Our Town spans twelve years in the life of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, portraying both routine daily life and major events in the lives of George Gibbs, Emily Webb and their families. Each act centers on their family life, preceded by a street scene of casual conversation with such townsfolk as the paperboy, milkman, and constable. Present throughout, is the Stage Manager, who gives informal commentary and explanation of the play's characters and events. Although …showed first 75 words of 708 total…

…showed last 75 words of 708 total…of the dead. Wilder once said, “The cause of man's unhappiness is not his failure to achieve or sustain greatness, but his failure to delight in the beauty of ordinary existence.” I think he means that the cause of people’s unhappiness is not the failure to achieve greatness, but the failure to appreciate the beauty of daily life. I believe this is the understanding that he wanted readers to have after reading his play.