A Thematic Analysis Of The Play 'Sure Thing' By David Ives

Great Essays
“Sure Thing”: A Thematic Analysis
The restaurant, the bar, the baseball game, the club, or the social plateau as a whole are all places one might go with a lurking inclination of meeting that special someone. In the short, single act, two-character, drama “Sure Thing” written by David Ives, one can analyze the plethora of attempts demonstrated by Bill, the single male character to gain the attention of the young girl. Although the play is short in length, one can identify several interesting components. When evaluating this drama, it is important to analyze the hidden portions of this play to better identify with the characters. By analyzing this play one can see various forms of interpretation based on the interactions of characters Bill and Betty, alternate production structures, and the hidden thematic symbols, such as the bell and the importance of timing. In the drama, “Sure Thing,” one can identify two characters, Bill and Betty. In the first part of “Sure Thing,” it appears that Bill, a single man looking to meet that special someone, enters the café, and upon his entry approaches Betty, who is sitting at a table by herself. Needing a chair, Bill began to canvas the room discovering the open chair at Betty’s table. As
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Although one may argue that there are several underlying symbols, the two most common are the bell and time. On page 741 of the play Bill identifies the importance of timing. After several failed attempts by Bill at striking up a conversation with Betty, he exclaims “You have to hit these things at the right moment or it’s no good.” (Ives 741). To which Betty replies, “That’s happened to me,” (Ives 741) followed by Bills first formal introduction. He says, “It’s all in the timing. My name’s Bill by the way.” (Ives 741). As one analyzes this symbol it is clear that Bill had a plan and purpose for his delay and wanted to time things

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