How does Alan Bennett reveal Doris character, life and attitude in the dramatic monologue a cream cracker under the settee? Many of Bennett’s characters are unfortunate and downtrodden, as in the Talking Heads series of monologues that was first performed at the Comedy Theatre in London in 1992, and then transferred to television. This was a sextet of poignantly comic pieces, each of which portrayed several stages in the character’s decline from their initial state of denial or ignorance of their predicament, through their slow realization of the hopelessness of their situation, to a typically bleak Bennett conclusion. The dramatic monologue, a cream cracker under the settee is from that group of six. It is from the point of view of an elderly lady called Doris, who is insistent that the world of her time is much better then the present. She dwells on the past and tells of how things were back then, and how it has changed for the worst. She had fallen while cleaning a picture of her husband Wilfred and most of the monologue is from Doris sitting on the floor in her living room where she fell. Her attitude to the modern world is that it used to be better then it is now, this also shows why she is disapproving of her home help, Zulema, who had not cleaned the picture in the first place.
Throughout the play Bennett reviles Doris character by showing her affection to the past, she talks to old photographs of her dead husband, Wilfred, and talks aloud to him. This indicates Doris apparent loneliness and how she feels left behind by the rest of her generation. When talking about the people she new in the past like Wilfred, she takes on there voice, this shows how she is desperate for company and misses them. The whole play is set in the living room and hall of Doris house because she has fallen when attempting to dust an old photograph. She has an obsession with cleanliness and hygiene and does not believe that Zulema does a good enough job. Because of this she stereotypes all younger people and believes them all to be rude and not up to her high standards. Doris does not approve of Zulema coming, because admitting she needs Zulema would mean forfeiting her independence.
The Essay on Barn Burning Abner Snopes Character Analysis
William Faulkners short story Barn Burning describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during the Civil War. The main character, Abner Snopes, sharecrops to make a living for his family. He despises wealthy people. Out of resentment for wealthy people, he goes and burns their barns to get revenge. Abners character over the course of the story is unchanging in that he is ...
Because of the fact Doris cant dust Zulema holds the threat of Stafford house over her, which is the local old peoples home youd be better in Stafford house , this shows that Zulema wants Doris to be under someone elses control. Throughout the monologue Doris shows that she is obsessive about cleaning, she does not believe that Zulema cleans to her standard, (she doesnt dust, she half dusts) therefore she takes it upon herself to do it, even though it has been forbidden be Zulema. Most probably in Doris case, even if Zulema had cleaned thoroughly, it would not be good enough for Doris because accepting that Zulema can do it would mean that she would not have to do it, Therefore taking away her independence. When Doris and Wilfred were younger they were said to of had a baby which had died at birth, when the baby had died the nurse had raped it up in newspaper, and in Doris eyes she associated this with being dirty. This reveals how Doris does not want her child to have anything to do with anything dirty, even though it is dead, showing her concern. Doris did not want to allow her husband Wilfred to have any hobbies which may involve mess. She is very concerned about what other people may think about her not being absolutely spotless, for example when the leaves from next door blow into her garden, I ought to put a sign on the gate, not my leaves this shows how much other peoples opinions matter to Doris, showing that she is neurotic.
She believes everything would be much better if it was hygienic and wanted Wilfred just to concrete the garden so it would be easy to keep clean, this shows again her fear that other people will think that she is not hygienic. While Doris is on the floor after her fall, she is looking at the wedding photo of her and Wilfred, lying cracked on the floor. She talks to the photograph of Wilfred, showing how she feels lonely, and she was no one else to talk to. Doris seems to be happier in the past then she is in the present, this could be for several reasons for this, for instance the fact that back then she was total independent and the ruler of the roost so to speak, and she did not need a home help. Now however, she feels isolated as there is no one who lives around who she knows anymore, dont know anyone round here now. She feels uncomfortable with the people of today, probably because she knows they are more capable then she is.
The Essay on Selfishness And Self Interest People Work Feel
What would the world come to if people did not strive to help themselves? Would more be accomplished or nothing at all? When is helping oneself self-interest, and when is it rude and selfish? How far does one have to go to not be selfish? In order to be not selfish, must a person spent all their time giving to others? Is in a way giving to others even show selfishness? If that is true is it ...
She does not approve of change either, you can tell this by the way she treats Zulema, she does not believe she is old and not able to help herself and therefore believes Zulema to be nothing more then a hindrance. Zulema on the other hand does not help the situation by telling Doris what to do and treating her like a child. This just makes Doris resent Zulema even more though. Zulema does not realise that when she threatens Doris with Stafford house it would represent insanity and being dominated by others to Doris, which to Zulema, may be a good thing. Doris doesnt feel she needs to be looked after because she believes she is not senile. At this point though she contradicts herself as when a police man comes to check everything is alright she says it is and sends him away, police man: are you alright? Doris: No. Im all right.
This shows how Doris would rather die then loose her independence as she does not want anyone to think that she cannot take care of herself. This also shows how she has worked herself into a state of mind where she cannot allow herself to give in to the hardship of old age, and refuses to except anyones help, this could also be because she is embarrassed about the situation she has got herself into. At the end of the monologue the last stage directions are light fades this shows how they are suggesting that Doris life has come to an end and she has given up, you can also take this view from her last line, never mind. Its done with now, anyway. This leads us to the conclusion that Doris has given up, and knows it is time for her life to end, and that it is done with now..
The Term Paper on Offenders Act Darren Doris Case
Such A Good Boy: How A Pampered Son's Greed Led to Murder: Summary 18 year old Darren Huenemann of Saanich, British Columbia seemed to be a model student, friend, son and grandson. His mother Sharon called him the " perfect gentleman', as did most of the community around him. When his grandmother Doris made out her will in 1989, she made it so her daughter Sharon would receive half of her $4 ...
