Page "Our Town" Paragraph 37

The Stage Manager opens the act with a lengthy monologue emphasizing eternity, and introduces us to the cemetery outside of town and the characters who died in the nine years since Act Two: Mrs Gibbs ( pneumonia, while traveling ), Wally Webb ( burst appendix, while camping ), Mrs Soames, and Simon Stimson ( suicide by hanging ), among others.

We meet the undertaker, Joe Stoddard, and a young man Sam Craig who has returned home for his cousin's funeral.

We learn that his cousin is Emily, who died giving birth to her and George's second child.

The funeral ends and Emily emerges to join the dead.

Then Mrs. Gibbs tells her that they must wait and forget the life that came before, but Emily refuses.

Despite the warnings of Simon, Mrs. Soames, and Mrs. Gibbs, Emily decides to return to Earth to re-live just one day, her 12th birthday.

She finally finds it too painful, and realizes just how much life should be valued, " every, every minute.

" Poignantly, she asks the Stage Manager whether anyone realizes life while they live it, and is told, " No. The saints and poets, maybe – they do some.

" She then returns to her grave, beside Mrs. Gibbs, watching impassively as George kneels weeping at her graveside.

The Stage Manager concludes the play, reflecting on the probable lack of life beyond Earth, and wishes the audience a good night.