Alternate Ending

The students should reflect on their understanding of The Good Soul of Szechuan and contemplate alternative outcomes.

Option A: Narrative or Dramatic Writing

Each student is asked to think about a possible alternative ending or extension to the play, and is given some time to write a narrative or short scene of their new ending.

Option B: Improvisational Acting

The class is broken into groups and each group is responsible for improvising (that is, making up a scene without a script) that resolves the play in a new and interesting way.

The students should share their work. For the narrative activity, small group sharing is best. For the improvisational options, they can show their scenes to the class. Use the discussion questions that follow to reflect on the activity.

Discussion Questions

  1. Do the alternative endings seem reasonable? Why or why not?
  2. Are there other possible endings that we have not heard? What might they be?
  3. Why do you think the playwright ended the play in this way?
  4. What might the playwright want the audience to do after seeing the play?