Thea 327 - waiting for lefty PDF

Preview

Summary

waiting for lefty...

Description

Research the 1934 New York taxi strike (the incident on which Waiting for Lefty is based). How closely does Odets follow the historical facts? What were the consequences of the real-life strike? Considering his purposes in the play, try to determine the reasons for any changes Odets made in adapting these "current events" for his fictional production. Cite your sources.

Playwright Clifford Odets based his play, Waiting for Lefty, on the taxi strike that occurred in New York in 1934. The taxi strike was one of the many outcomes that took place during the Great Depression (Marton, 2015). The taxi industry, and many other industries, faced hardships as numerous people continued to look for jobs. Since there was not enough money to go around, due to the Great Depression, many industries and companies had to cut their employees’ salaries (Marton, 2015). Regarding the taxi industry, after the taxi drivers’ wages had been reduced it led to the strike (Marton, 2015). There were many consequences of the taxi strike including violence and financial problems. British Pathé (2014) posted a video of how violent the strikes were. Protesters were breaking car windows, dragging taxi passengers out of the car, and were even attacking the taxi drivers (British Pathé, 2014). Strikes are consequential for both sides: the employer and the employees. When striking, employees lose money and time. The employers also lose money due to no one working. If employers fire the employees, then the workers would have no job since employers could always find someone to work for them despite the low wages. For example, during the Gold Rush, American workers went on strike for higher wages which led to the Chinese, who had little job opportunities, replacing them for lower wages (Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts). Clifford Odets’ Waiting for Lefty does follow the basic historical facts and has a realistic plot with somewhat reasonable characters. The play begins with a group of taxi drivers, at a union meeting, discussing to their union leader about carrying out a strike (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). The group questioned where Lefty, their elected chairman, was, and Harry Fatt, the union leader, said that the committee is already presented and continued to dissuade them from implementing a strike (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). Then, a man named Joe stood up and expressed his dislike of how union leaders call everyone who opposes them “red” or a Communist (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). The prologue was very realistic. I believe that some union leaders don’t really fight for their workers but rather more for themselves and the company. The union leader character, Harry Fatt, doesn’t care enough to wait for Lefty, verbally harasses the workers, and discourages workers from fighting for better wages. When the character Joe appeared, I liked how he mentioned the harassment that workers face when they say something that the union leader does not agree with. Odets’ selection of words that Joe had mentioned is valid and reasonable, because during this time, when majority of Americans were anti-Communist, calling someone the term “red” and a Communist means that they are anti-American or anti whatever. In Waiting for Lefty’s case, it would be calling the workers who disagree with the union leader: people who are anti-union. Moreover, Clifford Odets had joined the American Communist Party the same year as the strike and later on produced Waiting for

Lefty (Simkin, 2020). I think that it is acceptable to say that this may be one of the reasons critics argued that this play was Communist propaganda. Furthermore, the first act shows Joe and his significant other, Edna, talking about how their furniture has been taken away and how they are struggling with paying for stuff (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). Joe is worried that his current pay is barely enough so when his boss is cutting wages, he is even more worried about Edna and his kids (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). Joe thinks that the union leaders are “racketeers” (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). Edna pushes him to go on strike, but Joe doesn’t think it is worth the time or money and if it will change anything (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). However, when Edna threatens that she’s going to ditch him for her ex-lover, Joe begins to do something and to seek out Lefty (Hildreth & Dumble, 1939). During the Great Depression, many families were struggling to get by and pay for necessities. Like most people, Joe and Edna are financially unstable. I think Joe and Edna’s roles are very realistic, because, during this time, men are usually the breadwinners while women maintain the house and take care of the children. It is reasonable, and humorous, how Edna urged Joe to stand up and do something, and if he didn’t she would find someone else who can and be able to take care of her and the kids. All of the other acts were also convincing and believable. There were many scenes related to war including chemists creating poisonous gas, people urging others to partake in war activities, people who experienced death of someone close, people going to war, etc. None of these scenes seem out of place or fabricated. However, the play was overdramatic in certain scenes, but what is the point of a theatrical play if there is no romanticization. Despite that, these are realistic events that could’ve happened during this time period. Odets did not just base his play around the taxi strike. There were components of war themes, family and other relationships themes, social and political themes, and so on. I think that it was important for Odets to include these themes, because it would make the play more entertaining, but, more importantly, to spread awareness. Awareness of the taxi strike and the outcomes, awareness of how different people suffered, awareness of how some people take advantage of others, awareness of the economic, political, social, and cultural changes that occurred, etc. Clifford Odets didn’t really make any changes regarding the history of the 1934 taxi strike, but he did incorporate other things to, as I mentioned before, attract viewers and to discuss social and political issues. British Pathé. (2014, April 13). U.S Taxi Strike (1934). [Video].YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIE3vc-RvOc. Hildreth, W. H., & Dumble, W. R. (1939). Five contemporary American plays. Harper & Brothers. Marton, J. (2015, February 5). Today in NYC History: The Taxi Riots of 1934 Start February 5, 1934. Untapped New York.

https://untappedcities.com/2015/02/05/today-in-nyc-history-the-taxi-riots-of-1934-start-february5-1934/. Simkin, J. (2020, January). Clifford Odets. Spartacus Educational. https://spartacus-educational.com/USAodets.htm#:~:text=Odets%2C%20who%20joined%20the %20American,a%20champion%20of%20the%20underpriviledged. U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts. U.S. Department of State. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration....