Lecture Notes: Act One Discussion - Scene One

Setting and Atmosphere

Location: The forest
Stage Elements:
- Elias is climbing off a scaffold
- House on stage
- Misty atmosphere created by smoke blown from the side
Exposition: Establishes character and scenario

Elias:
- Characterized as lazy; doesn't believe in hard work
- Quote: "A man in life" – prefers others to do hard work
- Unconcerned about missing son, Lucas
- Orders others to look for Lucas
Barta:
- Brings coffee to Elias
- Concerned about missing son
- Physically reacts with fear and concern
Willem:
- Informs Elias of his mother's search for Lucas
Danthmali:
- Brings tension, tells a story about a boy who died from exposure
- Panics about the possibility of Lucas suffering a similar fate
Tant Kyi:
- Brings a sober perspective
- Suggests fetching men from the forest to aid search

Lucas Missing:
- Barta and Willem search for Lucas; Elias remains passive
- Elias blames Barta for not watching Lucas
- Suggests mist could be preventing Lucas from hearing calls
Stage Directions:
- Barta's entry from the mist symbolically suggests something ominous
Search Efforts:
- Men from the forest brought to assist
- Interrogation reveals last sightings of Lucas
Elephant Trampling Myth:
- Elias refutes elephant trampling myth, noting maternal nature of elephants

First Time Jump:
- Eight days later; search is called off
- Constable deems survival unlikely
- Barta mourns in black, Elias in disbelief
Second Time Jump:
- Seven months later; skeletal remains found
- Ambiguity introduced – remains could belong to a child or a baboon
- Sets up future doubt and potential plot twists regarding Lucas's fate

Narrative Technique:
- Use of third-person narrator
- Audio cue of narrator for time jumps
Engagement:
- Instructor encourages interaction, asking students to interpret stage directions

Remember to follow the instructor on Instagram at afrikaansclassroom for updates, and subscribe to the channel for more videos.