Sterling Franklin

Play script Analysis Workshop: True West by Sam Shepard

I.     Overall Dramatic Action Summary Statement

Two adult brothers come together in their mother’s home to find out that not only can they
help each other, but also that they both desire what the other has.

II.     Given Circumstances

A.     Historical Contexts

1.     The World of the Play

a.     Natural/Geographic Environment: Before the dialogue begins in the play the author gives
the reader the action which includes this line “an older home in a Southern California suburb,
about 40 miles east of L.A.” From this I would assume that the house would be rather nice.
The mother whom lives there being in her late 60’s I would believe to live in a neighborhood
with people like her or with majority of families. This would be the kind of area that Austin
would fit in to however Lee would not.

b.     Economic Environment: This neighborhood would be one with either citizens around the
same age as the mother, who from that would be living on retirement money or families with
jobs that pay well. Also Lee alludes to one of the houses in which he has broken into being
the kind of house you only “dream” about.

c.     Political Environment: In the 1980s, Illegal immigrants were crossing the American
boarder with little trouble or patrol. Because of this they were absorbing school and local
budgets, which was forcing property taxes higher. Also, during this time California became
recognized as the world's eighth-largest economy. Millions of workers were needed to aid to
the expansion. As a result high population of the time caused tremendous problems with
urban sprawl, traffic, pollution, and, in some cases, crime.

 d. Social Environment: The suburbs normally all function in the same way. Residents
coming and going, maybe one stopping in for a cup of sugar. However, in this case not many
neighbors pay social attention to this house. This is apparent with the amount of
misplacement Austin and Lee bring to the house during their stay. Also, Lee, having spent so
much time in the desert would act as a social recluse, therefore repelling such neighbors.

e.     Moral/Philosophical environment: The residents of this neighborhood are people who

have spent their lives making a living, raising a family or both. The suburban lifestyle is
stereotypically quiet, peaceful, and orderly. When thinking of suburbia people ordinarily think
of the white picket fence and the spotted dog named Rover. With this being said it is the
opposite of the life that Lee has been accustomed to. He has lived for the past years in the
desert being, as previously stated, a social recluse. With “roughing” it in the desert the
comforts of living in suburbia are not present.
2.     Playwright’s World: Sam Shepard’s father was a United States Army Air Force Pilot, his
mother a teacher and a native of Chicago. Shepard worked on his family’s ranch as a
teenager. He then dropped out of college and became involved in a traveling theatre group.
He later spent three years in England, only to move to the San Francisco Bay area in 1976
where he became the “playwright-in-residence” at the Magic Theatre.

3.     Dramatic/Literary Context of the Play: Shepard spent the majority of his “coming to
age” years in California which gave him a great understanding of the culture, geography and
people of the area. From this one would assume that he would have a broad knowledge of the
lifestyles of the Southern California and the people that would live in that area. He would
also know the dynamics of the desert/suburbia lifestyles. True West taking place in Southern
California makes sense because the author who have a keen understanding of the difference
between old and new west and how to make them meet together (being a theme of this
play.)

B.     Time/Locale Flow Chart:

·     Act I, Scene i: Mom’s house, night. Day 1.

·     Act I, Scene ii: Mom’s house, the following morning. Day 2.

·     Act I, Scene iii: Mom’s house, that afternoon.

·     Act I, Scene iv: Mom’s house, that night.

·     Act II, Scene v: Mom’s house, the following morning. Day 3.

·     Act II, Scene vi: Mom’s house, that afternoon.

·     Act II, Scene vii: Mom’s house, that night.

·     Act II, Scene viii: Mom’s house, very early morning. Day 4.

·     Act II, Scene ix: Mom’s house, afternoon.

C.     French Scene Chart

FS#  PG#  Length  Characters

1  3 7 pgs.   Austin; Lee

2  11 8 pgs.   Austin; Lee

3  18  1 pg.   Austin; Saul

4  19  7 pgs.   Austin; Saul; Lee

5  25  9 pgs.  Austin; Lee

6  37  6 pgs.   Austin; Lee
7  42  4pgs.   Saul; Lee; Austin

8  48  8pgs.   Austin; Lee

9  56  11pgs.  Austin; Lee

10 65 3pgs.   Austin; Lee

11  69  9pgs.   Austin; Lee; Mother

12   77  1 pg.   Austin; Lee

III.     Overall Language Style:The character of Austin has a casual and some what more
refined. Austin went to an Ivy league school unlike Lee and has been living in a more urban
area which is reflected in his speech. The difference in just how their lines are written
creates an obvious contrast between the two opposites of the characters. It’s very informal
since most of the play is between the two brothers they talk to eachother in a casual way.
Lee clearly has a heavier accent than Austin reflecting the path that his life has taken him.
His language reflects his little education as well the area from which he has been living.

IV.     Character: LEE

A.     Personality

a.     Intellectual Profile: The use of dialect in the dialogue as well as poor grammar makes
Lee seem less articulate then that of others. In the beginning of the play Lee references that
he did not have the kind of education that his brother Austin had. Saying that Austin went to
an Ivy League school and he did not have a higher education. Lee says in scene ii, “In fact, I
been inside some pretty classy places in my time. And I never even went to an Ivy League
school either.” Later in the play, when Lee gets the opportunity to write his own screen play
it becomes apparent to the audience that not only does Lee not know how to use a typewriter
but also knows very little about writing a screen play at all. According to the stage direction
in Act II, scene vii “…candlelight up on LEE at typewriter struggling to type with one-finger
system…” This shows Lee’s lack of experience and knowledge for the task he is trying to
pursue.

b.     Emotional Profile: Lee is very proud of his lifestyle as well as the kind of person he has
become and the choices that he makes. In Scene i of Act i, Austin says to Lee “Lee, look- I
don’t want any trouble, all right?” Lee replies “That’s a dumb line. That is a dumb fuckin’
line. You git paid fer dreamin’ up a line like that?” Following, the stage directions state that
“Lee suddenly lunges at Austin, grabs him violently by the shirt and shakes him with
tremendous power.” This shows how Lee will fly off at the drop of a hat per say.

c.     Moral Profile: Lee is proud of his lifestyle and the things that he does. He is single and
unemployed and makes his living by stealing from others. He has no moral problem with
coming into his mother’s home and stealing objects like televisions from his mother’s
neighbors or breaking into their homes. He flies off on his brother and is defensive of the kind
of lifestyle that he lives. He also smokes and drinks regularly.

d.     Economic Status: Lee had been living in the desert living off of stealing and making
money from his fighting pit bull. He is a nomad in that he goes from place to place without
having a definite home.

e.     Social Status: Lee lived in the Mojave Desert by himself. He spends the majority of his
time with his fighting pit bull. When he comes to his Mother’s home he makes many
comments about how this area is not what he is used to being around. As said before he is in a
way a social recluse.

f.     Physical Appearance: The character description describes Lee as: “Early forties, filthy
white t-shirt, tattered brown overcoat covered with dust, dark blue baggy suit pants from the
Salvation Army, pink suede belt, pointed black forties’ dress shoes scuffed up, holes in the
soles, no socks, no hat, long pronounced sideburns, ‘Gene Vincent’ hairdo, two days’ growth
of beard, bad teeth.”

g.     Age: Lee, is in his early forties.

h.     Gender: Male.

B.     Relationships: The only other principle character in True West is Lee’s younger brother,

Austin. From the beginning of act I, scene I, it is apparent to the audience that there is a very
strong sense of sibling rivalry between the two brothers. They are always competing
throughout the play to get the upper hand on each other.

C.     Unique Character Language: Lee’s language comes from the about of time he has been
in the deep West and the desert. It is also a representation of his lack of education. For
example, in act ii, scene iv Lee says “Yer gonna’ get a nice fee fer writin’ the script a’
course. Straight fee.” Lee is very casual and laid back with everything he says and his word
choices. He doesn’t think about how he is going to say something before it comes out of his
mouth.

D.     Dramatic Structure

a.     Plot: Lee and Austin are brothers and have represented a clear example of sibling
rivalry. Through the story line of True West Lee comes his mother’s house where Austin has
been house sitting while their mother takes a vacation to Alaska. The story line shows how
the boys both want something from the other. At first Lee wants to write screenplays like his
brother, however by the end of the play the tables have turned and now Austin wants Lee to
take him into the desert to live for some time to escape the world he is living in.

b.     Theme: Old West Vs. New West is the big theme presented in True West. Lee
represents what was the old west. Little education, living off the land, spending time in the
desert, being proud of the life that he lives, being a “wanderer.” These are all major themes
of the “old west.” Austin is the representation of what is the “new west” which was a result
of the new western suburban movement with sprawl of population.

E.     Dramatic Action

a.     Overall Desire: Lee has one overall desire that seems to stem off into two different
directions. His first desire is to show his brother that his lifestyle is not only acceptable but
also makes him completely satisfied. The desire that stems off of this is the desire to actually
FEEL satisfied with his life. The urge to do what his brother, Austin, is doing arises. Lee
decides he wants to write a screenplay like his brother to be able to live the comfortable
lifestyle that Austin does.

b.     Action Spine: In scene i, Austin and Lee get in an argument about who visits their father
more. Then Lee gets somewhat of an attitude and Austin tried to get Lee to leave by offering
him money. This offends Lee. In scene ii, Austin tells Lee that he has a producer coming over
and will need to be alone for a while. He is going to discuss a project that he has been
working on. Lee says that if Austin’s project doesn’t work out he has ideas of his own. In
scene iii, Lee meets Saul and leads him to believe that he is a different kind of person then
the person he is. He brings up conversation about golf with Saul and by the end of their
conversation they have a “date” to meet and play golf the next morning. In scene iv, Lee is
having Austin write the outline for his screenplay. When Austin questions Lee’s story, Lee
becomes defensive and gets angry with his brother. Their confrontation goes back and forth
to the point where Lee refuses to give Austin’s keys back unless he will help him write the
screenplay. In the beginning of scene v, we find out that Saul liked Lee’s story. As time goes
on we find out that Saul agreed to use Lee’s screenplay because he gambled it on their golf
game. In scene vi, Saul and Lee try to reason with Austin about the situation with the
screenplays. They try to get Austin to participate in writing the screenplay and then break the
news to him that his screenplay will be dropped. In scene vii, the roles have switched and
Austin is now pestering Lee while he is struggling to write his own screenplay. Lee tried to
convince his brother that he can do it by himself yet also tried to get Austin to realize he
should help him write on the type the screenplay. By the end of the scene Austin makes a
deal with Lee that he will help him as long as Lee takes him into the desert at the end of the
process. In scene ix, Lee and Austin are working on the screenplay when their mother comes
in. The boys inform their mother in on the deal they’ve made and Lee tells Mom that Austin
would not last very long in the desert. Abruptly Lee decides to leave the house and go back
to the desert, leaving the screenplay and his brother behind.

c.     Obstacles

1.     External: Austin comes in between of Lee and writing a screenplay because he refuses to
help with the process. Also, he has no idea how to write a screenplay.

2.     Internal: Lee wants to feel accomplished and smart like his brother. He doesn’t actually
care about his specific screenplay. He just wants to have a different lifestyle then what he
has.
d.     Actual Outcome: Lee begins get what he has been aiming for. However, as soon as his
mother enters the mix he let’s go completely and leaves abruptly.

e.     Learning Arc/Polar Attitudes: In the beginning of the play, Lee was feeling like he
needed to always be a loner and away from everyone else. By the middle of the play he
wanted to be an accomplished citizen. In the end he didn’t want to put the effort forth, he
just wanted to go back to his normal routine.

V.     Unit Analysis

Unit# PG# Title Summary Props/Notes

1 61 Details. Lee and Austin discuss the details of Lee’s Type writer, beer bottles,
play script. cans, toasters, dead plants

2 63 Mom? The brother’s mother enters the home and  “” add luggage
finds the disaster they have left her.

3 65 Picasso has come The boys ask their mother about her trip.  “”
to town. She tells them she came back because
Picasso has come to town.

4 66 cancellation Lee decides Austin is not cut out for the “”

desert.

5 68 Clearin’ otta Lee tells his mother and Austin that he is  “”
here leaving

6 69 Throw the keys The brothers get into a fight because Lee is “”
leaving