Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) Practice Exam

What do dramatic works (plays) primarily include?

1. Prose and poetry

2. Characters, dialogue, and a script

3. Illustrations accompanying text

4. A narrator's perspective

The correct answer is: Characters, dialogue, and a script

Dramatic works, such as plays, are fundamentally constructed around characters, dialogue, and a script. This framework is essential because the interaction between characters through dialogue drives the plot and develops themes within the work. In a play, the script outlines not only the conversations but also stage directions and actions that guide performers and inform the audience about the narrative arc. Other forms of literature, like novels or poetry, may include different elements such as prose and poetry but do not typically adhere to the structure necessary for drama. Illustrations accompanying text can be relevant to certain types of literature or educational materials, yet they do not constitute the core components of dramatic works. A narrator's perspective, while common in novels or short stories, is absent in traditional plays, which rely on the dialogue of characters to convey the story, making the presence of a direct narrative voice unnecessary. Thus, the focus on characters, dialogue, and the script distinctly defines what dramatic works include.