The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of upbringing, can find success in the United States in a way that is appropriate to their skills if they are willing to work hard. What does Intimate Apparel say about this idea? Choose two characters from the play and compare and contrast their lives and successes in terms of the American Dream.

The end of the play leaves a lot of questions about the future of the characters. If you were going to write a scene wrapping up their lives, how would you like each of their stories to end?

The play, set in New York in 1905, is historical fiction, imagining the lives of fabricated characters inside a real historical moment. Playwright Lynn Nottage is particularly known for her in-depth research when creating the world of a play. Research the period and choose one issue or event from the era. How do you see that issue or event reflected in the social and political atmosphere of the play?