Jeanine. …and she’s been there forever, and Mrs Bradford / is-
Marlene. So you want a job with better prospects?
As well as creating sympathy for Jeanine, this reveals to the audience that Marlene is perhaps impatient and slightly rude, but also that she is perhaps focused on obtaining as much of the required information about Jeanine in terms of the job, as quickly as possible.
When Jeanine talks over Marlene’s speech, she is merely defending herself, creating yet more sympathy in the audience for her. Marlene gives Jeanine the tip not to mention marriage in interviews, and Jeanine questions her with ‘But what if they ask?’ whilst Marlene has already moved on to another question. Some might argue that this does not create sympathy for Jeanine but alternatively reveals again how direct Marlene is, perhaps making Jeanine seem weaker, inconcise and inexperienced. Also, as Marlene offers advice both here and later in the scene; ‘OK, you look fine, just be confident and go in there convinced that this is the best job for you,’ it might in fact reveal that she is kind or is sympathetic herself towards Jeanine. Members of the audience might have contrasting opinions about this.
However, sympathy for Jeanine is probable with the continually patronising language that Marlene uses. The repetition of her name; ‘Well Jeanine…’ or ‘Now Jeanine…’ creates a distance for the audience between the two characters, as it is not said with affection but in a belittling and condescending manner. Marlene does this throughout the interview, not only at the beginning when confirming Jeanine’s name, which therefore maintains the patronising view of Marlene in the audience, throughout. Also, Marlene criticises Jeanine openly, which may be viewed as ‘for Jeanine’s own good’, but may again reveal Marlene’s character to be direct and demeaning. For example, ‘You haven’t got the speeds anyway’ and ‘but I think they’re looking for something glossier’, where Marlene finds a way round saying that she thinks Jeanine is too inexperienced and lacks social confidence. This may raise the tension of the scene for the audience as we feel either sympathy for Jeanine, are reminded of her impossibilities for a top job and/or have Marlene’s character further revealed. For the harsher minds in the audience, particularly with Marlene’s line about ‘something glossier’, it may also be humorous. Another possible humorous moment is when they discuss the wedding ring and Marlene jokes; ‘saves taking it off’. These would lighten the atmosphere, important after fast-moving, more serious passages in maintaining the audiences interest.
As the play has now moved onto an interview situation, the play’s theme of women in the world of work and the limitations and discrimination this poses, becomes more obvious for the audience. For example, Churchill uses the patronising character of Marlene and her language to portray this idea that marriage immediately implies having children for women and that this would affect their job; ‘Does that mean you don’t want a long-term job, Jeanine?’. The choice of addressing Jeanine by her name at this moment seems poignant as firstly, it has not been done since near the beginning of the scene and freshly reiterates the distance between the two characters and Marlene’s character, and secondly being placed after a very presumptuous question effectively displays the frustrating issue of children interfering with work. Jeanine answers back with the short statement; ‘I might do’, which allows Marlene to continue; ‘Because where do the prospects come in? No kids for a bit?’. It may be realistic to assume that not having children until later will be the only option if Jeanine wants a job with prospects, but the way Marlene shows where her thought pattern is leading with the implications of the first question, by saying two more questions just after, emphasises this theme that reoccurs throughout the play. Jeanine answers; ‘Oh no, not kids, not yet.’ Churchill cleverly scripts this with three negatives closely packed together, to show that Jeanine feels she needs to do this to prove she is serious about prospects and that having children will not interrupt this. We therefore see a reference to Act I, where most of the women have never worked in their lives before, as women were primarily for the purpose of having children, in the eras of most of the characters. To be educated, which was so that men were employable, Joan has to disguise herself as a man, again showing this reoccurring limitation for women.
Naturally, the theme of education also arises in this interview, with how many ‘Os’ and ‘As’ Jeanine has. Churchill uses overlapping dialogue so that Jeanine appears to be emphasising how many she has, but Marlene simply continues, claiming that she could have got some ‘As’; ‘all those Os you probably could have got an A’. As with the contrast with Joan, this also contrasts Isabella who says; ‘My father taught me Latin although I was a girl’. This contrast and the former quote, show how important education was in the eighties, now that so many women were passing with high grades and that one ought to push oneself if one had the potential to. Again this links to the key theme of women trying to be successful. Jeanine attempts to defend herself with; ‘I wanted to go to work’ which shows how important it is in modern society to indeed seem ambitious, not indolent, and going as far as possible. This issue arises later in the interview with talk of aiming for high jobs and therefore planning ahead;
‘personal assistant to a top executive in a multinational. If that’s the idea you need to be planning ahead. Is that where you want to be in ten years?’
The audience sees the contrast again between the two characters as Marlene, who they know has been promoted, aims high, whereas Jeanine replies with a pathetic, ‘I might not be alive in ten years’. Marlene then uses this to address the issue of children again, emphasising her initial presumption with another one. Bringing the subject up again, emphasises to the audience the theme of motherhood, perhaps arousing an irritation because it seems almost as though having children is the only reason Jeanine will certainly still be living.
Due to the limitations this traditional label for women of ‘child-bearer’, the linked theme of ambition, and the longing to gain power and control as a woman comes as a result. Firstly we see how Marlene thrives on her position as interviewer over Jeanine and is in control of the situation with the overlapping dialogue. Marlene moves swiftly onto the next question whilst Jeanine is often in mid speech and ignores short utterances from Jeanine, like; ‘Knitwear?’ and ‘But what if they ask?’.
Also, as the interview progresses, Marlene begins to use much longer speeches of 5 to 6 lines as opposed to short questions. This again shows her control and power over the situation and her ambitious nature. She even says; ‘then you’ll be in at the top with the new girls coming in underneath you,’ which shows how important status and gaining a position as a woman was. Jeanine’s character, although she is applying for a better job with better prospects, ‘No, I do want a job with better prospects. I want more money,’ therefore contrasts Marlene’s, again emphasising the struggle of women for power. Jeanine is not always sure what she is trying to say and stutters trying to explain herself; ‘Yes I know. I don’t really… I just mean…’ whereas Marlene knows she has her new position which, being above a man is all the more of an achievement, or so it would seem in their society.
The extent to which the play’s characteristic concerns are expressed is quite clear. It seems that the main issues here are; ambition, the attempt to gain control and power over others and to be a ‘Top Girl’, and the limitations of motherhood, in the world of work. This seems to be covered in an effective way due to the situation of an interview and in a fair degree of depth as it is directly addressed. However, little reference is made to men and rebellion against a patriarchal society, the treatment of women by men throughout history and media pressure to be thin, which are some of the other key themes.
