Shining City Character Analysis
What is particularly fascinating about Shining City is that it has a ghost, but unfortunately that ghost only makes an appearance right at the end, and the ghost is not even there for revenge, which is slightly disappointing. It is clear from the first page of the play that it is pretty much all chaos. While the play has a story that drags on, it definitely does not follow the classical structure. It leaves the reader in a state trying to decipher everything they just read, and it has no “regular” plotline because there are too many loose ends to be considered as having a fully developed plot. One stage that could make Shining City fit into a “regular” plotline is that it has exposition, or at least a minimal amount. The “Setting” does an
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John shows up to Ian’s office with an antique lamp, but we do not why a lamp other than it was a good “thank you” gift. Also, the ice cream truck music makes a reappearance, and we still do not know what it means other than that it was the music John heard when he saw Mari, and now it is the music Ian hears when he sees Mari. Despite the lack of resolution, it was interesting that John concludes his spiel about ghosts about how it is not about seeing the ghost, but how that ghost makes you feel. That line resonated with me because it connects with something Ian said earlier, how therapy was about perceiving reality. It is one of the few points that connect with each other because John learns that it was not even about seeing Mari’s ghost but about perceiving it as guidance to get through his guilt and shame and come to terms with what has happened with his wife. But overall, there are still a lot of loose ends, and nothing is fully explained. Shining City clearly deviates from the traditional structure because it barely satisfies any of the stages. It does a decent job with the exposition, but it is never definitive and suggests room for any kind of variation. The rest of the scenes could be categorized into the remaining four stages of the classical structure, but they do not completely fulfill the stages, which ultimately leaves the reader with a sense of confusion as to what they just
John shows up to Ian’s office with an antique lamp, but we do not why a lamp other than it was a good “thank you” gift. Also, the ice cream truck music makes a reappearance, and we still do not know what it means other than that it was the music John heard when he saw Mari, and now it is the music Ian hears when he sees Mari. Despite the lack of resolution, it was interesting that John concludes his spiel about ghosts about how it is not about seeing the ghost, but how that ghost makes you feel. That line resonated with me because it connects with something Ian said earlier, how therapy was about perceiving reality. It is one of the few points that connect with each other because John learns that it was not even about seeing Mari’s ghost but about perceiving it as guidance to get through his guilt and shame and come to terms with what has happened with his wife. But overall, there are still a lot of loose ends, and nothing is fully explained. Shining City clearly deviates from the traditional structure because it barely satisfies any of the stages. It does a decent job with the exposition, but it is never definitive and suggests room for any kind of variation. The rest of the scenes could be categorized into the remaining four stages of the classical structure, but they do not completely fulfill the stages, which ultimately leaves the reader with a sense of confusion as to what they just