A Cream Cracker Under the Sette

The play is a monologue, a monologue is an acting technique in which a single character voices out their thought without interruption. In a monologue although the character opinion is voiced, it can be biased and hard for the audience to keep interest. Alan Bennet chose a monologue for the play so he could provide a voice for the elderly

Doris the main character in the play who is in her 70s and is lonely and isolated from the modern world resents on how society has lost its value. She says “people were friendly with each other but now no one shows any respect to their elders they just take them for granted”. Bennet not only generate sympathy for Doris but for her generation

Alan Bennet keeps the audience interested by concealing facts about her life which like the cream cracker that is found under the settee. The title of the play is made significant because the cracker is Doris which means she is fragile and can be easily replaced and the fact that it is under the settee means that Doris has been declared unfit to be part of the modern society. Also the cracker is a mess which shows how she has lost the ability and mobility to clean- a hindrance for someone who is hygiene conscious as her

In the play the setting changes constantly and it mirrors the changes that are simultaneously happening to Doris as her condition deteriorates. The play start with Doris sitting on a chair which she is fairly comfortable, however later on she is later sitting with her back on the wall which is a change in her condition. This creates sympathy as we can see Doris is struggling and the audience is interested because they would want to know what is going to happen next

Bennet use of dramatic technique such as pathos humour keeps the audience interested and sympathetic towards Doris. When she hears her noise outside her gate she is filled with emotion she say “ I kept going o Wilfred, When are you going to get round the gate”. This makes the audience sympathise with her because it shows how lonely she is and how she needs Wilfred. It shows how unhappy she is on the inside and Doris is far to show her true feeling as it would make her look weak