Week 5: Always “on” (stage)

This week’s topic, Dramaturgy, provides an interesting perspective on social life.  More specifically, this concept is one way in discussing what makes people ‘do those things they do’.  Goffman introduces three dimensions of social life, one of which being, “life is like a drama”. 

Life is like a drama, a performance, a show.  So, how do we determine when we are “on” and when we are “off’? Then we might ask, are we ever really “off”? 

Social life as a drama implies that all actions in the presence of others is a performance, and therefore, introduces ‘frontstage’ and ‘backstage’.  The example used in class of a waitress, in relation to the ‘continuum’ of stages, was of particular interest to me, as I happen to be a waitress.  An article by Sarangi and Roberts states, “institutional rules and procedures partly derive their legitimacy through clients’ recognition of and willingness to abide by a set of institutional routines” (1999, p.4).  I can agree that there is a certain level of “performance” depending on the context I am in.  When I am required to be on the floor serving customers my manner or behaviour is very different from when I am in the back chatting with fellow waitresses.  There is a certain level of professionalism expected of me when I am at a table.  I am required to be attentive and respectful of my customers from the moment they walk in the door until the moment they leave.

Even within this particular stage of customer interaction there are varying levels of behaviour.  My general manner would change depending on the type of restaurant I am a waitress in.  Also discussed in the article by Sarangi and Roberts, “the orderliness noticeable within on institution will differ from that of another as these are tied to different ideologies and rationalities” (1999, p.4).  For example, my ‘frontstage’ manner will look different in a fine dining restaurant compared to a pub or bar, as these two types of waitressing situations pose different contexts.  This will also affect the ‘backstage’ manner that will likely occur after hours. 

Sarangi, S., Roberts, C 1999, ‘The dynamics of interactional and institutional orders in work-related settings’, Talk, work and institutional order: discourse in medical, mediation and management settings, viewed 11 September 2012, http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=e_tFXRJXPxgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Sarangi+%26+Roberts+&ots=LupItODdhN&sig=LlVOLZNtSn8Qd9uqpyTFifIrfqo#v=onepage&q=Sarangi%20%26%20Roberts&f=false