Sure Thing
In-Class Reading of the Play
• Please turn in your reading journals on my
desk.
• I will need three volunteers: Bill, Betty, and
a Bell Ringer. (The person ringing the bell
needs to be really on top of it.)
• As your classmates perform, follow along
in your handout and pay attention to how
watching the play affects your reaction to
it.
Group Questions for Sure Thing
• What is the significance of the title?
• What is the significance of the bell? Are the
characters aware of it? (And of the repetition?)
• What serious point is Ives (the author) making in
this comedy?
• How is the way this story is told uniquely suited to
theater? Why would it have been difficult to get
across the same point in a short story?
• TAKE NOTES. I will be collecting one sheet from
each group, and I will expect detailed, thoughtful
responses during discussion.
Comparison to “Happy Endings”
• Read the brief story “Happy Endings” by
Margaret Atwood on p. 394.
• This is a short story that, like Sure Thing,
deals with the "different versions of events in
a relationship" idea.
• How is this story similar to the play? In what
significant ways is it different?
In Class Writing #4
• Write a short comparison of “Sure Thing” and
“Happy Endings.” Some points to consider:
– Both deal with themes of fate and certainty
– Both are centered around romantic relationships
– Both feature multiple versions of events
• So, what do you think about these similarities?
How are these authors using the same strategies
and themes to make very different observations
about the human experience? Be sure to QUOTE
each work at least once.