Discussion Questions On Dysart's 'Equus'
Madison Deller
AP Literature
2nd period
Equus
Discussion Questions
1. Scene I: In Dysart’s opening monologue, he make a comparison between himself and a horse’s head. What is the purpose of this metaphor? How does this comparison give us insight into his Dysart’s character?
The purpose of this metaphor is to show the reader that Dysart has become trapped by his education and knowledge of the world. This gives us insight to Dysart’s characters because the reader can see his struggle with life and his job after this case. When Dysart compares himself to the horse’s head the reader can see how Dysart’s job is in control of him when it should be the other way around.
2. Scene II: “Some days I blame Hester. She brought him to me. …show more content…
But of course that’s nonsense. What is he but a last straw? A symbol? If it hadn’t been him, it would have been the next patient, or the next. At least, I suppose so” (Shaffer 11). Throughout the play, Dysart provides reflective commentary about the situation that he has already experienced, but is now reflecting upon. What do we learn about Dysart’s feeling towards the case, based on his reflective thoughts?
What we learn about Dysart’s feeling towards the case is that Alan’s character ended up being the one that changed him completely, but Dysart was already questioning his profession before Alan was introduced to the reader. Dysart feels upset that Alan changed him so, but he also realizes that there was always going to be one last case, Alan just happened to be his last and most effective.
3. Scene II: “It took me two solid hours arguing to get him sent to you instead” (Shaffer11). How does Hester’s conversation with Dysart reveal insight to his character?
Hester’s and Dysart’s conversation revels that even though he is overrun with mental patients and is questioning his job title, he still takes Alan as his patient because he has taken interest in the boy that no one wanted to take. He also was sympathetic in his decision.
4. Scene III: When Alan is first introduced he is singing different jingles. What does this initial interaction between Dysart and Alan show the audience about them, as characters?
This initial interaction shows that Alan is clearly emotionally unstable because of what he has done. The jingles that Alan sings portrays to the reader that Alan is unsure of how he feels about what he has done and does not want to talk about it so he is singing to infuriate and distract Dysart. Dysart, on the other hand, is not affected by Alan’s singing, he even comments on his favorites. The reader can see that Dysart is intelligent and manipulative because he can make Alan angry enough to stop singing.
5. Scene 5: What does Dysart’s dream reveal to the audience? How to this dream show his feelings toward his job as a psychiatrist?
Dysart’s dream reveals to the audience that he is questioning the ethics of his job. He feels as if he is the only one qualified enough to help all of these patients, but he is dissecting people’s brains and analyzing them and he wonders what makes him qualified enough to help people like Alan. He grows more and more ill as he makes analysis and ‘cures’ each patient or, in his dream, taken apart children. He can feel that what he is doing is wrong, but society expects him to and feels like he cannot fail society at the same time.
6. Scene 6: While Dysart and Hester are speaking about Alan’s case, the dialogue is interrupted with the reenactment of the scenes, being described in their conversation. How does the placement of the dialogue influence the reader’s understanding of the case?
Instead of Hester and Dysart retelling the previous meeting of Alan and Dysart through just their dialogue, other characters are reenacting what happened because this way the audience can see the tone in which Alan used than through a second hand story. The audience has the chance to learn more about Alan through his actions when the scene is reenacted.
7. Scene 6: Explain the relationships between Alan, his mom (Dora) and his dad (Frank).
Dora and Frank are complete opposites. Dora is extremely devoted to her religion, Christianity whereas Frank finds religion a pointless practice and he always tells Dora that she should not teach Alan about something so frivolous. Alan and Dora have a relationship completely opposite of Alan and Franks as well. Dora is more sympathetic to Alan and teaches him about the Bible against Frank’s wishes. Because Alan is fascinated with religion and television Frank finds Alan odd and too contradistinctive from what Frank thinks is normal and worthy of his time. Frank believes that Alan should be spending his time studying, but his mother indulges him too much and Alan never gets anything done.
8. 8. How does religion impact Alan's family? What information was Dysart able to gather from his visit to Alan's Home
Religion impacts Alan’s family by creating a divide amongst them because of Alan and Dora’s love for their religion while frank completely despises it. These contrasting views create a confusing home life for Alan. On one hand, Alan has a passion for religion and horses, but his father does not and because Frank hates religion the reader can see the lack of father son relationship that would be there if Alan was more like Frank.
9. 9. What does the audience learn about Alan's affection for horses? Use detail from the text to support your answer.
The audience learns that Alan has always had affection for horses, even since he was a little boy. Dora says, “He loves animals! Especially horses…He even has a photograph of one up in his bedroom. A beautiful white one, looking over the gate. His father gave it to him a few years ago, off a calendar he’d printed—and he’s never taken it down… and when he was seven or eight, I used to have to read him the same book over and over, all about a horse” Dora’s explanation show the audience that blinding these six horses was peculiar if he loved them so much. The audience also learns that Alan’s affection of horses comes from the Bible. Dora says, “The Book of Job. Such a noble passage. You know—[Quoting] ‘Hast thou given the horse strength?’” The only thing more prominent in Alan’s life than horses at a young age is religion because of the two hobbies in his life the reader also sees he they contradict his violent act.
10. Explain the relationship between Alan and his parents.
The relationship between Alan and his parents has become more strained as the book continues to progress. Dora, the person Alan is the closest with in his family is now expressing to Dysart that she did find his obsession peculiar. When she tells Dysart about the poster of Jesus being crucified she talks about Alan’s fascination with it. When Frank took it down and Alan was upset, he was immediately reconciled when he saw the poster of the horse with the focus on the animal’s eyes. Dora is starting to see that Alan truly did have a peculiar obsession.
11. After reading scene 10, write (in complete sentences) what the audience knows about Alan's character thus far.
Alan’s character thus far is reluctant to talk to Dysart about what and why he blinded six horses. Ultimately the audience sees two different boys, one fascinated with horses, religion, and cowboys and the one inside the hospital who argues with Dysart and committed this vile act against supposedly his favorite animal. The audience can see the strain in his family and how Alan sometimes uses Frank’s phrases and jingles as a defense mechanism.
12. In scene 13 what do we learn about Alan? Explain the difference between Alan’s view on 'equitation' and on the cowboys.
Alan has a deep infatuation and obsession with horses, but does not know where or when it started. Alan views equitation as a way to imprison a horse, to shackle them in all of the equipment that is necessary to be an equestrian. Cowboys are free; there is no equipment on their horses and they can leave whatever they want. Alan admires cowboys as opposed to hating equitation because the horses are ‘naked’ and there is freedom for not only the horse, but the rider as well.
13. In scene 14 what alarming news does Frank tell Dysart. How does this new provide insight into Alan as a character?
In scene 14, Frank tells Dysart about a time when he saw Alan kneeling in front of his horse poster chanting and reciting variations from the Bible. Alan was worshipping the horse in the picture as if he was God. This provides insight to Alan’s character by showing the audience that Alan has an obsession with these horses because he believes them to be God, more specifically Equus. The reader begins to see that Alan has
14. Compare the relevance of this quote, "Behold I give you Equus, my only begotten son" and the bible verse "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". How does this quote provide insight into Alan?
The two quotes are relevant because through their similarities the reader can see that Alan has replaced Jesus with Equus, who lives in all horses.
Alan honestly believes that these animals are God and they can see whatever he does. Alan will beat himself for his God like Jesus was beaten when he was crucified. These quotes show us how intensely Alan has lost himself within his religion as well as his obsession with horses.
15. "We were brisk in our wooing, brisk in our wedding, brisk in our disappointment" (Shafer 57) Explain how Dysart's marriage is his "maximum vulnerability".
Dysart’s marriage is his maximum vulnerability because his wife and he went too quickly to the point where they did not know each other enough. Before he married her did not see that she was ‘worshipless’ something he hates most ardently about her. Dysart does not see the passion and love that he once did when he ‘briskly wooed her’ or when they were ‘brisk’ in their ‘wedding’. When Alan starts talking about Dysart’s wife, Dysart becomes substantially angry because it reminds him of someone that he generally wishes was not his wife.
16. "Life is only comprehensible through a thousand local Gods...I'd say to them-'worship as many as you can see and more will appear" how does scene 18 show Alan's influence on
Dysart?
Alan has influenced Dysart by making him question even further whether it should be his right to decide what is normal and why he should be able to take away Alan’s God form him. Alan has changed Dysart’s concept of normal, and Dysart being a psychiatrist, it is vital that he know the distinction between normal and unnatural according to the society he lives in.
17. What parallels can be seen between this play and the Christian religion (this was discussed in class). Explain your answer.
Parallels between Equus and Christian religion are Equus living inside all horses, much like in Christianity where God lives inside all believers. The reader can see many parallels when Dysart hypnotizes Alan and tell him the ritual he does every three weeks. This ritual is much like church in that that it happens in a specific time period, Alan feeds Equus the last supper, and Alan talks about the evil he has to conquer (Alan’s evil being the material objects of the society he lives that keeps him chained to their opinion and Equus’s being the equitation equipment he must where). In church, Christians go to church every Sunday, they have communion, and they have to face a sinful world that can chain them to evil.
“The Normal is the good smile in a child's eyes:-alright. It is also the dead stare in a million adults. It both sustains and kills-like a god. It is the Ordinary made beautiful: it is also the Average made lethal. The Normal is the indispensable, murderous God of Health, and I am his priest. My tools are very delicate. My compassion is honest. I have honestly assisted children in this room. I have talked away terrors and relieved many agonies. But also-beyond question-I have cut from the parts of individuality repugnant to this god, in both his aspects. Parts sacred to rarer and more wonderful gods. And at what length...Sacrifices to Zeus took at the most, surely, sixty seconds each. Sacrifices to the Normal can take as long as sixty months” (Shaffer 62).
AP Literature
2nd period
Equus
Discussion Questions
1. Scene I: In Dysart’s opening monologue, he make a comparison between himself and a horse’s head. What is the purpose of this metaphor? How does this comparison give us insight into his Dysart’s character?
The purpose of this metaphor is to show the reader that Dysart has become trapped by his education and knowledge of the world. This gives us insight to Dysart’s characters because the reader can see his struggle with life and his job after this case. When Dysart compares himself to the horse’s head the reader can see how Dysart’s job is in control of him when it should be the other way around.
2. Scene II: “Some days I blame Hester. She brought him to me. …show more content…
But of course that’s nonsense. What is he but a last straw? A symbol? If it hadn’t been him, it would have been the next patient, or the next. At least, I suppose so” (Shaffer 11). Throughout the play, Dysart provides reflective commentary about the situation that he has already experienced, but is now reflecting upon. What do we learn about Dysart’s feeling towards the case, based on his reflective thoughts?
What we learn about Dysart’s feeling towards the case is that Alan’s character ended up being the one that changed him completely, but Dysart was already questioning his profession before Alan was introduced to the reader. Dysart feels upset that Alan changed him so, but he also realizes that there was always going to be one last case, Alan just happened to be his last and most effective.
3. Scene II: “It took me two solid hours arguing to get him sent to you instead” (Shaffer11). How does Hester’s conversation with Dysart reveal insight to his character?
Hester’s and Dysart’s conversation revels that even though he is overrun with mental patients and is questioning his job title, he still takes Alan as his patient because he has taken interest in the boy that no one wanted to take. He also was sympathetic in his decision.
4. Scene III: When Alan is first introduced he is singing different jingles. What does this initial interaction between Dysart and Alan show the audience about them, as characters?
This initial interaction shows that Alan is clearly emotionally unstable because of what he has done. The jingles that Alan sings portrays to the reader that Alan is unsure of how he feels about what he has done and does not want to talk about it so he is singing to infuriate and distract Dysart. Dysart, on the other hand, is not affected by Alan’s singing, he even comments on his favorites. The reader can see that Dysart is intelligent and manipulative because he can make Alan angry enough to stop singing.
5. Scene 5: What does Dysart’s dream reveal to the audience? How to this dream show his feelings toward his job as a psychiatrist?
Dysart’s dream reveals to the audience that he is questioning the ethics of his job. He feels as if he is the only one qualified enough to help all of these patients, but he is dissecting people’s brains and analyzing them and he wonders what makes him qualified enough to help people like Alan. He grows more and more ill as he makes analysis and ‘cures’ each patient or, in his dream, taken apart children. He can feel that what he is doing is wrong, but society expects him to and feels like he cannot fail society at the same time.
6. Scene 6: While Dysart and Hester are speaking about Alan’s case, the dialogue is interrupted with the reenactment of the scenes, being described in their conversation. How does the placement of the dialogue influence the reader’s understanding of the case?
Instead of Hester and Dysart retelling the previous meeting of Alan and Dysart through just their dialogue, other characters are reenacting what happened because this way the audience can see the tone in which Alan used than through a second hand story. The audience has the chance to learn more about Alan through his actions when the scene is reenacted.
7. Scene 6: Explain the relationships between Alan, his mom (Dora) and his dad (Frank).
Dora and Frank are complete opposites. Dora is extremely devoted to her religion, Christianity whereas Frank finds religion a pointless practice and he always tells Dora that she should not teach Alan about something so frivolous. Alan and Dora have a relationship completely opposite of Alan and Franks as well. Dora is more sympathetic to Alan and teaches him about the Bible against Frank’s wishes. Because Alan is fascinated with religion and television Frank finds Alan odd and too contradistinctive from what Frank thinks is normal and worthy of his time. Frank believes that Alan should be spending his time studying, but his mother indulges him too much and Alan never gets anything done.
8. 8. How does religion impact Alan's family? What information was Dysart able to gather from his visit to Alan's Home
Religion impacts Alan’s family by creating a divide amongst them because of Alan and Dora’s love for their religion while frank completely despises it. These contrasting views create a confusing home life for Alan. On one hand, Alan has a passion for religion and horses, but his father does not and because Frank hates religion the reader can see the lack of father son relationship that would be there if Alan was more like Frank.
9. 9. What does the audience learn about Alan's affection for horses? Use detail from the text to support your answer.
The audience learns that Alan has always had affection for horses, even since he was a little boy. Dora says, “He loves animals! Especially horses…He even has a photograph of one up in his bedroom. A beautiful white one, looking over the gate. His father gave it to him a few years ago, off a calendar he’d printed—and he’s never taken it down… and when he was seven or eight, I used to have to read him the same book over and over, all about a horse” Dora’s explanation show the audience that blinding these six horses was peculiar if he loved them so much. The audience also learns that Alan’s affection of horses comes from the Bible. Dora says, “The Book of Job. Such a noble passage. You know—[Quoting] ‘Hast thou given the horse strength?’” The only thing more prominent in Alan’s life than horses at a young age is religion because of the two hobbies in his life the reader also sees he they contradict his violent act.
10. Explain the relationship between Alan and his parents.
The relationship between Alan and his parents has become more strained as the book continues to progress. Dora, the person Alan is the closest with in his family is now expressing to Dysart that she did find his obsession peculiar. When she tells Dysart about the poster of Jesus being crucified she talks about Alan’s fascination with it. When Frank took it down and Alan was upset, he was immediately reconciled when he saw the poster of the horse with the focus on the animal’s eyes. Dora is starting to see that Alan truly did have a peculiar obsession.
11. After reading scene 10, write (in complete sentences) what the audience knows about Alan's character thus far.
Alan’s character thus far is reluctant to talk to Dysart about what and why he blinded six horses. Ultimately the audience sees two different boys, one fascinated with horses, religion, and cowboys and the one inside the hospital who argues with Dysart and committed this vile act against supposedly his favorite animal. The audience can see the strain in his family and how Alan sometimes uses Frank’s phrases and jingles as a defense mechanism.
12. In scene 13 what do we learn about Alan? Explain the difference between Alan’s view on 'equitation' and on the cowboys.
Alan has a deep infatuation and obsession with horses, but does not know where or when it started. Alan views equitation as a way to imprison a horse, to shackle them in all of the equipment that is necessary to be an equestrian. Cowboys are free; there is no equipment on their horses and they can leave whatever they want. Alan admires cowboys as opposed to hating equitation because the horses are ‘naked’ and there is freedom for not only the horse, but the rider as well.
13. In scene 14 what alarming news does Frank tell Dysart. How does this new provide insight into Alan as a character?
In scene 14, Frank tells Dysart about a time when he saw Alan kneeling in front of his horse poster chanting and reciting variations from the Bible. Alan was worshipping the horse in the picture as if he was God. This provides insight to Alan’s character by showing the audience that Alan has an obsession with these horses because he believes them to be God, more specifically Equus. The reader begins to see that Alan has
14. Compare the relevance of this quote, "Behold I give you Equus, my only begotten son" and the bible verse "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". How does this quote provide insight into Alan?
The two quotes are relevant because through their similarities the reader can see that Alan has replaced Jesus with Equus, who lives in all horses.
Alan honestly believes that these animals are God and they can see whatever he does. Alan will beat himself for his God like Jesus was beaten when he was crucified. These quotes show us how intensely Alan has lost himself within his religion as well as his obsession with horses.
15. "We were brisk in our wooing, brisk in our wedding, brisk in our disappointment" (Shafer 57) Explain how Dysart's marriage is his "maximum vulnerability".
Dysart’s marriage is his maximum vulnerability because his wife and he went too quickly to the point where they did not know each other enough. Before he married her did not see that she was ‘worshipless’ something he hates most ardently about her. Dysart does not see the passion and love that he once did when he ‘briskly wooed her’ or when they were ‘brisk’ in their ‘wedding’. When Alan starts talking about Dysart’s wife, Dysart becomes substantially angry because it reminds him of someone that he generally wishes was not his wife.
16. "Life is only comprehensible through a thousand local Gods...I'd say to them-'worship as many as you can see and more will appear" how does scene 18 show Alan's influence on
Dysart?
Alan has influenced Dysart by making him question even further whether it should be his right to decide what is normal and why he should be able to take away Alan’s God form him. Alan has changed Dysart’s concept of normal, and Dysart being a psychiatrist, it is vital that he know the distinction between normal and unnatural according to the society he lives in.
17. What parallels can be seen between this play and the Christian religion (this was discussed in class). Explain your answer.
Parallels between Equus and Christian religion are Equus living inside all horses, much like in Christianity where God lives inside all believers. The reader can see many parallels when Dysart hypnotizes Alan and tell him the ritual he does every three weeks. This ritual is much like church in that that it happens in a specific time period, Alan feeds Equus the last supper, and Alan talks about the evil he has to conquer (Alan’s evil being the material objects of the society he lives that keeps him chained to their opinion and Equus’s being the equitation equipment he must where). In church, Christians go to church every Sunday, they have communion, and they have to face a sinful world that can chain them to evil.
“The Normal is the good smile in a child's eyes:-alright. It is also the dead stare in a million adults. It both sustains and kills-like a god. It is the Ordinary made beautiful: it is also the Average made lethal. The Normal is the indispensable, murderous God of Health, and I am his priest. My tools are very delicate. My compassion is honest. I have honestly assisted children in this room. I have talked away terrors and relieved many agonies. But also-beyond question-I have cut from the parts of individuality repugnant to this god, in both his aspects. Parts sacred to rarer and more wonderful gods. And at what length...Sacrifices to Zeus took at the most, surely, sixty seconds each. Sacrifices to the Normal can take as long as sixty months” (Shaffer 62).