Notes:
- There is a family sitting on the grass in the middle of the park
- Big blanket on the grass
- Under the huge tree
- Mom and two blonde little kids probably 5 or 6 years old
- The kids are playing with their tiny brown curly haired puppy
- One of the kids is running around with the puppy but then wants to hug it
- The other little boy then wants to hug the puppy too
- The boys start fighting over holding the dog
- The mom steps in and make them both let the dog go
- To stop the crying she gives out snacks to the little boys and to the dog
- The mother ended the drama over the dog very quickly with the help of snacks
- The kids eventually find other little children to play with and in turn forget all about their dog and their fight with each other
This particular moment in time that I was able to witness was truly eye opening to me. Mumford says that the city is a space of “collective drama”. This little spat between the two small boys in the park was my interpretation of a drama. Their argument over who was going to hold the puppy was probably a monumental situation for them. I could see how mad they got with each other over the situation. The mother then stepped in to resolve and end the drama with snacks which very quickly eased their nerves and made them happy. It is honestly a pretty humorous situation but it does relate to the apparent dramas that make the city a city. As insignificant that this little social drama was between these two boys, it took part in the park and everyone in the park was able to engage in the drama because of how accessible it was. Mumford also says that the city is a “theater of social action” which it completely prevalent in just Madison Square Park alone. The moment between those two boys that I witnessed was a completely apparent show of social action. The boys got into a fight over their dog and the way that I saw it, it turned into a production. The reactions of both boys were probably warranted in their eyes but were exaggerated in the eyes of anyone who witnessed it. The boys became upset with each other and began to throw fits probably in order to gain sympathy from their mother and get what they want. The boys offered up a reaction to the situation they were in in order to get a response. The city itself is an extravagant production, and these little moments that we witness are simply additions to it. The city is surely more than agglomeration of people. It is a “theater of social action”, “significant collective drama”, and a true piece of art full of diversity.
I like how your interpretation of a collective drama was two boys arguing over a puppy! It reminds me of when my sister and I used to fight over silly things when we were younger as well. I agree with the fact that a city is more than an agglomeration of people. Each person and his or her actions truly make a difference and contributes to the city as a whole. Great work!
I like how you took your notes with such detail, and showed the progression of the dramatic scene with them. Your comment about how the actions of the boys were probably warranted in their eyes, but seemed unnecessary in the eyes of others in such a true idea. I think in general we are self-absorbed and so tend to rationalize whatever actions we take without thinking about them objectively.