THE RIGHT THING TO DO BY MARTYN FORD

LITERATURE FORM 4: ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’ DRAMA BY MARTYN FORD

THE RIGHT THING TO DO BY MARTYN FORD

A) SYNOPSIS

Three strangers who were walking down the street stumbled upon a well-dressed man lying on the
ground. They all debated whether to help him or not. During that time, a mysterious woman in blue came
and took charge of the situation. When the man on the ground came to his conscious, they realised he was
somebody: a famous TV chef. They congratulated themselves for saving his life and claimed that the woman
in blue, who was nowhere to be seen, did not help at all.

B) COURSE OF EVENTS

Rebecca was walking down the street. A well-dressed man was lying on the ground, Patrick
walked by and asked what's wrong with him. "I don't know..." said Rebecca. "Well, are you going

to help him? You were here first," said Patrick.

David walked past, "He looks ill. Or asleep." Patrick asked David to wake him up. David doesn't
want to. "It's not my problem!"

A woman in blue suddenly rushed into the scene. She knelt down beside the man on the street.
"What are you doing?," Rebecca asked. "I'm helping this man," she said. "But you don't know

him, so it's not your problem," said Rebecca. "Oh, be quiet!" the woman in blue retorted.

"You..." the woman in blue said to David. "Call an ambulance. You.." she pointed to Rebecca, "Get
me a glass of water! Go! And you..." she said lastly to Patrick, "feel his pulse."

Patrick said the man wanted some pills. He checked his pockets. There were some pills for the Page1
heart. Rebecca came back with the water. Slowly, they gave the man some pills with the water.

The man felt a little better.

The woman in blue went away. Nobody noticed. The ambulance came shortly. A doctor and a
nurse attended to the man. "What is your name?" the nurse asked the man. "Michael Scott," the
man said. "Michael Scott? The famous TV chef?" asked the doctor. "That's right," said Mr Scott.

Mr Scott thanked everyone who helped him before they took him away in the ambulance. "Wow,
a famous TV chef! He's alive because of us," Patrick said. "Where's the woman in blue? She didn't

help us!" he added.

David said, "That's right, she walked away. We did everything. We helped someone famous."
Rebecca said, "Because of us, he didn't die. Well done everybody." Patrick quipped, "It was the

right thing to do, well done to all of us!"

A GIFT FOR MY BELOVED STUDENTS MISS NATRA @SMKPJI 2019

LITERATURE FORM 4: ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’ DRAMA BY MARTYN FORD

C) CHARACTERS
MAIN CHARACTERS

Selfish Rebecca
Taking all the credit Rebecca: Yes, but it’s not my problem (pg 10, Scene 2)
Rebecca: Then he’s not your problem (pg 11, Scene 2)
Rebecca: Because of us he didn’t die. (pg 15, Scene 8)

Cowardly Patrick
Patrick: Are you going to help him?
Rebecca: Me? Why me?
Patrick: You were here first. (pg 9, Scene 1)

Taking all the credit Woman: (To Patrick) Feel his pulse.
Patrick: But I… (pg 12, Scene 14)
Patrick: He’s alive because we were here. (pg 14, Scene 8)
Patrick: Well done to all of us! (pg 15, Scene 8)

No initiative David
Taking all the credit Patrick: Wake him up then.
David: Why me? You do it. (pg 10, Scene 2)
David: That’s not my problem (pg 10, Scene 2)
David: It was. We helped someone famous. (pg 15, Scene 8)

MINOR CHARACTERS

Woman in blue

Kind enough to help Rebecca: Hey, what are you doing?
Woman: I’m helping this man, of course!
Knows how to take David: Are you a doctor?
charge/ action Woman: No. I’m not, but he needs help.
(pg 10, Scene 3)

Woman: (To David) Go and call an ambulance (pg 11, Scene 4)

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A GIFT FOR MY BELOVED STUDENTS MISS NATRA @SMKPJI 2019

LITERATURE FORM 4: ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’ DRAMA BY MARTYN FORD

Physically ill Michael Scott
Famous Man: I was ill. It was my heart… (pg 13, Scene 5)
Doctor: Michael Scott, the famous TV chef?
D) THEME (pg 13, Scene 6)

Doing the right thing in any situation ; regardless place, time and
position.
Human perception. As a society, we tend to favour those who have
monetary means and status.

E) PLOT STRUCTURE

Introduction/ Rebecca, Patrick and David found Michael lying on the
Exposition ground

Raising action

The woman in blue took action

Conflict

The three of them refused to help

Climax The woman in blue sternly gave them instructions to do tasks
Post Climax that will help Michael

MIchael took his pills and felt a little better. The woman in
blue dissapear from the scene. An ambulance came to take

Michale to the hospital.

Resolution Rebecca, Patrick and David congratulated themselves for
saving Michael's life.
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A GIFT FOR MY BELOVED STUDENTS MISS NATRA @SMKPJI 2019

LITERATURE FORM 4: ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’ DRAMA BY MARTYN FORD

F) SETTING
Place Street
Time Modern (present time)
Society Modern society.

G) MORAL VALUES

Take good
care of

your health

Don't be too Be kind to
quick to others no
judge matter their

status

H) TONE AND MOOD Page4

The tone is nervous and pessimistic. Patrick asked Rebecca what is the matter with
the man lying on the street and wonder if he is still alive.
In addition, mood is intense as the woman in blue comes in and gives order to
Rebecca, Patrick and David who were reluctant to help at first but eventually they
follow the orders.

A GIFT FOR MY BELOVED STUDENTS MISS NATRA @SMKPJI 2019

LITERATURE FORM 4: ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’ DRAMA BY MARTYN FORD

I) LANGUAGE & STYLE

Imagery - A woman in blue comes in (pg. 10)
-Woman: From that house over there (pg. 11)
(using words to create
vivid images to
readers)

Repetition -Patrick: What’s the matter with him? (pg. 9)

(usage of similar words -David: What’s the matter with him? (pg. 10)

to emphasise -Rebecca: Yes, but it’s not my problem.
importance of David: And it’s not my problem (pg 10)
something)

J) POINT OF VIEW

Third person point of view

• The writer relates and reveals all actions in third person speech. The personas or
characters describe the events and plots through their own eyes. (pg 10)

Third person omnicient

• The narrator assumes an all-knowing perspectives of the story being told through
the character. [A woman in blue comes in. She kneels down at once to help the
man (pg 10)]

Third person limited
• This applies to the other characters that are presented minimally or externally [A

doctor and nurse comes in. Patrick stands up. (pg 13)]

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A GIFT FOR MY BELOVED STUDENTS MISS NATRA @SMKPJI 2019