The Long and the Short and the Tall: structure

The Long and the Short and the Tall: structure

Structure of ‘The Long and the Short and the Tall’

Linear Progression

• The structure of ‘The Long and the Short and The Tall’ is linear, meaning it follows a straightforward chronology. There are no flashbacks or fast-forwards but a continuous progression.
• The entire narrative unfolds in real-time, which helps to maintain the tension and engage the audience.

Building Tension

• The structure of the play is masterfully designed to steadily build and maintain tension, trapping the soldiers and the audience in a pressure cooker environment where relief is never granted.
• The tension within the soldiers, between the soldiers, and with the captured Japanese soldier is built layer upon layer, always present and continuously increasing.

Three Act Structure

• Adhering to a three act structure, the play divides the narrative into three sections: the setup where the characters and situation are introduced, the confrontation where the main issues and conflicts are addressed and developed, and the resolution where the narrative reaches its climax and concludes.

Conflict-driven Plot

• The structure of the play is explicitly conflict-driven, with each act raising new conflicts, stakes, and dilemmas. The audience is never allowed a moment of rest, always living and breathing the constant struggle of the characters.

Climax and Anti-Climax

• The climax of ‘The Long and the Short and The Tall’ is the moment where the lives of the characters hang in the balance. Willis Hall uses this climactic event to take the audience to the peak of drama.
• Unlike a typical dramatic structure, the play ends on a moment of anti-climax, reaffirming the play’s key theme of the tragedy and futility of war.

Full Circle Structure

• In a full circle structural approach, the play begins with the soldiers discussing survival, and it ends in a similar discussion. This points out the never-ending cycle of fear, survival and mortality in war.