Choose two contrasting scenes from, ‘Journeys End’, which you feel effectively present the themes of guilt and remorse. Analyze their effectiveness as drama.

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Choose two contrasting scenes from, ‘Journeys End’, which you feel effectively present the themes of guilt and remorse. Analyze their effectiveness as drama.

For this piece of work I am trying to show some of the emotions men go through when faced with the horrers of war; this is often shown in the forms of guilt and remorse. I am looking to analyze the relationship between Raleigh and Stanhope and how their comradeship is damaged by the pressures and struggles of war.  This will be shown in the way the two scenes present the issues and then in the way that they contrast.

        The first of the two scenes I have chosen to use for this piece of work is the scene midway throughout the second act when Stanhope, riddled with alcohol, struggles to control his anger when Raleigh attempts to send off a letter.  The second scene, I have chosen is the end scene, which shows Raleigh, after being wounded, with Stanhope at his side. These two scenes show the extreme pressures men are put under in the course of war. Stanhoppe drinks in order to just manage his day to day existence. Raleighs presence reminds him of the life he once had, his guilt at his drinking and his fear that Raleigh will lose respect for him, not to mention his fear of Raleigh reporting home to his sister about the terrible state that he is in. Raleigh on the other hand is young and naïve ; he does not fully understand standhopes behavior and is somewhat oblivious to his surroundings.        

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In the first scene I have chosen, Raleigh enters with his letter, Stanhope, in an aggressive tone, tells Raleigh to leave the letter open, Raleigh attempts to explain that there is nothing of any significance in the letter but Stanhope proceeds to raise his voice and rip the letter from the trembling Raleigh's hand. The aggressive tone Stanhope sues when he tells Raleigh to leave the letter open shows his fear has been corrupted to anger towards his previous best friend, Raleigh. ‘Don’t ‘Dennis’ me! Stanhope’s my name! You’re not at school. Go and inspect your rifles’

        This scene shows ...

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