Outlining and discussing the issues of Alan Bennett's 'Talking Heads' character Irene Ruddock and how he scripts it so that we sympathise with her.

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A Lady of Letters

In this essay I will be outlining and discussing the issues of Alan Bennett’s ‘Talking Heads’ character Irene Ruddock and how he scripts it so that we sympathise with her; I will be outlining the facts about why and what she has done, the effect and impact it has on people and how Alan Bennett makes us have mixed feelings towards her.

        Irene Ruddock is a middle aged woman who is lonely and always has been since her mother died. She turns to the pen for comfort and support and uses complaining to people as a way of passing her time. Bennett uses her to show people what is wrong with society, although if they were his views he is a very stereotypical person. He also shows that she doesn’t fit in with the world she lives in, she is too much of a perfectionist and is stubborn, she only accepts her ideas and thoughts and expresses them to the world as if they all thought the same and tries to change the world to one in which she is comfortable in.. Alan scripts her in a way that tries to show that she has no-one to confide in, and speaks directly to the audience. The message that he tries to give in my opinion is that it is not the crappy government in the country that makes the minor changes; it is lonely people and a pen.

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        The purpose of ‘Talking Heads’ is to show different peoples views on society and life from their point of view, giving us vivid and detailed descriptions with ironic and clear facts that affect our emotions.

An upsetting yet happy scene is describing her life in prison.
’Sometimes Bridget will wake up in the middle of the night screaming about the kiddy she killed’

And then goes on to describe the way she holds her hand and says that she likes it there because she is always doing something and finishes with a touching scene about the poplar tress and that she ...

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