This project is going to demonstrate the Dramaturgical Theory in the form of a blog. The theory, proposed by Erving Goffman, portrays people as actors on a metaphorical stage. This actor uses distinct roles, scripts, costumes, sets, props, front stages, and back stages in order to perform his or her social life. Like all theatrical performances, the script is a manuscript that outlines what the actor will say. For Goffman’s Theory, however, the script is not written down but a known norm that is used to represent the casual conversation in different experiences. The style of dress of the actor that can include any accessories that are needed to fulfill the role is known as an actor’s costume. The set is comprised of the front stage and backstage. The front stage is where the actor’s actions are presented to an audience and can alter how the actor defines himself and the back stage is a more discreet place where the actor can prepare and behave in a different way knowing the audience is not watching. This theory will be explained by using a concrete example: our friend Amanda. We will show her in different roles such as student, friend, roommate, girlfriend, and daughter over a span of three days. We will also explain different instances where she experiences strain and conflict between roles.
Amanda Leigh Marullo is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently she is undeclared in the College of Natural Sciences. She is from Galveston, Texas, a small coastal town on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. We will now describe her in different roles such as student, friend, roommate, girlfriend, and daughter. We will use her scripts, costumes, sets, props, front stages, and back stages to explain different instances where she experiences strain and conflict between roles. This is her story.
8:30 a.m., Friday
The alarm rang, as sharp and piercing as always. Amanda looked at the clock and glanced at her roommate to see if the noise woke her up. She groaned, contemplating hitting the snooze button; but since her class was in thirty minutes she quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed her everyday school outfit consisting of an oversized t-shirt, Nike shorts and shoes (costume). She quietly got dressed and gargled mouth wash to rid herself of her nasty morning breath in her bathroom alone (backstage). She ran down Speedway and darted into her classroom in Welch (set). She was hoping to have extra time to quickly glance at her notes (prop) before class to refresh her memory of what had been talked about in the previous lecture. Once she got to the classroom (front stage), she sat down in an empty row and pulled out her notes from her backpack. The professor began lecturing and, when she was confused, she slowly raised her hand. Hoping that she would not draw too much attention, she shyly asked her professor “what is the difference between osmosis and diffusion (script)?” The professor replied “see me after class and I would be happy to explain it to you with more detail.” Amanda experienced role strain because she wanted to know the answer so that she could do well in school. However, she feared that the other students would define her as a teacher’s pet or view her as a nerd.
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6:00 p.m., Friday
Amanda heard her cell phone blast Taylor Swift music and, as she pulled it out of her purse, she saw that Julie was calling. When she answered, she heard Julie’s concerned voice quickly ask her how she thought she did on her art history test. Julie was glad that Amanda was done with testing for the week. She was determined to take Amanda out for dinner, as a celebration to the end of a hard week. Amanda finished her planning with Julie and hung up the phone. Eagerly dressing up in a shimmery top and skirt, she put on full makeup and exchanged her Nike shoes for heels (costume). She straightened her hair in her room (back stage), blasting loud music and singing to the tune. She was about to go out to eat and hang out with her best friend Julie and knew she would have a good time. As Amanda left, she grabbed her purse and phone (props) and ran out the door. She met Julie at Magic Wok, a local Chinese food restaurant in Austin (set). They sat in their usual spot, a large booth near the window (front stage) and politely ordered their crab puff appetizers. During their time at the restaurant, they laughed and joked about life as they shared stories from the past week (script). They had a great time as usual and realized how much they enjoyed each other’s company.
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8:00 a.m., Saturday – 7:00 pm, Saturday
Amanda rolls over to the sound of her phone ringing. Her mom was calling her to tell her that she was five minutes away from her dorm. Amanda jumped out of bed, rushing to put on her burnt orange t-shirt and sweatpants (costume) in her dark dorm room (backstage). She threw all of her dirty laundry and toiletries (props) she would need for her weekend at home. Rushing downstairs, Amanda greeted her mother with a kiss and a cheerful “good morning.” Their four hour ride home was time filled with Disney sing-a-longs and animated stories about her friends and school. They arrived home (set) where her sister and dad gave a warm welcome. They chatted for a while and then watched TV for a few hours. Later, while unloading her bags, Amanda received a text from her boyfriend, Andrew, asking her out on a movie date. He had missed her and was excited to spend time with her. However, as soon as she put her bags down in her bedroom, her mom knocked on the door. “Honey, we’re going to eat out tonight because it’s your aunt’s birthday! Wear something nice; I really like the dress with the black and white stripes.” Amanda bit her lip, knowing her mother wouldn’t like this one bit, and said, “Mom, I’m really sorry but Andrew and I are going out tonight; I miss him so much and I rarely get to see him anymore! We can’t even Skype because we go to sleep at different times.” She watched as her mother’s face turned from a smile into a quiet disappointment, and felt a guilty twinge. She knew how much this family dinner meant to her. Hoping to make up for missing the planned family time, she went to the family room (front stage) and asked, “Is there anything I can do around the house before I leave, Mom (script)?” Her mom replied coldly, “No, you seem like you are in a rush to see your boyfriend.” Amanda experienced role conflict because she was not used to having to choose between her family and boyfriend. She wanted to hang out with her family and eat dinner with them because she rarely went home on the weekends. However, she also wanted to see her boyfriend because he was only in town for the day. She faced tension because she knew she was a daughter as well as a girlfriend and this made her feel as if she had to live up to both expectations. After contemplating her decision about going out with Andrew, she decided that it was the best option if she wanted to see both her family and boyfriend during her short amount of time spent at home. Frustrated, she stormed up the stairs to get ready for her date.
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7:00 p.m., Saturday
Once she cooled down in her room, Amanda slipped on a pretty yellow sundress with small floral print and stepped into her bedazzled white flats (costume). Andrew was going to pick her up in 15 minutes, and she barely had time to straighten her hair. She grabbed her lip gloss, wallet, and cell phone and threw them in her purse (props). Her phone beeped and she immediately knew it was her boyfriend, Andrew, letting her know that he had arrived. She quickly ran downstairs, threw open the door, and got into Andrews car, thankful that he was taking her out of the tense situation at home. As they drove away, Amanda turned to her boyfriend and said “Hey babe, how are you? I missed you so much (script)!” They had a wonderful conversation on the way to dinner, and Amanda remembered how fun and normal it was to be around him. As a surprise, he brought her to a fancy restaurant, the Bistro LeCroy (set). The waiter greeted them cordially and brought them to a table for two (front stage); the extravagant restaurant made her feel very self conscious. She excused herself to go to the restroom and hurriedly applied lip gloss (backstage). Amanda smiled at herself in the mirror, and went back to the table where Andrew was waiting for her. They enjoyed a lovely candlelit dinner and when Andrew dropped her off at her house, he gave her a goodbye kiss and embraced her for a long time, knowing it would be weeks before they would see each other again. As she climbed into bed, she replayed her wonderful weekend and her time with Andrew, and fell asleep contentedly.
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5:00 p.m., Sunday
Amanda’s mom drops her off in front of her dorm, Duren (set), and waves goodbye as she heads back to Galveston. After a long weekend away from school, Amanda had time to clear her head and prepare to get back into her usual school routine. She enjoyed the alone time in her room back at home (backstage). Since she had a roommate now, it was rarer to have complete privacy. She hauled her luggage up the stairs to the third floor and entered her dorm room (front stage) where her roommate, Samantha, was impatiently waiting. Because it was so hot outside, upon arriving, Amanda changed from her slightly sweaty clothes to a cooler pair of jean shorts and a chic tank top (costume). After getting more comfortable, Amanda and her roommate discussed the chores that they would each complete for the week (script). Each Sunday they decide who gets to do what, and this week Amanda agreed to do the dishes. Samantha, on the other hand, volunteered to vacuum their carpet and floor. They quickly started on the chores and Amanda, stacking the dirty dishes near the sink, took out the sponge and soap (props) and began to work. Samantha whipped out the vacuum (prop) and rolled it over the carpet and floor while listening to her iPod.
A role is a responsibility and behavior that is understood about someone who holds a particular status. After getting a glimpse into Amanda’s life, one can see that she works hard at maintaining her many roles. Since there are numerous expectations that coincide with the roles, Amanda must make sure she can juggle the different social expectations that come along with each. Role strain and role conflict can ensue because maintaining the process of weighing different roles is not easy. This is why she is depicted balancing between roles. In Amanda’s life as a student, she is expected to go to class, while as a friend she is expected to socialize. Keeping in contact with her family is yet another responsibility Amanda holds as daughter. By showing commitment through giving time and affection, Amanda carries out her role as a girlfriend. Finally to show her responsibility as a roommate, she must compromise on shared responsibilities in the dorm room. It is important for Amanda to sustain her different roles so that she can maintain her status in each.
The End.
