Comparisons Flashcards
(22 cards)
Why does Thomas McNulty in Days Without End need to escape?
Thomas flees Ireland due to famine and poverty, describing it as: “We were a plague. We were only rats of people. Hunger takes away what you are.” Later, he escapes again after killing Starling Carlton to save Winona, knowing he faces execution if caught.
How is Thomas’s escape facilitated in Days Without End?
Money enables Thomas and Winona to escape: “We don’t lack for the dollars to get us home that’s one thing.” His ultimate escape is successful, allowing him to return to Tennessee where he finds freedom and contentment.
How does Lady Bird view escape in Lady Bird?
Lady Bird wants to escape the monotony of Sacramento: “It is soul killing… the Midwest of California.” Unlike Thomas, she has options, but rejects closer colleges like Davis in favor of New York, romanticizing it as a land of opportunity and excitement.
How does Sive’s attempt at physical escape compare to Thomas and Lady Bird’s?
Sive is trapped in an arranged marriage to Sean Dota, whom she despises: “He made a mad dive at me! He nearly tore the coat off me.” Unlike Thomas and Lady Bird, Sive lacks the agency or support to escape and ultimately dies, her only escape being through death.
How does Thomas McNulty use sexual expression and gender fluidity as a form of escape in Days Without End?
Thomas’s performances as “Thomasina” allow both him and the audience to escape the harshness of their lives. Thomas experiences freedom and joy in expressing his true identity: “There is a craziness in it all that betokens a kind of delicious freedom.”
How does Lady Bird attempt emotional escape through romance?
Lady Bird distracts herself with romantic relationships, first obsessing over Danny and then turning to Kyle. Her pursuit of romance is a means to escape her tense relationship with her mother and her dissatisfaction with Sacramento.
How is sexual expression treated in Sive?
Sive’s sexuality is repressed due to societal and religious norms, particularly as an illegitimate child. Liam Scuab represents a romantic escape, but this is thwarted by the manipulations of Meena and Thomasheen.
How does Thomas McNulty’s escape succeed in Days Without End?
Thomas avoids execution and returns to Tennessee, where he finds peace and happiness. His refusal to flee again shows growth and commitment to his family: “No sir, we could not.”
Is Lady Bird’s escape to New York successful?
Lady Bird reaches New York but realizes the value of Sacramento and her family. Her reflections on her hometown and reverting to her birth name, Christine, signal maturity and reconciliation.
How does Sive’s attempt at escape end?
Sive’s escape is a tragic failure. She is manipulated and betrayed by her guardians, leading to her death in a bog—a stark contrast to the hope and freedom seen in Days Without End and Lady Bird.
How do societal norms shape the characters’ circumstances in each text?
Days Without End: Thomas challenges 19th-century norms by living openly as himself in Tennessee with John and Winona. Lady Bird: Christine feels stifled by her small-town culture and familial expectations but gains perspective after leaving Sacramento. Sive: Societal and religious pressures trap Sive in a marriage she doesn’t want, leading to her tragic fate.
How is freedom or the lack thereof highlighted through the supporting characters?
Days Without End: Winona represents hope for a better future but also reminds Thomas of the dangers they face as a mixed family in post-Civil War America. Lady Bird: Christine’s mother highlights the tension between love and control, creating barriers to Christine’s escape. Sive: Meena and Thomasheen symbolize the oppressive forces of traditional rural Ireland, manipulating Sive’s life for their gain.
How does each text use symbolism to portray the theme of escape?
Days Without End: The wilderness of Tennessee represents freedom, hope, and a place where Thomas, John, and Winona can rebuild their lives. The station wagon to Tennessee symbolizes the possibility of safety and survival. Lady Bird: New York symbolizes excitement and adventure but also loneliness and self-discovery. Sacramento symbolizes familiarity and love, which Lady Bird comes to appreciate only after leaving. Sive: The bog where Sive drowns becomes a grim symbol of her entrapment and the failure to escape traditional Ireland. Liam’s letter symbolizes fleeting hope and love, but its destruction seals Sive’s fate.
How do the three protagonists compare in their approach to escape?
Thomas McNulty: Driven by survival and the need to protect his loved ones; his determination leads to success. Christine/Lady Bird: Motivated by dissatisfaction with her environment; her escape is a journey of self-discovery but fraught with challenges. Sive: Trapped by societal and familial oppression; her lack of agency and support leads to her tragic failure.
How do the supporting characters influence the protagonists’ escape?
Days Without End: John Cole provides love and partnership, while Winona gives Thomas a purpose to protect. Lady Bird: Christine’s mother is both a barrier to escape and a source of deep love, ultimately shaping her perspective on home. Sive: Liam represents hope and love, while Meena and Thomasheen embody greed and manipulation, preventing her escape.
What are the key differences in how the theme of escape resolves in each text?
Days Without End: Ends optimistically, with Thomas finding freedom and happiness in Tennessee. Lady Bird: A bittersweet ending; Christine achieves her goal but gains a new appreciation for home and family. Sive: A tragic ending, where Sive’s attempt at escape fails, and her death underscores the hopelessness of her situation.
What role does resilience play in each character’s journey of escape?
Thomas and Christine show resilience and determination, which allow them to navigate their obstacles successfully. Sive lacks the agency and support to escape, highlighting the devastating effects of societal oppression and a lack of autonomy.
How do the texts explore the idea of identity through escape?
Days Without End: Thomas embraces his identity, finding freedom in self-expression and acceptance. Lady Bird: Christine discovers her true self and reconciles her identity with her love for her family and home. Sive: Sive’s identity is suppressed by societal and familial expectations, ultimately leading to her tragic demise.
What barriers to escape do the characters face in Days Without End?
- External Threats: Thomas faces life-threatening situations such as famine in Ireland and the risk of execution after shooting Starling Carlton. The constant danger of being pursued: “Everyone I imagine looking for the killer of Starling Carlton.” 2. Emotional Bonds: His love for John Cole and Winona makes him hesitant to flee continuously. 3. Societal Judgment: Their family structure as two men raising a Native American child is unconventional, increasing their vulnerability.
What barriers to escape does Christine (“Lady Bird”) face in Lady Bird?
- Financial Constraints: Her father’s job loss limits her family’s financial stability: “Laying off people right and left.” She struggles with feeling trapped in Sacramento: “It is soul killing… it’s the Midwest of California.” 2. Familial Expectations: Her mother disapproves of her desire to leave Sacramento, creating tension between them. 3. Social Status: She feels limited by being from the “wrong side of the tracks,” contrasting sharply with wealthier peers.
What barriers to escape does Sive face in Sive?
- Familial Oppression: Meena and Thomasheen manipulate her into the arranged marriage for their financial benefit. Sive lacks the power to resist their authority. 2. Societal Expectations: Rural Irish society stigmatizes women asserting independence, especially regarding relationships. The secrecy surrounding Sive’s illegitimacy isolates her further. 3. Absence of Agency: Unlike Thomas or Christine, Sive depends entirely on others for her escape. This dependency ultimately fails her.
How does each text depict the emotional toll of these barriers?
- Days Without End: Despite the external pressures, Thomas finds solace in his relationships with John Cole and Winona. He overcomes the toll by channeling his determination into survival and love. His emotional toll is mitigated by his ability to make decisions for himself and his family. 2. Lady Bird: Christine’s conflicts with her mother weigh heavily on her, as she struggles with guilt and longing for independence. Her pursuit of escape is bittersweet, revealing the emotional complexity of leaving home behind. 3. Sive: Sive is physically and emotionally worn down by the oppression she faces, culminating in her exhaustion and despair. Her repeated sighs, slow movements, and expressions of defeat in the play’s final act highlight the weight of her struggles.
