CONTEXT Flashcards
(23 cards)
Sissay’s upbringing
Sissay channels his own experiences of growing up in care into Alem’s story, showing the emotional cost of abandonment.
Sissay’s heritage
Sissay, of Ethiopian descent, reflects his complex cultural identity through Alem’s struggle to belong.
Sissay’s activism
Sissay criticises a system that often fails to treat young refugees with dignity or empathy.
Eritrean–Ethiopian conflict
The play reflects how war tears families apart and creates children like Alem, who belong to both sides but are accepted by neither.
Mixed heritage in war
Alem’s dual identity makes him a target in both Ethiopia and Eritrea, symbolising how war destroys personal identity.
UK asylum policy
Sissay portrays the UK asylum system as bureaucratic and dehumanising, especially towards children.
Legal process and rejection
Cold lines like ‘Your application has been refused’ show how the law strips people of humanity.
Impact on refugee children
Alem’s breakdown mirrors the real psychological toll the asylum process has on young people.
British care system
Sissay critiques how the care system moves children endlessly, preventing any sense of belonging.
Mustapha’s experience
Mustapha shows what happens to children raised entirely in care — they become emotionally numb.
Play format
Sissay uses the form of a stage play to show emotion directly through performance, silence, and expression.
Stage directions
Directions like ‘He sits alone. Silent.’ visually show trauma in a way narration can’t.
Direct audience address
By using direct speech and live acting, Sissay ensures the audience engages emotionally with Alem’s experience.
Real-life relevance
Refugee Boy reflects the global refugee crisis and challenges audiences to empathise with the displaced.
Social critique
The play exposes how institutions prioritise procedure over compassion.
Empathy and awareness
Sissay aims to foster empathy in audiences, asking them to reflect on society’s treatment of refugees.
Voice for the voiceless
Sissay gives a voice to displaced and forgotten children, making their suffering visible.
Refugee identity
Alem’s identity crisis symbolises how refugees are reduced to legal labels rather than seen as people.
Chosen family
The Fitzgeralds show that family is defined by love, not biology.
Sissay’s message
Sissay ultimately argues that kindness and care can resist even the coldest systems.
What traditional stereotypes of masculinity does Lemn Sissay challenge?
Emotional vulnerability and protectiveness rather than dominance or aggression. Alem’s father is depicted as a caring figure, subverting typical masculine stereotypes.
How does the play portray Alem in contrast to common stereotypes of refugees?
Intelligent, hopeful, and articulate. This counters media portrayals of refugees as helpless or dangerous.
What historical context is the play set against?
The Ethiopia-Eritrea war over the town of Badme. This conflict resulted in displacement and persecution for many families, including Alem’s.
