Download Sorry Wrong Number Guiding Questions Answer Key

“Sorry, Wrong Number” Guiding Questions
Answer Key
1. Cast of Characters: What can you predict about the action of the play from the Operator and Information listings?
a. Because of all the operators listed, you can expect much of the action to happen on the phone.
2. Lines 1-15: Which descriptive details in the stage directions tell what is lit and what is in darkness onstage?
a. Center stage is lit by a single lamp. Left and right stage are dark.
3. Lines 28–29: What ideas do you have about Mrs. Stevenson’s character based on the description in these lines?
a. Kind of crazy, nervous, only thinks about herself (selfish), not likable, sick (invalid), inquisitive (she asks
lots of questions), kind of rude
4. Lines 80–96: What do the audience and Mrs. Stevenson learn at the same time?
a. The audience and Mrs. Stevenson both learn about a plot for murder near Second Avenue. The killer's
name is George.
5. Lines 110–125: What details in these lines describe what the audience sees onstage?
a. Spotlight goes out on George/man and goes back to the 1st Operator and Mrs. Stevenson.
6. Lines 176–182: Which stage directions reveal how Mrs. Stevenson feels? Why might she feel that way?
a. Wipes forehead, looks at window, bridles herself. She is starting to wonder if she is the victim.
7. Lines 194–200: Tell about Mrs. Stevenson’s conflict and her attempts to resolve it.
a. Mrs. Stevenson overheard a plan to murder someone. She is frustrated because she is trying to get the
operator to trace the call, but she can't.
8. Lines 235–266: What ideas do you have about why rising action is a fitting term to describe what is happening in
these lines?
a. Suspense is building because the operator can't trace the call. Panic is rising in Mrs. Stevenson.
9. Lines 289–304: What does the audience see as Mrs. Stevenson dials the phone?
a. Mrs. Stevenson slams down the receiver and the audience sees the 2nd operator.
10. Lines 337–349: What words show Duffy’s reaction to Mrs. Stevenson’s call? What effect does the dramatist want
to create?
a. Duffy's reaction to Mrs. Stevenson's call is shown in these examples: sighs, relaxes, takes lunch from
bag, "Yes ma'am" shows he is not impressed. The dramatist, or writer, is trying to build suspense.
11. Lines 384–405: What is Mrs. Stevenson revealing to the audience as she speaks to Duffy?
a. As Mrs. Stevenson speaks to Duffy, she is revealing to the audience that her home fits the location of
where the murder is supposed to happen and that she is all alone.
12. Line 401: Use the context of surrounding words to determine the meaning of invalid. What does this word suggest
about how Mrs. Stevenson perceives herself?
a. The word "invalid" means sick or unable to get out of bed. In some cases, an invalid is kept in a
wheelchair. Mrs. Stevenson believes she is helpless.
13. Lines 415–439: Which words show what Duffy is doing? What do his actions reveal about him?
a. Stage directions that demonstrate what Duffy is doing include: yawning, reaches for coffee, and puts
down phone to get coffee. These actions reveal that he doesn't care about the case and that he is lazy.
14. Lines 487–498: What can you infer about Mrs. Stevenson that she herself doesn’t seem to realize?
a. Mrs. Stevenson doesn't realize the possibility that the maid and her husband may want to kill her.
15. Lines 537–539: What is the sound effect in these lines? What is its significance?
a. The sound effect found in these lines is the train roaring in the distance. The significance of this sound
effect is that it shows Mrs. Stevenson lives near train tracks like the person that will be murdered.
16. Lines 535, 557, 562: What does the word whimper suggest about Mrs. Stevenson?
a. Mrs. Stevenson whimpers because she feels helpless.
17. Lines 567–581: Describe the new obstacle Mrs. Stevenson encounters in these lines and how she handles it.
a. Mrs. Stevenson is receiving phone calls where there is no one on the line. She screams "Hello" into the
phone then slams the phone down.
18. Lines 656–665: What new obstacle is presented in these lines?
a. Mrs. Stevenson receives a phone call from Western Union that tells her that her husband will not be
coming home so she is all alone.
19. Lines 683–689: Which words convey emotion in these lines?
a. The phrases "panic", "frenzied", and "beats knuckles on the bed" demonstrate emotion.
20. Lines 759–795: How does this dialogue build suspense?
a. The dialogue builds suspense by showing that Mrs. Stevenson is panicked, but the woman she is talking
to is calm and you find out that nobody is going to help her.
21. Lines 821–837: How are audiences probably reacting at this point in the play?
a. By this point in the play, the audience should be anxious, worried, and on the edge of their seats.
22. Lines 850–871: Why is this the climax of the play?
a. This section is the climax of the play because everything has been building up to the murder and now we
know for sure that Mrs. Stevenson is the victim.
23. Lines 895–898: What does George say and do at the resolution of the plot? What is ironic about that remark and
action?
a. At the resolution of the play, George answers the phone and says, "Sorry, Wrong Number". This is ironic
because the right number has finally been connected, but it is too late.