• Investigate paintings that depict "street scenes," such as the landscapes by Claude Lorrain, a French artist who had an impact on Rice when he created Street Scene. Choose one of these paintings and compare it to the play.

• Analyze Street Scene in the context of "realism," the artistic and literary movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

• How might the Maurrants have avoided their tragic circumstances by the play's conclusion? Could improved communication have averted the murder?

• Examine the patterns of urbanization and suburbanization during this era. Why does Rose feel that she and her family would experience a better life outside the city? Would relocating to the suburbs truly improve their lives?