DNA

## Discussion Questions: *DNA* by Dennis Kelly 1. **Opening Silence:** The play starts and ends with Phil's silence. What does his silence convey to the other characters and the audience? How does silence serve as a form of power throughout the play? 2. **Moral Responsibility:** The group decides together to hide Adam's apparent death. To what degree is each character morally accountable for what unfolds? Is there a distinction between the person who takes action and the one who simply goes along with it? 3. **Leadership and Influence:** Phil mainly guides the group through his inaction and sparse speech, while Leah talks non-stop yet appears powerless. What insights does the play offer about the connection between words, action, and authority? 4. **The Nature of Evil:** Dennis Kelly has indicated that the play examines how "good people do bad things." Do you believe any of the characters in *DNA* are intrinsically good? What external pressures drive them toward harmful decisions? 5. **Adam's Return:** When Adam reappears alive, the group's response is one of fear instead of relief. What does this indicate about their priorities and values? What does it reveal about guilt and self-preservation? 6. **Leah's Monologues:** Leah often contemplates nature, bonobos, and human happiness. How do her philosophical reflections tie into the play's central themes? Are they a distraction, or do they help unlock the drama's deeper meanings? 7. **Consequences and Change:** By the play's conclusion, several characters have been profoundly altered or destroyed. What does *DNA* ultimately suggest about the lasting effects of collective wrongdoing on individuals and communities? 8. **Social Dynamics:** The group's actions reflect real-world peer pressure and mob mentality. In what ways does the play resonate with or challenge your understanding of how groups of young people make decisions?

gcse_english_lit · aqa · edexcel · wjec

## Discussion Questions: *DNA* by Dennis Kelly 1. **Opening Tension:** The play starts *in medias res* with a crisis already in progress. How does Dennis Kelly use this approach to instantly engage the audience in the moral dilemma the group faces? What assumptions do you form about the characters before you fully grasp the situation? 2. **Collective Responsibility:** The gang works together to cover up Adam's supposed death. To what extent is each member equally responsible for the cover-up? Does the level of involvement affect the degree of guilt? 3. **Leadership and Power:** Phil speaks very little, yet he holds significant control over the group. How does Kelly use silence and inaction as means of power? What does this imply about the nature of leadership? 4. **Morality vs. Survival:** Characters like Leah question the ethics of the group's actions, but she continues to participate. What does this conflict between moral awareness and complicity reveal about human nature? 5. **Adam's Return:** When Adam comes back alive, the group faces a new and perhaps more troubling choice. Why might Kelly have structured the play this way? What does Adam's fate ultimately indicate about the group's values? 6. **Leah's Monologues:** Leah often speaks at length while Phil stays silent. What purpose do her monologues serve — in terms of drama, theme, and character development? 7. **Social Hierarchy:** How does the play reflect real-world social dynamics among teenagers? In what ways does the gang's behavior mirror or amplify the pressures found in school settings? 8. **The Ending:** By the end of the play, the group seems to have returned to "normal," yet several characters are profoundly changed or lost. What is Kelly's message regarding the cost of maintaining social order and silence?

gcse_english_literature · aqa · edexcel · wjec