20
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
Summer and Smoke 1948 is a play written by Tennessee William 1911- 1983 who is known as one of the greatest American playwrights. It is the fifth
play that William created. Summer and Smoke was first published in New York by New Directions Publishers. The book contains 130 pages. The play is divided into
two big parts, A Summer and A Winter —the seasons when the plot of the play
takes place. It consists of a prologue and twelve scenes; each part contains six scenes; a prologue is added in the first part as well. The entire play is situated
during the 1910s; it takes place in Glorious Hill, a fictitious small town located in Mississippi. The setting of the play is varied from the fountain, the rectory, the
arbor and ends in the doctor‟s office.
Summer and Smoke was first performed in New York at the Music Box Theatre on October 6, 1948. After several performances including Broadway, the
play was adapted into a film with the same title in 1961. A famous actor and actress, such as the legendary American actress, Geraldine Page and the British
veteran actor, Laurence Harvey were chosen to play the two leading roles, Alma Winemiller and John Buchanan. Because of her great acting in that film, Page
won Golden Globes and Venice Film Festival awards for the best actress and was nominated for other awards in the following year.
The play mainly tells about the love story of two contrasting figures, Alma, a religious pure spinsterish girl and John, a secular demoniac young doctor.
Born as a preacher‟s daughter, Alma becomes a role model of a good person. This
is because she has to keep her father‟s pride as a minister. Therefore, she should consider both her behavior and action very carefully. Besides that, her mother‟s
mental condition also becomes the reason that encourages her to grow up that way. Being shaped by those external factors, her true characteristics are still
hidden. Her peculiar characteristics set her apart from the other children of her age. As a normal grown-up girl, Alma falls in love with John, a long-time
bachelor that has a contrasting personality with her. Unfortunately, their love story does not run smoothly. Being in love with John, Alma finds herself guilty
due to John‟s bad reputation. On the other hand, John finds Alma has too much „soul‟ elements that cannot fit his excessive „body‟ elements. As a result, they
cannot stay together as a couple; John marries Nellie, Alma‟s singing student instead. Alma learns that
John‟s suspicion is true that her doppelganger double personality should not be repressed. John learns that what Alma suggested about
soul is right and that he is too secular. As a result, their personality is reversed at the end of the play.
B. Approach of the Study