The major themes in ‘Our Day Out’ are the lack of Education, Opportunity and Deprivation in the inner city, show how Willy Russell makes the Audience aware of these ideas.

The major themes in 'Our Day Out' are the lack of Education, Opportunity and Deprivation in the inner city, show how Willy Russell makes the Audience aware of these ideas. 'Our Day Out' is all about a day in 1970, in the lives of poor Liverpudlian kids. In Liverpool the back streets were covered in kids doing nothing and also adults as the Docks were closing down which led to high unemployment. Also the factories, where the unemployed would go closed down as well, so at the time in the play the amount of people unemployed and on benefit was high and the benefit wouldn't be able to support all of them. The kids are in a progress class which means that they don't really get taught a lot. They aren't clever; they are rejects! In the play we learn about the language of the characters, what they say, do, and what they say about other characters. We find in the play a lot of everyday conversations and from this there are different languages, formal, which is not used regularly and non-formal which is used a lot. It is mainly slang as the kids come from an area of uneducated parents, for example 'wanna' and 'nottin', these are common words in the play and many more are used. With the play having everyday conversations it makes the play sound more realistic. And people watching will understand it. Willy Russell puts his thoughts in most of the character's mouths and this is how he

  • Word count: 1680
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the popularity of the play "An inspector calls" focus on characterisation, structure and dramatic qualities.

Discuss the popularity of the play "An inspector calls" focus on characterisation, structure and dramatic qualities. An inspector calls by John Boynton Priestley was written in 1945 and is based around the Birling family, and their involvement in the death and downfall of Eva Smith. The play is set in the industrial town of Brumley in 1912 before the outbreak of the First World War. An inspector calls has proven its popularity as it has been show in theatres across the world for over fifty years, it is also going on a 25 week tour of England and Scotland in 2003. The play has been extremely popular, as it has won nineteen major theatre awards in London and New York. The play was first shown in 1945, it is a popular detective play, although it doesn't fall into the whodunit genre. As there isn't a murder that is arrested at the end of the play, it is meant to show the audience the errors of their ways and how destructive social class is. The play is also based on morality plays of the late medieval times. The characters in this play have a major influence on the plays popularity. The inspector is an intriguing character, when he enters the play he is described as. "An impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness." The inspector grows as each character reveals their involvement in Eva Smith's death. He remains this solid, fierce-some character whilst he questions

  • Word count: 1539
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Bennett explore the 'ordinary, uneventful, desperate' aspects of life through literature?

How does Bennett explore the 'ordinary, uneventful, desperate' aspects of life through literature? Alan Bennett's characters (in Lady of Letters, Her Big Chance and Bed Among the Lentils) possess similar qualities of being 'ordinary, uneventful and desperate' as their lives can be viewed as being dull, mundane and monotonous. Using dramatic monologue, not only is Bennett able to explore the different aspects of life, but also make it easier for us (the reader) to understand and ultimately appreciate the themes brought forward. The monologue style allows us to hear the biased views of the narrator as we are able to see through them and thus allowing us to empathize for the characters. Ordinary, uneventful and desperate are major aspects of life, just as much as love and death. To the 'naked eye', the three might appear to be mutually exclusive but in fact the word ordinary and desperate does have a connection. After all, it is normal to become desperate and when someone is constantly desperate, it totally becomes ordinary. Often, people are in denial and tend to hide the reality by slightly twisting it. The twist is only made more apparent cause of the fact that this is a monologue. In addition, the word ordinary and desperate might appear to be an oxymoron but they are in fact not, because if life is hopeless and desperate, the feeling of relentless and desperation is ever

  • Word count: 1251
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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A Vendetta by Guy de Maupassant and the Long Trail by Andrée Checlid

A Vendetta by Guy de Moupossant and the long trail written by Andrée Checlid are two stories about revenge. They both discuss women who live in male dominated societies. Although the themes of the stories are basically the same they differ in many ways. ' A Vendetta' describes an elderly woman who wanted revenge of her sons murderer where as the 'Long Trail' talks about a women who has nine children and her rebellion against her way of life. A Vendetta is set in a small house on the ' ramparts of Bonifacio, Built on a spur of the mountain and in places overhanging the sea' It is a small Italian town with fishing boats and white hillsides. The story is a bout a small elderly women 'who is near her end' She is old ,week and fragile. She lives her life for her son and totally depends on him. After the murder of her son she swears to herself, her son, and God that she would get her revenge. Her dog Semillante who stays with her after her sons death barked and howled at the foot of her masters bed. 'All day long she sat at her window gazing at the opposite coast and thinking of her revenge, but what was she to do with no one to help her' One night when semillante began to whine the widow had the inspiration to get her revenge on her sons killers. She then went to church and begged God to aid and support her. She then went home and started the process of getting her

  • Word count: 992
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Textual Integrity in Hamlet

Textual Integrity in Hamlet In order to decide if the textual integrity is essential to the play, one would examine whether the character motivations remain constant with the rest of the other characters present within the play. Their imagery, motives, word choice, and whether the speech seems to fit with Hamlet's overall character. Due to the different contexts of the play (one being the Elizabethan era whilst the other being the present) it is easily arguable from a Elizabethan era viewpoint that the character of Hamlet has done the morally correct thing to society as he has waited to the right moment (when he is aware of Claudius' true actions) to act upon his vengeance for his father. Hamlet has maintained his duty to family and God by not killing himself due to loathing but evening the scores in order to regain his father's worth. On the other hand from a modern day approach the audience feels as though Hamlet should react straight away and kill Claudius. The idea of duty to God/religion has become mildly ethereal and is not as apparent as it was during the Elizabethan era. One interpretation of "Hamlet" is the play is about suicide. The play heart is an concentrated psychodrama that is about a prince gone mad from external pressures. He longs for the ultimate release of killing himself for several different motives depending on the situation. When Hamlet has the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare and contrast two characters from the play "An Inspector Calls". Explain how Priestly uses them to show the different ideas and values of the older and younger generations.

An Inspector Calls essay Compare and contrast two characters from the play "An Inspector Calls". Explain how Priestly uses them to show the different ideas and values of the older and younger generations. In the play 'An Inspector Calls' a young girl called Eva Smith commits suicide by drinking disinfectant and we see the reaction of the Birling family when they find out they all had a part in her death. The older and younger generations react differently to Eva Smiths death. Priestly wrote the play 'An Inspector Calls' in winter 1944-1945. The play was set in spring 1912 and it was first performed in 1946, in London. 'An Inspector Calls' was a well made play because their was a progression of ignorance to knowledge both characters and audience. I am comparing Sybil Birling and Shelia Birling, Sybil Birling is part of the older generation and Shelia is part of the younger generation. Shelia is warm hearted and affectionate. Shelia will take blame for what she has done. Sybil is "cold" and snobbish. She is also prejudiced and doesn't like change. She will not take blame for Eva Smiths death. In the first scene the characters are sat round a table celebrating Shelia and Gerald's engagement. This means the audience focus on them because there is no action so the audience concentrate on what they are saying. This is important to hear their conversation because in the first

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In the play 'Educating Rita', how does Willy Russell deal with the effects of education?

EDUCATING RITA In the play 'Educating Rita', how does Willy Russell deal with the effects of education? In the play 'Educating Rita', education is presented from two main viewpoints: Frank's and Rita's. To Rita gaining an education is everything to her, so much so that she is willing to give up her life, as it was, and the security that it has brought. However it is this very life of hers that drives her to enrol at the Open University. To help us understand why she does this; Russell offers us a perspective into the lives of the working class. 'Cos by us there is no meanin' to life...There's like this sort of disease, but no one mentions it; everyone behaves as though it's normal.' This is the way Rita feels about those around her. It's the type of life that she herself has led, however Rita is aspiring to more, for a better life, one with more meaning to it. '...it's [education] providing me with life itself.' In Frank's case, education and literature seems to have done the exact opposite. At present Frank is stuck in a void, which he tries to ignore with the aid of alcohol. Frank's interpretation of his own work can be related to how he views the academic world that he is stuck in. He sees his work as a 'pyrotechnical pile of shit' and like his view of the academic world, it is 'pretentious' and 'characterless'. Earlier in the play he describes his efforts as not

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE Eddie Carbone is main character in 'A view from the bridge

'A view from the bridge' Eddie Carbone is main character in 'A view from the bridge'. Set in the 1940's 'A view from the bridge' was written in the 1950's by Arthur Miller, (Miller was influenced by Greek tragedy). During those times Italian immigrants came over to America for work, dreams and freedom but like in this story it all ends in disaster, Eddie's an Italian American. This play is a tragedy because the play ends in death, also Eddie Carbone is tragic in that he cannot change who he is, his circumstances are beyond his control and he cannot change them, this type of tragedy revolves around 'hubris'- Eddie's stubborn nature and male pride causes his inner conflict and ultimately his death. In contrast to Alfieri, Eddie is not educated therefore he cannot express himself. He is also a stereotypical male as he cannot or will not cry. Therefore Eddie is presented as tragic in many ways. The idea of the American dream is where the family has two cars and usually two children, there was more definition to gender roles then as the man would go out to work and earn all the money whilst the wife stays at home cleans the house, cooks and looks after the children and their daughters usually head cheerleader for her high school whilst the boy is captain of the football team. - the ideal family draws the audience in. the American dream is different to the Carbone family in

  • Word count: 1420
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How do the principal characters change as the play proceeds? In what ways does their relationship change - Willy Russel

Bhupesh Mistry 18.10.2001 How do the principal characters change as the play proceeds? In what ways does their relationship change? "I think you're marvellous. Do you know, I think you're the first breath of fresh air that's been in this room for years" Was this the start of a new life for a man who was not happy with his place in society? As Rita a working class hairdresser who is provoked by her sense of incompleteness, steps into Frank's life. These are the two vital characters of 'Educating Rita' written by Willy Russell who tries to explore and portray the issues of too completely different yet similar classes, the classes being working and middle class. 'Educating Rita' a play written in the 1970's, you will also notice that this play is a two-hander, although this play is on based on the foundation of only two characters many others characters are mentioned and play a crucial role in forming the plot of this play. In this assignment I will be examining the ways in which Willy Russell tries to change the path of two characters. Also I will be analysing the ways in which the two characters have an influence on each other's metamorphosis as the play proceeds. Before one can actually consider the way in which Frank is presented, or any of the characters one must take into account the languages

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Mary Shelley challenge and unsettle the reader of Frankenstein?

How does Mary Shelley challenge and unsettle the reader of Frankenstein? Rosie Hill In Mary Shelley's novel 'Frankenstein' she tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young idealistic student who discovers the secret of giving life to matter. Frankenstein creates a living being, but horrified by the monster he created, Victor deserts it. Isolated and lonely, the monster becomes alienated and exacts a terrible revenge on its creator. So follows a whirlwind chase across the world in Shelley's revolutionary novel, blending Gothic horror and romance together to produce one of the most well known stories of all time. Shelley uses a combination of context, language, structure and themes to both challenge and unsettle the reader of Frankenstein, while also making them question their personal views on certain aspects of the novel. Mary Shelley was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin in London on the 30th August 1797. Her parents were radicals, revolutionary thinkers, subsequently she grew up with very radical and 'out there' ideas. Her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, a British writer and one of the early feminists. In her book 'A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women' she argued that the nature of women was actually a consequence of a lack of education forced on them by men and that marriage was legalised prostitution. She argued in favour of social order based on reason and free of

  • Word count: 3594
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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