Examine The Changing Attitudes shown to the Japanese Prisoner in The Long The Short And The Tall by close reference to two or three sections of the play at least one from act one and one from Act 2.

When Bamforth is told to take care of the prisoner and make sure that he does not escape he starts to mellow. "Hey, Tojo! Flingers off blonce. Flingers off blonce." This is now showing that although the remarks that Bamforth has made are slightly patronising and sarcastic he is starting to become friendly towards him. From the funny way that he says this. Also the word "hey" is not a harsh word but is said in a friendly manor. However, as everyone else is starting to relax with the prisoner Johnstone still keeps up his arrogant attitude, "we should have done him first time" this is Johnstone trying to show his strength and also showing the fact that he would have been man enough to kill him.

At the begging of the second scene Macleish offers some water to the prisoner. The prisoner takes the water gratefully. Then Macleish says to Mitchem. "He doesn't seem a bad sort of bloke" from this you can tell that Macleish is starting to lose his old attitude towards the prisoner. However, he uses the word "seem" instead of not. This shows us that he is being cautious and is anxiously awaiting Mitchem' s rely. Macleish backs up this statement with, "he's a family man himself" This shows us that Macleish has a growing leniency towards the prisoner. However this could be seen as false as he could just be worried about his brother. Later Macleish shows that he now sees the prisoner as a human being and therefore sees him as equal with the rest of the men.

Next Macleish is starting to assess himself and wonders whether or not he could have killed the prisoner. Mitchem then tells him, "You get a bloke between your sights and stop to wonder whether he's got a family, jock, your families got you" This tells us that Mitchem is trying to get though to Macleish and Is at the moment not thinking morally but as a soldier. Then he said, "Your not paid to think" this is a very stern comment and relates Macleish and the other men as robots just to follow orders. He takes away all moral issues from the picture.

Although Macleish saw the prisoner as a human later when talking about shooting an enemy he says, "have to look into its eyes." By using the word "it" Macleish relates the prisoner to a non-living thing, which has no feelings.

Later he finds out that they will not be talking the prisoner with them and that he will be left. Macleish is now wondering what's going to happen to the prisoner. Macleish then says, " I was beginning to become quite fond of him" this shows that Macleish will not relate himself as being totally fond of the prisoner but just "beginning to become" fond of the prisoner. Now Macleish believes that he is just going to be left tied up there and it has not even come into is head that he will be killed. "Suppose they find the track up here? Suppose the Japs come up and cut him loose? Macleish here shows no indication that the prisoner is going to be killed. Now Macleish finds out the prisoners fate, "you're not, you're not going to knock him off" "he's P.O.W" Macleish is now desperate for the prisoner to be spared. This is probably because he relates what is happening to the prisoner with what will happen to his brother if he is captured. At this point he will do anything to stop the prisoner being killed.

The last scene that I am going to analyse is when Bamforth has left the hut and the find the British cigarette case. The scene starts when Bamforth returns.

Bamforth finds out as Macleish says, "We caught him with a fag case stuffed with British army smokes"

Bamforth retaliates, you skotch nit! You dim skotch nit! I gave him them!" This shows Bamforth trying to take control of the situation. He tries to make them feel guilty for what they have done. He then says after he has stepped in front of the prisoner to protect him, "what's the matter Taff? Are your ears bad?" this shows that he is now putting the prisoner before his fellow men and sees the prisoner as more important. He has gone from insulting the prisoner to insulting his fellow men.

Now Macleish says, "how was I to know? I mean, he gave one to me? Here Macleish is trying to cover his embarrassment and his guilt. You can tell he feels for the prisoner as he is trying to apologise for what he did.

The final scene is where the prisoner is about to be handed back his cigarette case when they discover that it is British also.