Key moments - Leave taking
Moment 1 - Scene 1 p15-17
hemes present- Sisterhood, Mother and Daughter relations,Cultural identity,
T
Spirituality
Characters- Del, Viv, Enid
Del: “Mumbo Jumbo nonsense”- The informal phrase,traditional ‘english’ idiom.
onveys Del’s ignorance toward obeah and general lack of interest toward her culture. Blunt
C
statement conveys how she prioritises western values and ideals of what is right.
Viv: “It's like a museum”- simile exhibits her curiosityand intrigue, yet disconnect from
her culture. Idea of museum portrays observing from afar
Del: “Why didn't you just carry us to the doctors?” -rude statement toward enid,
shows del’s respect of western medicine contrasting with her disregard of obeah
Enid: “You want people hear you?” -Experience asa first gen. Immigrant , ensures her
reputation is not tainted and relies on others perceptions of her.
Del: “Fancy nicking holy water to practise voodoo” -Del is mocking not only obeah
b ut her mother as well, critical of the validity of the practise. Conveys how disconnected she
is from her identity, and slight dramatic irony considering she goes on to practise obeah
herself.
Enid: “You go too far, Delores” -By using del’s fullname, her anger is visible.
Attempting to hold authority over del.
Viv: “It's not voodoo.”- simple negative sentence.Attempting to defend her mother, acts
a s a mediator within the family. Whilst personally she does not believe in obeah, she doesn't
want to disrespect her mother.
Del: “Obeah.”One word sentence shows Del’s rude andignorant tone, a shift from her
mocking and naïve tone earlier on as well as the rise in tension of the hostile family dynamic.
Enid: “The older you get, the more you find out you need to protect yourself.”-
nid ultimately looks out for her daughters and protects them - subtly warning them. Her
E
secretive tone within this statement implies the idea that she does not want to let her
, g lorified/idealistic portrayal of Britain be broken for her daughters, and is attempting to hide
the inevitable suffering of immigrants.
ADDITIONAL SCENE NOTES
- M
irrors S8 and portrays the cyclical structure of the play. From Mai’s bedsit being
described as “very messy” with “playing cards scattered”, it becomes “much tidier’,
and Del “dusts” the counter. Del has also gone from being ignorant and mocking
obeah practises, to practising them herself and giving her mother a reading.
Moment 2 - Scene 2 p27-29
hemes present:Cultural identity, Mother and daughterrelations,
T
Displacement and belonging
Characters- Brod, Viv, Enid
Brod: “she was on them bare feet, all day climb high hill walk over big stone”-
he image connotes themes of freedom and a lack of restraint, contrasting Enid’s desperation
T
for control. Dynamic movement imagery “climb” “walk” emphasises a lost sense of freedom
that she once had. Freedom bore basic simplicity due to the basic adjectives
Enid: “I don't dream about back home because this is my home”- authoritative
s tatement from Enid conveys her stubborn nature/denial of the fact that she does not
yearn/“dream” for something else and denies missing her home sets her apart from those who
yearn for a different life.
rod: “Call me an alien as if me live the last thirty years on the moon instead of
B
on this blasted estate.”- blunt statement “call mean alien” exaggerates the cruelty of his
treatment in comparison to how England was viewed from Jamaica. Hyperbolic comparison
of the “moon” - metaphor - implies how isolated he feels from British society.
rod: “Colonialism, imperialism, vampirism. They suck the blood outta the
B
island, suck them dry” -metaphor of vampire - islandof jamaica anthropomorphised.
ep. of “suck” and vamp imagery emphasises the cruelty in which the british have treated the
R
island, erasing all of its culture/ life - blood synonymous with life. ‘Suck them dry’ alludes to
finances, the British not only ruin lifestyle but create poverty.
Brod: “ Gullyman heart brock, him mind crack” -metaphorof gullymans heart being
‘ brock’ and his mind ‘crack’ emphasises how powerful and destructive the racism and
mistreatment he felt in England affected him; heart and mind signify emotional and mental
Moment 1 - Scene 1 p15-17
hemes present- Sisterhood, Mother and Daughter relations,Cultural identity,
T
Spirituality
Characters- Del, Viv, Enid
Del: “Mumbo Jumbo nonsense”- The informal phrase,traditional ‘english’ idiom.
onveys Del’s ignorance toward obeah and general lack of interest toward her culture. Blunt
C
statement conveys how she prioritises western values and ideals of what is right.
Viv: “It's like a museum”- simile exhibits her curiosityand intrigue, yet disconnect from
her culture. Idea of museum portrays observing from afar
Del: “Why didn't you just carry us to the doctors?” -rude statement toward enid,
shows del’s respect of western medicine contrasting with her disregard of obeah
Enid: “You want people hear you?” -Experience asa first gen. Immigrant , ensures her
reputation is not tainted and relies on others perceptions of her.
Del: “Fancy nicking holy water to practise voodoo” -Del is mocking not only obeah
b ut her mother as well, critical of the validity of the practise. Conveys how disconnected she
is from her identity, and slight dramatic irony considering she goes on to practise obeah
herself.
Enid: “You go too far, Delores” -By using del’s fullname, her anger is visible.
Attempting to hold authority over del.
Viv: “It's not voodoo.”- simple negative sentence.Attempting to defend her mother, acts
a s a mediator within the family. Whilst personally she does not believe in obeah, she doesn't
want to disrespect her mother.
Del: “Obeah.”One word sentence shows Del’s rude andignorant tone, a shift from her
mocking and naïve tone earlier on as well as the rise in tension of the hostile family dynamic.
Enid: “The older you get, the more you find out you need to protect yourself.”-
nid ultimately looks out for her daughters and protects them - subtly warning them. Her
E
secretive tone within this statement implies the idea that she does not want to let her
, g lorified/idealistic portrayal of Britain be broken for her daughters, and is attempting to hide
the inevitable suffering of immigrants.
ADDITIONAL SCENE NOTES
- M
irrors S8 and portrays the cyclical structure of the play. From Mai’s bedsit being
described as “very messy” with “playing cards scattered”, it becomes “much tidier’,
and Del “dusts” the counter. Del has also gone from being ignorant and mocking
obeah practises, to practising them herself and giving her mother a reading.
Moment 2 - Scene 2 p27-29
hemes present:Cultural identity, Mother and daughterrelations,
T
Displacement and belonging
Characters- Brod, Viv, Enid
Brod: “she was on them bare feet, all day climb high hill walk over big stone”-
he image connotes themes of freedom and a lack of restraint, contrasting Enid’s desperation
T
for control. Dynamic movement imagery “climb” “walk” emphasises a lost sense of freedom
that she once had. Freedom bore basic simplicity due to the basic adjectives
Enid: “I don't dream about back home because this is my home”- authoritative
s tatement from Enid conveys her stubborn nature/denial of the fact that she does not
yearn/“dream” for something else and denies missing her home sets her apart from those who
yearn for a different life.
rod: “Call me an alien as if me live the last thirty years on the moon instead of
B
on this blasted estate.”- blunt statement “call mean alien” exaggerates the cruelty of his
treatment in comparison to how England was viewed from Jamaica. Hyperbolic comparison
of the “moon” - metaphor - implies how isolated he feels from British society.
rod: “Colonialism, imperialism, vampirism. They suck the blood outta the
B
island, suck them dry” -metaphor of vampire - islandof jamaica anthropomorphised.
ep. of “suck” and vamp imagery emphasises the cruelty in which the british have treated the
R
island, erasing all of its culture/ life - blood synonymous with life. ‘Suck them dry’ alludes to
finances, the British not only ruin lifestyle but create poverty.
Brod: “ Gullyman heart brock, him mind crack” -metaphorof gullymans heart being
‘ brock’ and his mind ‘crack’ emphasises how powerful and destructive the racism and
mistreatment he felt in England affected him; heart and mind signify emotional and mental
