English Lang/Lit Section B Love and Loss

Essay Structure/Things to include

Comparative topic sentences throughout 

P.E.E.L structure, last sentence of a paragraph should link answer back to the question

Close analysis of the writer's use of language

Use of technical terminology when analysing spoken language or techniques 

Interesting and in depth comparisons between the plays

Reference to context of the playwrights lives 

Reference to specific reviews of the plays; context of production and reception

Reference to social/historical context of the plays 

Clear and convincing conclusion

Betrayal Reviews 

The Telegraph 2011 -

Betrayal is one of Pinter's best works and is the most moving 

It has emotional depth and subtlety 

Anti clockwise theme allows moments of irony to be explored 

Play has the perfect mixture of wit and emotional truth 

The Guardian 2011 - 

Did not enjoy its original performance, Ian Rickson showed shifting balance of power in triangular relationships  

Emma and Roberts fight (when he throws the bed covers) is symbolic of the end of their marriage and it becomes a social custom

This production touches more on the emotional and physical reality of all the betrayals

The Glass Menagerie Reviews 

The Guardian 2014 - 

Character of Tom uses a microphone when speaking in narration to emphasise this notion, set behind him is raised as though in quotation marks 

Movement sequences attempt to turn the domestic elements to poetic 

Irene Macdougall portrays Amanda as defeated by single parenthood and she plays on the use of self deceit throughout the play to show it worsening 

The Daily Review 2014 - 

Production reaches into the deeper meanings of the text and touches the audience

The play is one of the greatest theatrical works of the 20th century, it is veiled in faded memories

The play is semi autobiographical, the characters pull together so tightly through their times of trouble that it endws up pushing them apart 

Memory

Adds illusion and bias to the story

All characters are unwilling and unable to let go of the past

Williams suggest we cannot escape our memories

The Old South

Amanda's youthful memories are based off of Williams childhood in the South

"South was graceful, elegant, inbred in culture"

Amanda is an anarchronism for the South

Dreams and Illusions

Amanda and Jim have conventional dreams while Laura and Tom are dreamers

Williams presents dreaming in a negative light, it makes us fragile and futile

Entrapment

Williams emphasises that entrapment should be resisted and the only way to avoid it is to act without pity 

Desire

Characters are scared of committment and passion with others, express this in other aspects of their lives

Characters are presented as too scared to take risks, relationships are viewed pessimistically

Fragility

Inner lives of characters show them to be fragile through emotional or social trauma 

All characters suffer a loss of confidence 

Key Quotes 

Love

"Amanda: Haven't you ever liked some boy?"  "Laura:Yes. I liked one once. I came across his picture a while ago"

"Amanda: There are so many things in my heart that I cannot describe to you! I've never told you but I- I loved your father..."

"Jim: Being in love has made a new man of me!"

Dreams

"Tom: My signature isn't worth much right now. But some day- maybe- it will increase in value"

"Amanda: GO, then! Go to the moon- you slefish dreamer!" 

"Amanda: You live in a dream; you manufacture illusions!" 

Control

"Tom: There is a fifth character in the play who doesn't appear except in this larger-than-life-size photogrpah"

"Amanda: What right have you got to jeopardize your job? Jeopardize the security of us all?"