In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Erving Goffman develops the sociological concepts of “front stage” and “back stage” roles and behaviors. Stages, or regions, as your textbook calls them, refer to the two distinct areas where different individuals with different roles and information can be found. A “front stage” is a settings of social activity in which people seek to put on a definite “performance for others.” A “back stage” is an area apart from front region performances, in which individuals are able to relax and behave informally. In the back stage performers are present but audience is not, and the performers can step out of character without fear of disrupting the performance. It is where facts suppressed in the front stage or various kinds of informal actions may appear.
Think of a social situation you have participated in or know about where there are distinct “front stage” and “back stage” settings. In 3-4 typed, double-spaced pages (750-1,000 words), write a sociological analysis that defines the concept of “front stage” and “back stage” and explains why it is a useful sociological idea. Examine how the two settings function in the particular situation you have chosen by analyzing the kinds of performances that take place in each setting and the relationship between these performances. Point out the significance of “front stage” and “back stage” for the social situation you have analyzed. Explain what the concepts enable you to understand about the roles and behaviors of the people involved.
Teaching Writing at John Jay College 