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LTWR100: Introduction to Literature

Critical Analysis: David Ives' "Sure Thing"

Why does an exhaustive search for academic criticism of David Ives’ play “Sure Thing” yield scarce results? Often, a contemporary work that is newer or less well-known will not yet have a body of criticism built around it. There's also the fact that "Sure Thing" is a very short, one-act play that is performed as a collection with several others. So what should you do? Your strategy should be to read reviews of the performances and combine this with what you know about themes in the play “Sure Thing.” Use this guide to help you find appropriate sources for each type of information.