Investigate the significance of music in Shepard's life and how this passion is mirrored in his plays, particularly his early works.

Examine the statistics on domestic violence in America to determine the accuracy of Lee's statement: "you go down to the L.A. Police Department there and ask them what kinda' people kill each other the most.... Family people. Brothers. Brothers-in-law. Cousins. Real American-type people. They kill each other in the heat mostly. In the Smog-Alerts. In the Brush Fire Season." Assess whether this claim accurately represents domestic violence and to what extent it reflects (or does not reflect) actual violence among family members.

Study the topic of dysfunctional families in America and compare some of the more "common" dysfunctional traits with the family depicted in True West.

Explore the emergence of the off-off-Broadway theatre movement and read several of Shepard's early plays to understand how they originated from and authentically captured the dynamic atmosphere of New York City in the early 1960s.