Alan Ayckbourn's Absurd Person Singular - Student Group Enquiry for Act II
These are potentially the most important parts of Act II.
Write brief responses to these particular questions for revision and to build in to potential paragraphs.
Another good way to use them for revision is to ask each other/get family or friends to ask you. If you speak better than you write, put your phone on Voice Record and then write up your best ideas.
These are potentially the most important parts of Act II.
Write brief responses to these particular questions for revision and to build in to potential paragraphs.
Another good way to use them for revision is to ask each other/get family or friends to ask you. If you speak better than you write, put your phone on Voice Record and then write up your best ideas.
Enquiry questions from Y12: Harry, Zhelin, Min-Sang, Desmond, Jack, Zane, Liam, and Hsi Iyn
1. How does Ayckbourn use the opening stage directions of Jackson’ Kitchen suggest about the couple’s character?
2. In what way does the opening of act two portray the instability and awkward nature of the relationship between Eva and Geoffrey? Consider how Geoff is the only one talking. What effect does this have on the audience?
3.How is Eva presented or shown in the quote “Paper? [He picks up Eva’s suicide note]...” On page 50 Eva is noted to have “a very dirty oven”. What does this tell the audience/us about Eva’s character and status as a woman?
4. Eva’s second suicide attempt is with a “bread knife”. This can either seem strange and ineffective/comedic or it can be performed in a way which is shocking and horrific, completely jarring with the expectations of the play as a comedy. Explore the effectiveness and how each would be presented, considering the deeper symbolic/Absurdist and Existentialist implications. How can each of the different ways that Eva tries to kill herself be interpreted as visual metaphors for women in a patriarchal society or for the absurdity of existence?
5.Find evidence to show Sidney’s unflappable and personable façade. Then find quotes (eg in page 54-57) to suggest the arrogant attitude of Sidney. How is his rise in influence significant? When Sidney picks up Eva’s suicide note, what is the significance of his ignorance to her needs? What is the effect on the audience?6.What does the lightbulb in page 56 represent or symbolize as a device?
7.What does the unresponsive, awkward nature of Eva suggest in regards to the larger thematically of the play and the role of women in society?
8.How is the characters negligence towards Eva's existence presented comically? what does the other character’s ignorance to Eva’s suicide notes symbolise in terms of the absurdist view? How does Ayckbourn’s use of farce on pages 53-55 influence the reader’s sympathy for Eva?
9. what is the effect of Ayckbourn manipulating the audience to laugh at such a tragic time force them to confront about themselves? What is Ayckbourn confronting the audience with about life through this?
10.How do the character’s representations and interactions create an sense of division of social status? For instance, consider page 52, where Geoffrey is seen as quite oblivious to Jane’s actions - what does this show about his character and class?
11. Why does Ayckbourn revisit the idea of absurd clothing (Jane's gender reversed clothing in Act I and the male and female clothing from the laundry basket in Act II)? How and why is it funny in Act II, given that Ronald has the highest social status because of his class and role as a Bank Manager? Explore the fact that these clothes are seen as absurd because they are inappropriate but then consider this through an existential viewpoint - does it matter/why are they seen as absurd and what is Ayckbourn therefore challeging the audience about?
What other props or costume choices (such as Sidney’s toolbox in page 58) present social status? Why is this significant?
12. How would you perceive Marion's role in her relationship? Who has more authority and how can this be seen? How do we see her emasculate Ronald and how does this make the audience judge both of them? What does Marion’s nonchalant attitude convey about the reality of societal position?
13. How does jane fit the stereotypical view of house wife of the era? Contrast her behaviour and attitude with Eva’s in Act I and Act III. Jane seems to either unknowingly echo Eva’s suffering when she says “I know just what you feel like…you suddenly get that urge, don’t you?” and then contrasts it when she says “You say I must clean that oven if it kills me. I shan’t sleep, I shan’t eat until I’ve cleaned that oven. It haunts you. I know just that feeling”. Explore these quotes for irony but also consider the deeper subtext – has Jane hidden her suffering? What is Ayckbourn showing about the lives of women here?
11. Why does Ayckbourn revisit the idea of absurd clothing (Jane's gender reversed clothing in Act I and the male and female clothing from the laundry basket in Act II)? How and why is it funny in Act II, given that Ronald has the highest social status because of his class and role as a Bank Manager? Explore the fact that these clothes are seen as absurd because they are inappropriate but then consider this through an existential viewpoint - does it matter/why are they seen as absurd and what is Ayckbourn therefore challeging the audience about?
What other props or costume choices (such as Sidney’s toolbox in page 58) present social status? Why is this significant?
12. How would you perceive Marion's role in her relationship? Who has more authority and how can this be seen? How do we see her emasculate Ronald and how does this make the audience judge both of them? What does Marion’s nonchalant attitude convey about the reality of societal position?
13. How does jane fit the stereotypical view of house wife of the era? Contrast her behaviour and attitude with Eva’s in Act I and Act III. Jane seems to either unknowingly echo Eva’s suffering when she says “I know just what you feel like…you suddenly get that urge, don’t you?” and then contrasts it when she says “You say I must clean that oven if it kills me. I shan’t sleep, I shan’t eat until I’ve cleaned that oven. It haunts you. I know just that feeling”. Explore these quotes for irony but also consider the deeper subtext – has Jane hidden her suffering? What is Ayckbourn showing about the lives of women here?
14. What does Ayckbourn suggest through the use of the Jackson’s dog at the beginning of act 2? What does this tell us about the role of women in society? What is the device of the constant barking to symbolise?
15. What is the significant of Eva’s song in the end of Act 2? How is it ironic? What is the effect of the group singing at the end of the act? How is it funny and in what different ways? How is it sad? What illusion have the other characters become part of?
16. Why is it significant that Eva "conducts" the others? When she conducts them with Sidney's "hammer" it is symbolic because...? (make links to Act II and Sidney's rise in power here).
17. How is the finale of the act effective in capturing the Absurdism of life?
15. What is the significant of Eva’s song in the end of Act 2? How is it ironic? What is the effect of the group singing at the end of the act? How is it funny and in what different ways? How is it sad? What illusion have the other characters become part of?
16. Why is it significant that Eva "conducts" the others? When she conducts them with Sidney's "hammer" it is symbolic because...? (make links to Act II and Sidney's rise in power here).
17. How is the finale of the act effective in capturing the Absurdism of life?