Resource Guides: Musical Theater: The Greatest Showman

Questions: Choose One (1)

Do you think Phineas Taylor Barnum is a good person? Why or why not?
What about the life of P.T. Barnum lends itself to a musical? What might be emphasized or glossed over? How can we compare the movie to other versions of this story, fiction or nonfiction?
What is the song “From Now On” about? Does this song represent any character development for P.T. Barnum?

Remember to cite the source(s) you use to answer your question. Here's how you would cite a book:

Author, Title. Publisher, year.

Tompert, Ann. The Greatest Showman on Earth : a Biography of P.T. Barnum. Dillon Press, 1987.

If you were to quote this book in your answer, you would do so like this: "[quoted text]" (Tompert, p. #).

American History Online
An excellent reference source for any subject in American history. Includes encyclopedia articles, images, videos, maps, and primary source documents.
Digital Public Library of America
From libraryjournal.com: "a U.S.-based nonprofit organization and a free web discovery platform. DPLA offers a one-stop discovery experience for more than 40 million digital cultural heritage objects—images, text, videos, and audio clips—aggregated from 40-plus libraries, archives, and museums across the United States."

“P. T. Barnum.”
Harty, John. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2021. EBSCOhost.
"Phineas Taylor Barnum."
Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2004, pp. 13-15. Gale eBooks, Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

"Life of P. T. Barnum (Excerpt)."
American Eras: Primary Sources, edited by Rebecca Parks, vol. 1: Development of the Industrial United States, 1878-1899, Gale, 2013, pp. 182-184. Gale eBooks, Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.