Study Guide Questions for Act III (p. 52) of Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN

Where does Act III open and how much time has passed?

Act III opens in the cemetery, at the graves of Emily and other dead people. The time that passed is nine years after Emily died while giving birth.

Which inhabitants of the cemetery will the audience recognize?  Why does the play have   the dead stare straight ahead and speak without emotion?

 The audience recognizes Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Soames, Wally Webb, and others in the cemetery. The dead characters stare straight ahead and speak without emotion to emphasize the detachment and otherworldliness of the afterlife.

According to the Stage Manager, what do we all “know”?

According to the Stage Manager, we all "know" that something is eternal. 

 How does the Stage Manager describe the lack of interest that the dead have in the living?

The Stage Manager describes the dead as having no interest in the living. They just don't care what is happening after they die.

What is Simon Stimson’s response to the “living” visiting the “dead” in the cemetery? What information do we find about Simon Stimson?

Simon Stimson is cynical and dismissive when the living visit the dead. He expresses frustration and bitterness, providing insight into his troubled character.

What are Emily’s first attempts at conversation after death about?

Emily's first attempts at conversation after death are about the aspects of daily life. She struggles with the inability of living to the precious moments they have.

What is Emily’s meaning when she says, “live people don’t understand, do they?

Emily means that the living do not fully appreciate the value of life and the fleeting nature of time. 

 What does Emily realize when Dr. Gibbs leaves flowers at his wife’s grave?

Emily realizes the lack of appreciation for life, Dr. Gibbs leaving flowers at his wife's grave. She understands the importance of cherishing moments while alive.

When Emily decides to go back “into living,” what do the dead advise, and why?

The dead advise Emily to choose an ordinary day if she decides to go back to relive a moment of her life. They  show the significance of the everyday moments that the “living” often take for granted 

To what things does Emily say good-bye? What does she ask as she says good-bye?

Emily says goodbye to clocks ticking, coffee being poured, and Mama's sunflowers. She asks, "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it, every, every minute?"

When Emily returns and Mrs. Gibbs asks if Emily was happy, what is Emily’s response?   What does Simon Stimson add, and why is his addition so poignant?

When Mrs. Gibbs asks if Emily was happy, Emily responds that she was, but it was "too wonderful for anybody to realize." Simon Stimson adds that people only realize life while they live it.

What happens when George approaches Emily’s grave?

When George approaches Emily's grave, she realizes the pain it will cause him to relive the past, and she chooses not to reveal herself to him.

 The final question asked by Emily at the end might appear to be directed toward two sets of people, both the living and the dead.  Explain.

The final question Emily asks, "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it, every, every minute?" appears to be directed toward both the living and the dead.