78 pages • 2 hours read
Thornton WilderOur Town
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1938A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Our Town by Thornton Wilder is set in the fictional town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913. Act I, "Daily Life," introduces the mundane routines of townspeople, including the Gibbs and Webb families. Act II, "Love and Marriage," follows George Gibbs and Emily Webb as they fall in love and marry. Act III explores themes of life and death, featuring the deceased reflecting on their earthly lives. The play emphasizes the simplicity and transience of everyday life.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Thornton Wilder's Our Town masterfully captures the essence of small-town life and universal human experiences. Critics praise its innovative minimalist staging and deep emotional impact. However, some find its simplicity and nostalgic tone overly sentimental or slow. Overall, it remains a poignant, timeless reflection on life's fleeting moments.
Who Should Read Our Town?
Readers who appreciate Our Town by Thornton Wilder are often interested in explorations of small-town life, human connections, and universal themes of love and loss. Comparable works include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson for their poignant portrayals of community and character evolution.
RecommendedReading Age
14+yearsBook Details
American Literature
Classic Fiction
Play: Drama
Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Society: Community
Relationships: Family