Emtional Escape: Sive

Question 1

Was emotional escape through sexuality successful?

Answer 1

No – love and sexuality are repressed and punished.

Question 2

Key points

Answer 2

• Sive lives in a world of Catholic repression, where female sexuality is stigmatised.
• Her romantic love with Liam Scuab offers hope of emotional escape:
“There is a sweet thing in their love.” – Nanna
“I would marry nobody but you, Sive, I love you.” – Liam
• However, this escape is denied:
Her letter from Liam is destroyed.
She’s emotionally isolated by Meena and Mike.
Her relationship is seen as dangerous due to her illegitimacy and Liam’s family.
• Her emotional disconnection is dramatized through stage directions:
“Sive looks vacantly before her.”

Question 3

Effect

Answer 3

• Keane depicts a society where love and sexuality are crushed by power and tradition.
• Emotional escape is not allowed — and Sive pays with her life.