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Objective

Objective: Act 1, Scene 1 of Glengarry Glen Ross introduces the rules of the contest in which the salesmen have been placed. Fixed games are common in the work of David Mamet as a way to drive action. The objective of this lesson is to examine the idea of the fixed game.

1. For class discussion: in the film of Glengarry Glen Ross, Mamet added a scene and a character to explain the rules of the contest. Show the "Blake" scene to the class and discuss the ramifications of the contest. How is it fixed? What chances do lower-earning salesmen have of winning?

2. Divide the class into groups and assign each a narrative with some form of fixed game at the center of it, one where the odds are stacked hopelessly against some competitors (Ocean's Eleven, The Chocolate War, Merchant of Venice). Have each group describe the nature of the...

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