Question

Read the passages below and answer the question.

Mr. Webb: Every man that's ever lived has felt that way about it, George; but it hasn't been any use. It's the
womenfolk who've built up weddings, my boy. For a while now the women have it all their own. A man looks
pretty small at a wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder making sure that the
knot's tied in a mighty public way.
Mr. Webb: Oh, yes; oh, yes. Don't you misunderstand me, my boy. Marriage is a wonderful thing; wonderful
thing. And don't you forget that, George.
In one or two paragraphs, explain how this passage exemplifies Wilder's use of contradictions in Act II.

Answer 1

The following passage describes the use of contradiction by Wilder is when Mr. Gibbs and Mrs. Gibbs discusses how marriage is an awful thing and on the other hand Mr. Webb says to George that marriage is a wonderful thing.

Step-by-step explanation:

Our Town is a three-act play written by Thornton Wilder. The play is written in metatheatrical manner. The story narrates about everyday lives of people in New Hampshire.

In Act 2 of the play, Wilder has used the contradiction in the thoughts of the people about love and marriage. In this act, when Mr and Mrs Gibbs got to know that George and Emily are getting married, they discussed how marriage is an awful thing and Mrs Gibbs feels like crying for George.

In the same act when George went to Mr and Mrs Webb, Mr Webb told him that marriage is a wonderful thing. We can see the contradiction in the perception of people about marriage and love in the given passage and Act 2 of the play.