Blasted Lesson Plan

Scene 1 ends with "the sound of spring rain," Scene 2 with "the sound of summer rain," Scene 3 with "the sound of autumn rain," and Scene 4 with "the sound of heavy winter rain." What do you think this means?

Ostensibly, the play takes over the course of two days, so the shift in "seasonal" rain proves a challenge to that idea. Some students may believe that Ian broke with reality with the Soldier's entrance, and that outside of Ian's head months and seasons are passing; others may feel that rain does not, in fact, sound very different in different seasons, and that Kane is making a comment on other false distinctions we make (e.g. the distinction between rape in warfare...