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Carter Smith

Grant Pace

as played by

MR_SMITH.jpg

costume design, inspiration, and formatting by Caifeng Hong, costume designer

"Carter Smith - teacher, mid-late 30s, M. a former golden boy, but one of those rare smart and sensitive ones. now he's a great teacher: charming, engaging, goofy."

JPITV character desc.​​​

Scene 1

Discoveries

  • The first instance of Mr. Smith having one of these moments with Beth​

    • "Creating a false sense of security and safety [to be abused later]" -N​

    • "[Carter] recognizes who Beth is; there's an opportunity to build that trust there" -G

    • "It's also a form of gaslighting, in a way, so when he has a chance to interact with these students individually...other people are going to make them feel like they're crazy because 'Mr. Smith wouldn't do that; he's one of the good ones'" -G

  • "He has all these resources at his disposal to guide the trajectory of where things are going" -G​

  • "[Carter] is so in love with John Proctor himself. Having to set up the fact that [Carter] sees himself as a man with honor. He's leading [the students] to feel how he wants them to feel" -G

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Questions

  • Is there guilt, for Carter? Teaching sex ed and knowing everything that happened with Shelby?​

  • Take into context what is happening in the world?

"I didn't mean to sound like I was minimizing the way you feel" (7)

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"how about I just tell you why this play is so awesome" (8)

Scene 2

Discoveries

  • "[Carter] is smart as fuck!" -PB [on Mr. Smith's plan for feminism club]

    • He may not be conscious of it, but if this plan works, it makes Mr. Smith look better​

  • "[Carter] is not coming in with a spirit of 'team,'... but that's what the girls think" -G

  • ​"Mr. Smith does not treat Ms. Gallagher as an equal. He speak to her a lot like how he speaks to the girls" -A

  • "He thinks he's helping" -A

  • Carter cuts Bailey off in every line they have together -O

  • "He's wanting to reassure the girls, so while Ms. Gallagher is trying to be really pragmatic...he's just wanting to be viewed as the one who made this happen" -G

  • "[Mr. Smith] is everyone's person; [he's] everyone's champion" -G

  • "[Carter] thinks he's a good man, but he's also aware of his behavior. Him advocating for the girls is a way for him to get power but also a way for him to think he's a better person" -G

  • In the scene, it is mentioned that Mr. Smith is a constant visitor and volunteer at their First Baptist Church.

Questions

  • What is the relationship between Carter and Principal Davis?

    • Does Mr. Smith respect him, or is Principal Davis a threat to his power?​

  • Is Mr. Smith thinking about the dynamics of Beth with other professors compared to him?

"what a great girl" (14)

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"get some other students involved, maybe some boys..." (16)

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"sneak the feminism in kind of under the radar" (16)

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"you just tell me what we should do next" (16)

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