Hairspray Questions

1. Define:  setting -  the surroundings or environment of anything.  The locale or period in which the action of a novel, play etc. take place.

Describe the setting - in detail - keeping in mind the complete definition of setting.
1962 Baltimore, Maryland.  Early residential neighborhoods, living quarters on top , business downstairs, a trolley runs down the road's center, beehive hair do's , Esso gas station, clothes, old cars.

2.  Why and how is the setting important in the story?   Because in the 60's woman and girls used a lot of hairspray - hair was very high and teased up.  They took pride in how they looked. 

3.  What is the major conflict in the story?  Who or what is the major conflict between?

race is the major conflict    between the blacks and the whites

conflict between Tracy and Amber to be Miss Teenage Hairspray also

4.  In what ways do the conflict advance or influence the plot of the story?  Name at least two.

The white people do not see that the blacks are just like them.  The black can dance better than the whites but they only get a show once a month.  Tracy is a average white high school teenager.  She is heavy set but loves to dance.  She wants to dance on a teenage dance show that others students at her school dance on.  They are all arrogant and wealthy.  Tracy likes to see the black dancers best.  She tries to help them.

5.  The title of the play is Hairspray.  What or how is hairspray significant/important to the story?

The dance show is sponsored by hairspray.   In the 60's girls and woman used lots of hairspray on their high teased hair.  It made it stiff and would not move.  The girls are trying to win Miss Teenage Hairspray.

6.  Define:  theme.  List and explain at least three themes in the story.

Theme - subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic.

1.  Tracy favors intergration seeing beyond peoples looks or skin color

2.  Sex - Tracy & Link kiss, she sings about not going all the way, but she french kisses with Link

3.  Language - They talk about Tracy's weight and call her names - whale, fattie, etc.
African-Americans  are called - lawn jockeys, nergo

4.  Smoking - Teens, pregarent women, everyone smokes
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7.  Listen carefully to the final song of the movie.  What does it mean - not just for the story itself, but for you too? 







8.  Tracy sings to her mom "Welcome to the Sixties."  In what ways have things changed over the years--from the sixties to now--based on what Tracy sings about as well as the themes of the story?

The clothes they wore.  very different today
The smoking and drinking- everyone did it then - no big deal
Cars- smaller and faster today
They did not wear seatbelts - the kids in the car were sitting on the back
black & white TV - only color today
beauty shops - very different today
black people - more excepted today
teen pregancy - a big no no then -  more excepted today
segregation & intergation
fairness
makeup - lipstick
Wiener stand - some still in big cities today

9.  Why do you think the director chose to use a man. (John Travolta) to play the part of Tracy's mom?  Once you answer this question for yourself, do a little research and see if you can find out the real reason why the director chose a man.  Compare your answer/opinion to the real reason.

I believe he chose John Travolta becasue he has played many kinds of roles.  Serious, funny, mean etc.  Also, he dance very well.  He dance in Saturday Night Live, Grease, and Pulp Fiction.  He can play almost any character.  He can also sing.

John Travolta's casting of Edna continues the tradition of having a man in drag portray the character going back to the original 1988 film which featured drag queen Divine as Edna and at Hairspray Broadway version, which featured Harvey Fierstein as Edna.  The producer wanted John Travolta because of his role on Grease. 

I said that because JT was in Grease. 

10.  What have I missed?  What do you want to say about Hairspray that I haven't asked about?

Tracy's mom was a recluise and did other people laundry for a living.  She did not feel good about herself and did not want to enteract with other people.  When Tracy took her out shopping and got her a make over she was a different person.

Tracy's parents loved eachother but did not know quite how to show their love.   After seeing her husband with another woman - which was not his fault.  They reconnected and fell back in love.  You never saw them kiss - probably due to the fact that they were two men and that would be a big no no in the sixties.

People were not in touch with their sexuality then - like they are today.