As this part of the scene begins, Jo and Helen are both expecting to marry. However, there is a difference in their attitudes to marriage. At this point, Jo seems to be quite enthusiastic about getting married and also implies that she is quite a hopeless romantic when Helen says 'He certainly knows how to put stars in your eyes' and Jo describes Boy having 'beautiful brown eyes and gorgeous curly hair.' On the other hand, this second quote could be interpreted as sarcasm towards Helen, depending on how it is played out. Whereas Helen tells Jo 'At the time I had nothing better to do' in reply to Jo asking her 'Why did you marry him?' implying that she was not at all enthusiastic about her wedding. However I think that this is only said on the surface and that Helen is heartbroken about that marriage but is hiding her vunerability from Jo.
Jo reacts to Helen's forthcoming marriage with a lot less attitude than expected from her. The stage directions quote 'The news is received in silence' once Helen tells Jo of the wedding. This is followed by a repetion of the news and and the sarcastic comment 'What do you want me to do, laugh and throw pennies?' which shows her refusal to even feign happiness for Helen, adding to the audience's knowledge of their peculiar relationship as mother and daughter.
I have the impression that Helen hopes for a marriage that includes her being tended to and presented with gifts. I have interpreted this from the way she acts to 'PETER carrying a large bouquet and a box of chocolates.' The audience can imagine the way her face must light up as she says 'Oh look, and it's all mine!' which enourages them to think of her as quite materialistic, although she doesn't seem to care much for the appearance of their flat.
Both Jo and Helen refer to men as 'little boys.' This reveals that their view of men is fairly negative, as they believe that they aren't as serious and/or as strong as they make out to be.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
Act 1 Scene 2: Jo and Her Boyfriend
I think the reason that Boy doesn't have a name is because he's not an improtant character in the play. He is also black, probably decided by Delany to add drama, as the attitudes to the black community in the time that this play was written (the 1950s) were very different to those of today. Boy being a sailor could also add drama to the play because this would mean that he is away alot (confirmed by the quotes 'We won't have much time together' and 'My next leave? It's a long time, 6 months') and both Boy and Jo would have a better chance of adultery.
In this scene, Jo implies that she is fond of the dark when she agrees to stay outside longer with Boy followed by 'Doesn't it get dark early? I like winter.' Boy reacts by quickly replying with 'I like it too. When it gets dark early it gives me more time for- (He kisses her.)' Jo contradicts herself by saying this, as the previous scene told us that 'You know I am' in reply to Helen asking if she's afraid of the dark. I think she may be saying different things to these different characters because she wants to spend longer with Boy, and also to reassure him of her attraction towards the colour of his dark skin.
Jo's attitude toward kissing in public isn't surprising in my opinion, as she tells Boy 'Don't do that. You're always doing it' as he kisses her. To me, this implies that Jo doesn't want to publicly show affection so that she's as unlike her mother as she can be. However, it could surprise you because she has previously not seemed to care how others see her.
I don't think Boy's proposal is serious, as the way he phrases it is not what I would imagine from a boy wanting a serious relationship. He says 'I'm a man of few words. Will you marry me?' and this suggests that he isn't very bothered about the proposal, and, from this proposal and his other words/actions during this scene, I feel that Boy is more interested in having sex with Jo more than anything. In the previous scene, Peter proposes to Helen with quite a different approach. He uses more persuasive language, such as 'You won't find anything better'; 'I'm young, good-looking and well set up'; and 'I may never ask you again' implying that Helen is much more capable of standing her ground when it comes to men, as she is likely to have had numerous experiences of (drunk) proposals, which is why she accuses Peter of this. She says 'You're drunk'.
Jo suggests that she has no reason to like Boy when she says 'I don't know why I love you but I do,' however I think she is fooling herself into thinking that she loves him, as she replies to his asking of her mother's thoughts on their marriage with 'She's not marrying you, I am' which implies to me that Jo agrees to marry this simple and seemingly likeable man as a way of defying Helen. When Boy tells Jo to 'Say that again,' asking her to repeat her reply stating that she doesn't care if people see the two of them together, this and the quote 'You're the first girl I've met who really didn't care' insinuate that Boy likes Jo because of her tolerance for his ethnicity that he may not have experienced fully before.
During our first viewing of the character of Boy, he has a toy car in his pocket. talks of drinking with the lads and says that women seem to have been 'born three thousand years old.' I think Delaney is trying to symbolise stereotypical male attitudes in one character here, either using it to amplify her point or to contradict it, as the majority of men are expected to act like boy but not many do.
At this stage in the play, I don't feel that Jo and Boy will get married, however I would probably like them to because they seem good for each other and as if they naturally/easily get along.
In this scene, Jo implies that she is fond of the dark when she agrees to stay outside longer with Boy followed by 'Doesn't it get dark early? I like winter.' Boy reacts by quickly replying with 'I like it too. When it gets dark early it gives me more time for- (He kisses her.)' Jo contradicts herself by saying this, as the previous scene told us that 'You know I am' in reply to Helen asking if she's afraid of the dark. I think she may be saying different things to these different characters because she wants to spend longer with Boy, and also to reassure him of her attraction towards the colour of his dark skin.
Jo's attitude toward kissing in public isn't surprising in my opinion, as she tells Boy 'Don't do that. You're always doing it' as he kisses her. To me, this implies that Jo doesn't want to publicly show affection so that she's as unlike her mother as she can be. However, it could surprise you because she has previously not seemed to care how others see her.
I don't think Boy's proposal is serious, as the way he phrases it is not what I would imagine from a boy wanting a serious relationship. He says 'I'm a man of few words. Will you marry me?' and this suggests that he isn't very bothered about the proposal, and, from this proposal and his other words/actions during this scene, I feel that Boy is more interested in having sex with Jo more than anything. In the previous scene, Peter proposes to Helen with quite a different approach. He uses more persuasive language, such as 'You won't find anything better'; 'I'm young, good-looking and well set up'; and 'I may never ask you again' implying that Helen is much more capable of standing her ground when it comes to men, as she is likely to have had numerous experiences of (drunk) proposals, which is why she accuses Peter of this. She says 'You're drunk'.
Jo suggests that she has no reason to like Boy when she says 'I don't know why I love you but I do,' however I think she is fooling herself into thinking that she loves him, as she replies to his asking of her mother's thoughts on their marriage with 'She's not marrying you, I am' which implies to me that Jo agrees to marry this simple and seemingly likeable man as a way of defying Helen. When Boy tells Jo to 'Say that again,' asking her to repeat her reply stating that she doesn't care if people see the two of them together, this and the quote 'You're the first girl I've met who really didn't care' insinuate that Boy likes Jo because of her tolerance for his ethnicity that he may not have experienced fully before.
During our first viewing of the character of Boy, he has a toy car in his pocket. talks of drinking with the lads and says that women seem to have been 'born three thousand years old.' I think Delaney is trying to symbolise stereotypical male attitudes in one character here, either using it to amplify her point or to contradict it, as the majority of men are expected to act like boy but not many do.
At this stage in the play, I don't feel that Jo and Boy will get married, however I would probably like them to because they seem good for each other and as if they naturally/easily get along.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Act 1 Scene 1- Jo, Helen and Peter.
My first impressions of Peter are that he isn't very appreciative of women (as he tells Helen to 'Blow your nose, woman,' and the word choice of 'woman' implies that Peter sees woman as an object) and that he is very flirtatious and quite charming at some points. When Helen says 'I'm old enough to be your mother,' Peter comes back with a witty line of 'Now you know I like this mother and son relationship' which suggests that, if he sees something he would like, he chases after it.
I think he has simply tracked Helen down in order to receive sex from her, as he must be a regular customer (Jo asking 'What's this one called?' suggests this) and Peter approaches Helen and compliments her on this factor by saying 'darling, you do it so well.'
In the first moments after Peter's arrival, Helen treats Jo dismissively, using various excuses to get her out of hearing such as 'Oh go and have your bath'; 'Jo, go and see to that coffee!'; 'Go and lay the table'; and finally gives up thinking of these excuses and says 'Well, do something' followed by a dismissive and quite innapropriate 'Turn yourself onto a bloody termite and crawl into a wall or something.'
Jo's behaviour in this scene is quite protective and doubting of Peter's love proposal for Helen. The quote 'I bet he's married' implies this doubt. She also refuses to leave them to a provate conversation multiple times.
Jo and Helen make revealing comments about affection once Jo enters with the coffee. Helen tells Peter that Jo 'can't bear to see me baing affectionate with anybody' before Jo replies with 'You've certainly never been affectionate with me' which implies that Helen views and treats her clients in a much more affectionate way than her daughter, and this also suggests bad mothering.
I think he has simply tracked Helen down in order to receive sex from her, as he must be a regular customer (Jo asking 'What's this one called?' suggests this) and Peter approaches Helen and compliments her on this factor by saying 'darling, you do it so well.'
In the first moments after Peter's arrival, Helen treats Jo dismissively, using various excuses to get her out of hearing such as 'Oh go and have your bath'; 'Jo, go and see to that coffee!'; 'Go and lay the table'; and finally gives up thinking of these excuses and says 'Well, do something' followed by a dismissive and quite innapropriate 'Turn yourself onto a bloody termite and crawl into a wall or something.'
Jo's behaviour in this scene is quite protective and doubting of Peter's love proposal for Helen. The quote 'I bet he's married' implies this doubt. She also refuses to leave them to a provate conversation multiple times.
Jo and Helen make revealing comments about affection once Jo enters with the coffee. Helen tells Peter that Jo 'can't bear to see me baing affectionate with anybody' before Jo replies with 'You've certainly never been affectionate with me' which implies that Helen views and treats her clients in a much more affectionate way than her daughter, and this also suggests bad mothering.
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