Point of View

The point of view is mainly from that of Shen Teh and Shui Ta. Because the play is about the good person who lives in Szechuan, the play implies that Shen Teh is the good person. There are scenes that focus solely on Wang, a man who sells water, and his conversations with the three gods. By allowing Shen Teh and Wang to be the focus, the play is able to focus on exactly what it means to be a “good” person and whether or not it is obtainable.

Setting

The play is set in the Chinese province of Szechuan. The time period, though, is never explicitly mentioned. There is a factory in the story, so there is a sense the play takes place after the Industrial Revolution.

What is significant about the setting is the play is designed to make the audience feel a...