NARRATIVE STUDY
THEMATIC STUDY
YEAR 9
DAGS
Summary
Sixteen-year-old Gillian is a "dag", a nerd, a misfit, totally uncool, who sees
herself as fat, ugly and a social cripple. Throughout this play … Gillian takes us on
a funny, excruciating journey through the world of adolescent anguish and
awkwardness. She finds it hard to cope with her bright gung-ho sister, who is not
only totally together physically, but also has a bouncy, positive mental attitude. As
well, she needs to deal with her gossipy girlfriends, her addiction to chocolate,
and her desperate quest to be beautiful and popular.
So when she develops a crush on the school heart-throb and finds herself on a
blind date with a mega-dag, Gillian feels pushed to the edge. But in a surprise
ending, Gillian triumphs with an exhilarating moment of self-awareness and
confidence.
The critic for the Sydney Morning Herald called this play "...a celebration of
survival... a paean to self-reliance and self-respect. It is scalding about life's
bullies and affectionate about its dags. It is a slice of life that cuts deep."
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THEME
The theme of a text is a subject that is explored through the text. There can be
more than one theme in any given text. The reader or viewer of a text is
challenged to think about their own feelings and opinions about a theme. A theme
may be as simple as friendship and as complex as racism.
Dags has many themes running through its narrative. Write down what you
understand to be the meaning of the following themes:
friendship
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adolescence
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acceptance
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isolation
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sibling rivalry
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peer group pressure
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SETTING
The setting for a drama or a novel is the place and time of the action. In Dags the
action takes place in current modern times. We are conscious of this because of
the language used and the costumes. As well, the word “dag” means someone
who is not regarded as cool or in with the “in” crowd”. The action constantly
moves around different settings such as the family home, the school bus, the
school, a dance and the movies.
List three different settings in Dags:
1. _____________________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think the composer (Debra Oswald) chose each of these settings?
1._____________________________________________________________________________
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2._____________________________________________________________________________
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3._____________________________________________________________________________
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Draw a picture of one of the settings with Gillian and the other characters with her
in the setting.
FEATURES OF A DRAMA
Conflict
Without conflict there is no drama. In Dags there is a lot of conflict. Gillian has
conflict with her sister because they are so different in their approach to life.
List three other areas of conflict that appear in the novel, and what they are
about.
PEOPLE HAVING CONFLICT
REASON FOR THE CONFLICT
Actor’s movements
Actor’s movements are the physical moves actors make during the playing of a
scene. These movements are usually suggested by the script written in italics,
occasionally dictated by practical considerations but are ultimately decided by
the director.
List three suggestions in the script for Gillian’s movement, and why you think they
have been included.
GILLIAN’S MOVEMENT
REASON WHY IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED
Facial expressions and physical gestures
The face is the most expressive part of the body. The way an actor uses facial
expression is an important ingredient of an actor’s performance. This is also the
case with an actor’s physical behaviour. This includes the way an actor stands,
moves and uses physical gestures and habits.
List three suggestions in the script for Gillian’s facial expressions and three
suggestions in the script for Gillian’s physical gestures, and why you think they
have been included.
GILLIAN’S FACIAL EXPRESSION
REASON WHY IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED
GILLIAN’S PHYSICAL GESTURE
REASON WHY IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED
Costume
Costumes tell us a great deal about a character. Strong characters wear strong
colours such as red. More conservative characters might wear blue or brown. A
costume can reveal a character’s attitude to life in the choice and cut of the
fabric. In historical drama, the style of a character’s costume reflects the period
of the play as well as the social standing of the character.
List three particular costumes of three different characters, and what they
suggest about that particular character
CHARACTER’S COSTUME
REASON WHY IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED
Props
Props are objects that are used by actors on the stage. One of the props, the
paper bag, becomes part of Gillian’s costume.
List other three props and their importance in the play.
PROP USED
IMPORTANCE IN THE PLAY
Lighting
Stage lighting helps create the mood of the action on the stage. It does this by
varying the intensity of the light, as well as by the use of coloured gels. Gels are
filters that are placed in front of the globes.
List three different types of lighting you might use in the play for three different
scenes, and explain what type of mood you would be creating.
LIGHTING USED AND SCENE
WHAT MOOD IT IS CREATING FOR THE
SCENE
Sets
Sets are the large screens, frames, furniture and furnishing that show where the
action is located. Some dramas will have very elaborate sets, with building
facades and cars and streets for an exterior location, while other dramas may use
very minimal sets with blank walls for an interior location. The sets sometimes
need to be removed when the action changes location.
List three different types of sets you might use in the play for three different
scenes, and explain why you would create them.
SETS USED AND SCENE
WHY THE SET WOULD BE CREATED
Sound effects and music
Sound effects are used in drama to help create a more realistic setting, or to
create atmosphere and mood. For example, a doorbell sound creates a realistic
reason for a character to answer the door.
Music may be used in drama to emphasise the theme being explored. It is a way of
supporting the text, and helps to carry across the message of that particular
scene. The music may not have lyrics and it may be atmospheric and used to
create a certain mood. On the other hand, the music may have lyrics and the
narrative and theme of the song may match the theme. For example, the song
Sk8r Boi (ie Skater Boy), may be used in a scene about a girl who thinks she’s too
good for a particular boy who’s a bit rough.
Activity
In this unit, we are going to turn Dags into a musical. We are going to pretend that
we are the directors of the play and we are going to select appropriate music and
lyrics to accompany each scene’s subject.
Scene
Number
(page)
1
(p.1)
Scene
Location
Gillian’s
bedroom
2
Bedroom
(pp.1-8) and
kitchen
3
(pp.813)
Schoolyard
4
(pp.1315)
Rock gig
5
(pp.1523)
Schoolyard
6
(pp.2324)
School
bus
Theme
Song
Justification for using this
song (connect the theme to
the action in the play)
Scene
Number
(page)
7
(pp.2430)
Scene
Location
8
(pp.3032)
Schoolyard
9
(pp.3238)
School
bus then
footpath
10
(pp.3841)
Gillian’s
bedroom
11
(pp.4145)
Cinema
12
(pp.4551)
Derek’s
garage
13
(pp.5154)
Schoolyard
14
(pp.5456)
Cinema
15
(pp.5661)
Gillian’s
bedroom
16
(pp.6168)
School
hall party
Gillian’s
bedroom
Theme
Song
Justification for using this
song (connect the theme to
the action in the play)
FROM DRAMA TO NARRATIVE
We are going to practise composing narratives, using the dialogue and
descriptive language in Dags.
We are going to take the directions of the play which are written in present tense,
and rewrite them into past tense, as is used in most narratives.
We are going to take the dialogue of the play which is written in a script format,
and blend it into the descriptive narrative.
THE ROCK GIG
Gillian and Wendy went to a rock gig that Saturday night. The rock music started
up and Wendy dragged a reluctant Gillian into a dim area with flashing dance floor
lights. Gillian muttered to herself glumly, “I don’t even like rock gigs.”
Wendy and Gillian picked up their drinks and perched themselves on the bar
stools. Gillian felt awkward and tried to balance herself on the small dot of a seat.
She sat slouched and grim-faced. Wendy, on the other hand, sat up very posed,
conscious of how she looked, and scanned the room with a sharp eye.
Wendy warned Gillian, “Don’t turn around fast or anything. But there are a couple
of guys near the smoke machine staring at us.” She gestured towards them with
her eyes only. She added, with excitement, “Oh, one of them’s alright looking.”
Exasperated, she said to Gillian, “Oh God, Gillian – try and look a little bit awake.”
Wendy continued to check out the talent, checking and adjusting her top. Gillian
thought to herself, “Wendy is only using me as a stooge. She wants to drag a
doggy-looking friend like me around so she’ll always be the spunky one. Guys
check us out and draw straws to see who gets the spunk and who gets the dumpy
ugly one.”
They sat together, still looking around. Gillian was bored. “Can we go home,
Wendy?”
“We only just got here, Gillian!” Wendy hissed back.
Gillian complained in a whiny voice, “It’s so loud. Last time my ears were ringing
for two days. Maybe I should go home and you can…”
“Don’t be crazy,” Wendy cut her off. “I can’t stay here on my own.” She scanned
the room. “OH! There he is!” she swooned. “I know he doesn’t look much standing
there, but when he gets up on that stage behind that guitar, he’s absolutely
gorgeous.” Wendy bopped on her stool with enthusiasm. She fixed her eyes on
the stage, and looked adoringly at her man.
Gillian thought to herself, “Well, this is where it’s all going to go downhill. Wendy
is going to go off with Gorgeous Tony – the bass player with the fourth-rate
garage band that knows about five chords between them. The lead singer has
acne, and he puts on a phoney Cockney accent to try and impress everyone. He
was so pretentious. We’ve been seeing Tony’s crummy band for weeks, just so
Wendy can bat her eyelids at him.”
Wendy looked hopeful. “I’ve never actually seen him with anyone who looks like a
girlfriend.” She grabbed Gillian’s arm and squealed, “He’s walking over this way!”
She clutched her stomach and fanned her face, “Oh … I feel sick … shit. I won’t be
able to speak.”
Tony strolled over smugly, hair gelled back and walking like he only had half a
brain working. He sidled up to Wendy and drawled, “Hi. I’ve seen you at a few
other gigs.”
Wendy could barely contain her excitement, but she managed to say, “Oh, I really
like the music. The band’s great.” She smiled at him.
“Oh – ta.”
Wendy grinned shyly, and Tony grinned back at her. Gillian rolled her eyes and
mock vomited behind their backs.
Tony seemed concerned and asked, “What’s wrong with your friend?”
Wendy giggled and replied, “Gillian?” Then she looked at Gillian and was
horrified. “Gillian, what’s wrong with you?” and then more concerned, she cried,
“Gilly!!!!”
“I’ll just go to the loo. I don’t feel too well,” she lied.
“You do that,” Tony said, pretending to be worried.
Gillian walked away, and Wendy and Tony settled in to a very close conversation.
Wendy squirmed about shyly, Tony strutted and posed cockily as they chatted
each other up. Gillian stopped near the toilets and watched them from a distance
from a distance. She thought to herself, “He is no intellectual giant. In fact, he’s
solid concrete north of the necktie. But Wendy’s rapt in him, and she is my friend.”
Gillian left the gig alone, and walked home in the lightly drizzling rain.
ELEMENT OF THE
DRAMA - PLOT
ORIENTATION /
INTRODUCTION
COMPLICATION /
PROBLEM /
DILEMMA
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
MEANING
EXAMPLE FROM ‘DAGS’
The main characters are introduced to
the audience.
The setting is established.
Who:___________________________________________
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When: __________________________________________
Where:__________________________________ _______
A problem is identified to the audience.
What has caused the problem for the main character?
The audience becomes curious about how _______________________________________________
the problem will be resolved.
_______________________________________________
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The narrative or story progresses
Event 1:
through a number of events which lead
_______________________________________________
towards the problem worsening because
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it is not resolved.
Event 2: ________________________________________
The main characters are involved in some _______________________________________________
sort of conflict.
Event 3: ________________________________________
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Event 4: ________________________________________
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Event 5: ________________________________________
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CLIMAX
This is the highest point in the drama. It
is usually the most exciting event in the
story, and what the action has been
building up to.
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RESOLUTION
This is where all the loose ends are tied
together, and the problem is resolved or
solved. It is made clear that all the main
characters involved in the action have
come to rest.
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