Many of the themes and issues in Saroyan’s play continue to resonate in the early twenty-first century, such as the quest for personal fulfillment, defining success, and combating evil. Imagine you are staging the play set in contemporary America. What aspects of the play would you alter, and which would you keep intact? Provide your reasoning.

In the 1930s, labor unions were gaining political power and influence. In the play, McCarthy and Krupp are friends but find themselves on opposite sides of a labor conflict: McCarthy might join a strike to prevent a ship from being unloaded, while Krupp may have to protect workers who cross the picket line to unload the ship. Select a real labor dispute from the 1930s and create a chart detailing the arguments each side used to support their position.

Blick, the vice cop, threatens Nick under the suspicion that there are prostitutes working at Nick’s bar. Research the history of prostitution in America. Has prostitution always been illegal? Are there any places in the United States where prostitution is legal or considered a less serious crime compared to other areas? Some argue that prostitution is a victimless crime. Write a brief essay stating your position on this issue, using the information you have gathered about the history of prostitution in America.

Several characters exit the play and do not return. For instance, Joe leaves at the play’s end with an uncertain destination; Tom and Kitty leave to start a life together, as do Elsie and Dudley. Choose one of these characters or couples and write a one-act play or short story about where they go after leaving Nick’s bar and what happens to them.