TASK

•Your Name: Jordan Grollmus, Blake Nissen, Alex Chung, Austin Woodruff, Kylie McCalmont

•Title & Author of the Piece: Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

•Topic: Mr.Higgins and Pickering make a common girl into a lady.

•Task to Accomplish: Pick three scenes and create a script and movie in which we frame and analyze these scenes.

"OPENING SHOT"

•What is happening in the first few lines? Higgins is trying to tempt Eliza to stay with him and let him try to change the way she speaks.

•What is your first impression of the speaker's TONE? The tone is very manipulative.

•What is your evidence from the text? Higgins said, “Have some chocolates, Eliza.” The chocolates represent the task that he wants her to do. She denies and instead he forces her to eat it.

•What are your observations about the speaker or situation based on the TONE and evidence?

Based on the situation and the tone, we can assume that Higgins desperately wants something from Eliza.

SHIFT

•The tone then shifts to persuasive.

•Higgins says Eliza’s name finally and gives her another command as to listen. Mrs.Pearce then chimes in but Higgins is too set on convincing her. He begins to use lists to help his argument and almost bribe Eliza to be a project for him.  

•Evidence: “Think of chocolates, and taxis, and gold, and diamonds.” -Higgins

•Observations: The way that luxurious items are rattled off, Higgins is using Eliza’s poor social class as an advantage to get the best of her.

SHIFT

• The tone shifts to aggressive.

• By this time in the scene, the tone shifts to aggressive. Higgins finally snaps and goes on a rant where he uses many run on sentence and a hyperbole to show his sarcasm as a blow to Mrs.Pearce and Pickering. 

•Evidence: “You will be taken by the police to the Tower of London, where your head will be cut off as a warning to other presumptuous flower girls.” -Higgins

•Observations: Higgins is fed up with Eliza’s reluctance and brings sarcasm into the picture.

SHIFT

•The tone switches to a reasonable tone.

•Eliza rambles but Mrs.Pearce cuts her off sternly with harsh short sentences. 

•Evidence: “Don't answer back, girl. You don't understand the gentleman. Come with me.” -Mrs.Pearce

•Observations: The use of the “gentleman” contradicts the use of the “girl”.

SHIFT

•The tone shifts turns serious.

•Pickington questions Higgins for the very first time in this scene.

•Evidence: “Excuse the straight question, Higgins. Are you a man of good character where women are concerned?” -Pickering

•Observations: Pickering is a gentleman and is questioning whether Higgins plans to touch Eliza at all.

Chunky Paragraphs

In this fight between Higgins and Eliza, it’s evident how Pickering maintains Higgins and reasons with him. Higgins first tries to coax Eliza into being his experiment. When she blatantly refuses as his treatment comes off extremely aggressive, Mrs.Pearce steps in trying to be reasonable. Higgins sees himself over this housekeeper though and doesn’t take to hear as she pleads with him to “Be reasonable.” This is where Pickering steps in as it is one of the few people that Higgins actually respects and sees on his level. Pickering is a gentleman and although Eliza is a common women, he values her just as any other that contrasts how Higgins values almost everyone as skum regardless of their class.

When Eliza finally leaves and the men are in the room, Pickering doesn’t say much until he feels as something needs addressed. He questions Higgins if he is “good natured with women” which is another way of letting him know that he can’t lay hands on Eliza regardless of her womanhood and especially regardless of her low class position as she could be bought very easily. Higgins witty and arrogant response confirms that he doesn’t really get what Pickering is asking but is reassuring as he never really thought of laying hands on Eliza. He continues this throughout the rest of the scene saying women are “driving at one thing and you’re driving at another.”