Thick-Skinned Soldiers
In this monologue, Jim finds his son punching a wooden pole in the center of the barn, only to learn the depth of such physical anguish.
Featured Monologue – Maple Road
JIM: No matter how hard life gets, it ain’t ever worth doing that, you hear me?
Marshall nods.
I don’t care what it is…ain’t nothing worse than doing yourself in…especially at your age. You have your whole life ahead of you. There is too damn much for you to see and do in this world…you can’t tap out as soon as things get tough.
Hell, your Grandfather went through a depression, a war…he saw everything bad before he saw anything good…he didn’t get through all that hell for nothing. You come from a long line of thick-skinned soldiers and just cause you got a splinter in your toe, don’t make it alright for you to flee the coop.
I been shot to death and come back…my life wasn’t fought on dying, son…you can’t go and think it’s okay for you to dishonor those that come before you.
To read the full one-act ePlay Maple Road, find purchase button below:
Monologue Summary
Maple Road features a 1-minute dramatic monologue for male actors, wherein Jim tries to uplift his son by giving him real talk.
- Genre: Drama
- Length: ~1 Minute
- Monologue Character: Jim
- Age Range: 40’s
- Themes: understanding, confusion, confidence
- Best For: father monologue, dramatic monologue for men
World of the Play
- Cast Size: 2 men
- Characters in Play: Jim, Marshall
- Time Period: Modern day
- Synopsis: In the one act play Maple Road, Marshall struggles with his identity and turns to his father, who doesn’t seem to be able to help him.
FAQ
A: Burden of Being Taken and Roads and Trenches are two short plays that deals with war veterans returning home from war. Facing the Sun and Bounty of the Sun are two short plays with soldiers and samurai in battle.
A: You can visit monologues from plays called Dark Place and Coffee Table that focus on characters seeking treatment to improve their health.
A: There is a helpful resource article at Monologue Blogger titled “How To Overcome Monologue Fear and Perform with Confidence” that may help you find confidence and discover techniques with performing a monologue.
Related Monologues
- Treat Me Different – male dramatic monologue
- Even The Color Blue – male dramatic monologue
- The Essence of Life – female dramatic monologue
Monologue Source: Maple Road
Maple Road, a one-act ePlay by Joseph Arnone, 2025.
