaks the 4thth wall: comments on wall: comments on

the action or informs the the action or informs the audience about a character’s audience about a character’s background. background.

Why PopularWhy Popular

One of the most frequently One of the most frequently staged American playsstaged American plays

UniversalityUniversality Easy to produce:Easy to produce:

No scenery except for tables, No scenery except for tables, chairs, ladders, and a few other chairs, ladders, and a few other objects.objects.