[PW] Reenactment and First Person

[Hadden, Robert L ERDC-TEC-VA]

Dear Daphne Drewello:
	This is a common practice in historical reenactment. By playing
someone else in the "first person," the historic interpreter can demonstrate
(more or less) how that person would have responded to outside stimuli or
people. Most often, this is a valid educational tool.
	Frequently, it degenerates into a silly game of "Gotcha!" where
spectators try to trip up the 19th century historian by pointing out an
airplane flying overhead and asking what that is. (My favorite response was,
"My, the dragonflies are big this year!")
	In any case, this tool is used in many historic sites. Naturally, the
spectator is not really speaking to someone from over a hundred years ago.
But it does allow the spectator to see the history to be interpreted from a
different perspective. And after all, the purpose of historic interpretation
is provocation, not instruction.
	The first person historian takes on the clothes and knowledge, as
much as possible, of the person "Sir Richard," and interprets at Sir
Richard's home in the national historical park. As Sir Richard, the
interpreter says, "I went here and did this. Then I went there and did that.
I hope that XYZ will happen as a result."
	Third person instruction is where the historical authority at the
site says "Sir Richard went here and did this. Then Sir Richard went here and
did that. This is the result of what Sir Richard did."
	One hopes for a future outcome to his plans. The other interprets the
outcome of that plan in the past.
	If you are dying to learn more on this subject of first person
impressions, visit my handbook on reenacting, pages 16-20 (see below in the
"Shameless Commerce Division" of Wombat). 
	
Lee

R. Lee Hadden
Geospatial Information Library (GIL)
Topographic Engineering Center
ATTN: CEERD-TO-I (Hadden)
7701 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22315-3864
(703) 428-9206
Robert.L.Hadden at erdc.usace.army.mil

R. Lee Hadden. "Reliving the Civil War: A Reenactor's Handbook." 2nd edition.
1999. 276 pages. Stackpole Books, Inc., 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA
17055. ISBN: 0-8117-2912-5. This book was also honored as an alternate
selection by the History Book Club. This book is also available
electronically at many libraries through www.netLibrary.com at:
http://www.netlibrary.com/summary.asp?id=42010

Daphne Drewello wrote:
	Patron wants to know if there is a grammatical term for the
following: 
A person pretends to be another person to show that person how she should
have responded to a third person. 
	Patron thinks the term is "third person" but I have problems with
that.