Tradition, Convention and Decorum vs. Pragmatism, Progress and Change
1. Definitions:
Tradition: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation; an inherited, established, or
customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)
Convention: a way in which something is usually done; usage or custom especially in social matters; a rule
of conduct or behavior
Decorum: behavior or appearance in keeping with good taste and propriety
Pragmatism: a practical (concern with the actual doing of something rather than with theory and ideas)
approach to problems and affairs; the belief that the function of thought is to guide action and that the
truth of a belief is to be found by testing it in practice
2. Catalysts for Ideas
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What situations give us a sense that pragmatism confronting convention or tradition?

How do tradition, decorum and convention appear in the play? How do pragmatism and progress appear?
(Character? Setting? Staging? Language? Plot?)

How is the audience led to feel or react when these ideas appear in the play? (Provided that taking Joan’s defense
and seeing her as “right” is an audience expectation, does Shaw make it difficult for us to side with her?)

Can you create a scale for the characters who are most pragmatic or progress oriented and those who are most
concerned with preserving tradition, decorum and convention?

How are the characters concerned with tradition and decorum similar and different? And why?

To what extent do you feel that this source of conflict in the play is meant to be a lesson for Shaw’s audience
about the modern world? If so, how does he do this?