36 pages • 1 hour read
William IngePicnic
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1953A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Research the history of the American Dream and how it manifested in the 1950s. How does the American Dream come into play in Picnic? How does it compare to ideas of the American Dream today?
Imagine that you are directing a current production of Picnic. What does the play say? What issues in the play do you think audiences will find relevant? Which elements do you think might not have aged well?
Explore the characterization of Hal using specific details from the text. Do you think he’s a good person who means well, or do you think Flo is right to be suspicious of him? How do you think his relationship with Madge will turn out? What advice would you give Madge?
How would you describe the playwright’s treatment of the women in the play? Do you think that Inge’s female characters are deep and complex? Stereotypical and shallow? Explain using evidence from the play.
How does the play discuss sexuality and sexual repression in the 1950s? What do you think the play is saying?
What do you think the dress that Flo makes for Madge represents? What do you think it means that Flo spends so much time working on it and then tells Madge she can’t wear it? What is the importance of dresses in the play?
What does the play say about age and aging? Do you think the message is a productive and useful one today? Why or why not?
What is the significance of the picnic? Why do you think it is the title of the play? Why do you think the title event happens offstage and between acts?
How does the play depict and deconstruct 1950s ideals of the American nuclear family?
One of the issues that is present in the play is class disparity. How does the play highlight and address this issue? Research economic and social class in the United States in the 1950s and discuss how you think Inge is commenting on the state of society.
