A cream cracker under the settee

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"A Cream Cracker Under the Settee"

        "A Cream Cracker Under the Settee"  is about the way old people are treated by society.  This monologue was written by Alan Bennett in 1987 for the BBC.  "A Cream Cracker Under the Settee" is about a lonely old woman called Doris (played by Thora Hurd) who has had a fall and is coming to the end of her life.  Doris is reminiscing about her life, regrets, dreams and interests; "Ought to have had a dog."

        To me, growing old is where you feel that you are incapable of doing certain things because your body wont let you.  People reach old age at different points in their life.  This is why I disagree with company's not employing people because of there age.  I believe that all people should earn and be given a certain amount of respect.  I think that old people get a certain amount of respect but not maybe as much as they should.  When a lot of people think of old people they think of smelly old people that cant do anything; " I said, 'Yes.  Smelling of pee.' " This view is apparant in "A Cream Cracker Under the Settee."  Doris quite abuptely shows her disagreement with the Stafford House (the nursing home she is to be sent to).  By making this comment Doris shows that you grow old at different ages and she has not yet grown old.  

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        Doris is a seventy-five year old woman who lives alone.  Doris likes all things being neat and tidy.  As Doris is old she is entitiled to home help, Zulema comes to her house every week and tidies up.  Doris does not think Zulema is a good cleaner, "Which would be all right provided she did dust.  But Zulema doesnt dust, she half dusts."  Here Doris is complaining about Zulema.  Alan Bennett wanted to show that people in society do not respect the elderly.  In the play we view Zulema as a main character.  This is because Doris mimics her voice ...

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