Second Chances to Make a Sure Thing
The symbolism of the bell signifying a fresh start, a true chance to have a clean slate and create your own destiny, was brilliant in my eyes. One of my favorite lines in the play was definitely when Bill said, "You have to hit these things at the right moment or it's no good" (1121).
"Sure Thing" by David Ives
The Play "Sure Thing" from David Ives examines the endless variations of boy meet girl and the ensuing pick up lines. The central theme throughout the play displays a few varieties of a possible conversation that end with a ringing bell that symbolizes a fresh start and a second chance to make a good impression.
The swift conversations begin in a coffee house with the two main and only characters are Bill and Betty. From the beginning till the end of the play one can see a series of pick up lines, from a man to a woman sitting in a coffee shop reading. The lines start out short and rapid with an equivalent short response from the woman.
Similar to a boxing match, two people on a date consistently bounce around calculated prose between each other, trying to figure out the opponent's “weaknesses.” This notion manifests itself in literature in such works as David Ives' play Sure Thing, a piece employing rapid-fire lines between a guy and a girl getting to know each other. However, this theme is not always prevalent in positive dialogue, as in Tennessee Williams' A Street Car Named Desire, Blanche and Stanley do not go on a date or enjoy any romantic dialogue, but fight each other for supremacy of the house and Stella's affection. Although a boxing rhythm is being imposed on Sure Thing, the persistent fighting between Stanley and Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire can be interpreted to have a similar rhythm. Although these two texts are seemingly opposite in mood and plot, the “ boxing rhythm” bridges this chasm through the rhythm of the dialogue between these characters.
In Ives’ Sure Thing, a guy, Bill, and a girl, Betty, “duke it out” in an
"Sure Thing" by David Ives
The Play "Sure Thing" from David Ives examines the endless variations of boy meet girl and the ensuing pick up lines. The central theme throughout the play displays a few varieties of a possible conversation that end with a ringing bell that symbolizes a fresh start and a second chance to make a good impression.
The swift conversations begin in a coffee house with the two main and only characters are Bill and Betty. From the beginning till the end of the play one can see a series of pick up lines, from a man to a woman sitting in a coffee shop reading. The lines start out short and rapid with an equivalent short response from the woman.
Similar to a boxing match, two people on a date consistently bounce around calculated prose between each other, trying to figure out the opponent's “weaknesses.” This notion manifests itself in literature in such works as David Ives' play Sure Thing, a piece employing rapid-fire lines between a guy and a girl getting to know each other. However, this theme is not always prevalent in positive dialogue, as in Tennessee Williams' A Street Car Named Desire, Blanche and Stanley do not go on a date or enjoy any romantic dialogue, but fight each other for supremacy of the house and Stella's affection. Although a boxing rhythm is being imposed on Sure Thing, the persistent fighting between Stanley and Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire can be interpreted to have a similar rhythm. Although these two texts are seemingly opposite in mood and plot, the “ boxing rhythm” bridges this chasm through the rhythm of the dialogue between these characters.
In Ives’ Sure Thing, a guy, Bill, and a girl, Betty, “duke it out” in an