JE - time and waiting

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

Journey’s End is a play that shatters stereotypical representations of life at war for soldiers during WWI. Due to R.C. Sheriff’s experience serving as a captain in the East Surrey Regiment, it uncovers the propaganda that was typical to World War 1 literature. He releases Journey’s End specifically 10 years later as audiences were ready for the reality for men in the trenches. Through his construction of the setting and characters, the three acts reveal the emotionally traumatic nature of war, giving the play verisimilitude. Sherriff powerfully explores the theme of waiting to reflect the psychological torment experienced by the soldiers during World War 1.

Question 2

1st paragraph - trotter

Answer 2

Sherriff uses Trotter’s humorous “circle chart” to explore how soldiers psychologically cope with the passage of time. Trotter draws one hundred and forty-four little circles to represent each quarter-hour of the day, colouring one in every 15 minutes. While seemingly light-hearted, this routine reveals a desperate need for structure amidst chaos. His chart is a method of controlling time, or at least creating the illusion of control, reflecting how the men must mentally manage the anxiety of waiting for death.

Question 3

2nd paragraph - osborne vs raleigh

Answer 3

Osborne represents a calm acceptance of time and fate, contrasting with Raleigh’s youthful anticipation. When Osborne calmly reads Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Sherriff shows how he tries to escape the emotional strain of waiting. His detachment and focus on the ordinary make the tension even more poignant. Meanwhile, Raleigh is initially excited about the war and eager for action, unaware that waiting is the true battle. This contrast shows how time affects individuals differently based on their experience and understanding of war.

Question 4

3rd paragraph - stanhope

Answer 4

Immediately, the audience is aware of Stanhope’s drinking problem when Hardy says the simile, “Drinking like a fish as usual?” Stanhope’s coping mechanism of excessively drinking to eliminate fear was common in the trenches and many soldiers had various ways to cope. It could be argued that Stanhope relied on alcohol for courage, yet it could also be argued that alcohol was needed to numb the horrors of war. Sherriff uses Stanhope to focus on his psychological struggle with waiting, emphasising to audiences that emotional endurance is often more challenging than physical combat.

Question 5

4th paragraph - structure

Answer 5

The theme of anticipation ends in the final scene, where the long-awaited attack finally arrives. The contrast between the drawn-out tension earlier in the play and the abrupt violence of the end would shock the audience. Sherriff uses this structural juxtaposition to demonstrate how time in war is spent mostly in waiting, not fighting. The fact that the raid was only portrayed through stage directions dehumanises the soldiers as their lives were over within a matter of minutes and their sacrifice was only showcased through one smalls section. Sherriff utilises this structure to signify to audiences that the soldiers’ endless waiting led to senseless death, reinforcing the futility of war.

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

Throughout Journey’s End, Sherriff uses structure, contrasting characters, and symbolic actions, to show that war is not just fought on the battlefield, but within the mind—hour by hour, moment by moment. This theme powerfully captures the psychological cost of war, making the audience feel the weight of time just as the characters do.