Men Should Weep Quotes

Question 1

Set up of the house

Answer 1

Stage Directions:
“A space has been cleared, centre, for a mattress on the floor with pillows, blankets and old coats.”

Question 2

Lily’s view of Maggie’s life

Answer 2

Dialogue:
“Livin in a slum an slavin efter a useless man an his greeting waens.”

Question 3

Edie has worn down pants

Answer 3

Dialogue:
“I’ve nae breeks.”

Question 4

Money is tight

Answer 4

Dialogue:
“Money disnae stretch.”

Question 5

Jenny getting battered fruit for the family

Answer 5

Dialogue:
“I had enough o Ma waiting at the shop door every Friday closing time… asking for chipped apples an bashed tomatoes a disgracing me afore the hale shop.”

Question 6

Treat with granny’s pension

Answer 6

Dialogue:
“Maggie aye bought a bit bacon wi ma pension.”

Question 7

Alec and Isa’s house

Answer 7

Dialogue:
“Your Alec’s street. The hooses has collapsed.”

Question 8

Dependability on neighbours

Answer 8

Dialogue:
“It’s only rich folks can keep theirselves tae theirselves. Folks like us huv tae depend on their neighbours when they’re needin help.”

Question 9

John’s guilt for being in poverty

Answer 9

Dialogue:
“Every time I’ve had tae say ‘no’ tae you a the waens it’s doubled me up like a kick in the stomach. Christ Almighty! A we’ve din wrong is tae be born into poverty! Whit dae they think this kind o life dis tae a man? Whiles it turns ye intae a wild animal. Whiles we’re a human question mark, aye askin why? Why? Why? There’s nae answer. Ye end up a bent back and a head hanging in shame for whit ye canna help.”

Question 10

Baker’s leftovers

Answer 10

Dialogue:
“An then run across tae the baker an see if there’s ony stale tea-dried left.”

Question 11

Bertie can’t come home

Answer 11

Dialogue:
“Mammy seems tae think they’re letting Bertie hame; but they’re not. No here. No tae this, Mammy.”

Question 12

The state of the Morrison’s home (why Bertie can’t come home)

Answer 12

Dialogue:
“It’s rotten, this house. Rotten. Damp. Ye ken yersel. It’s a midden looking out on ither middens. It’s got rats, bugs.”

Question 13

Many men are unemployed

Answer 13

Dialogue:
“Hundred o us, Maggie, beggin for the chance tae earn enough for food and a roof ower our heids.”

Question 14

The responsibility of a man when having children

Answer 14

Dialogue:
“A man’s got nae right tae bring waens intae the world if he canna provide for them.”

Question 15

John’s guilt for Jenny leaving

Answer 15

Dialogue:
“An I couldna make enough tae gie her a decent hame. So! She’s left us! She’s as guid as deid tae us.”

Question 16

Men should be out working

Answer 16

Dialogue:
“Some men gets on and makes money, depression or no. Ithers hasnae the brains.”

Question 17

John has a job for Christmas

Answer 17

Dialogue:
“This is the first Christmas I’ve had a decent job for ten year; it’s gonna be the best.”

Question 18

Maggie defends John to Lily

Answer 18

Dialogue:
“[Lily] If John wid gie hissel a shake…
[Maggie] You leave John alane! He does his best for us!”

Question 19

A man’s temper

Answer 19

Dialogue:
“That’s just talk. If onythin wis tae happen tae ony o the waens, John would tak it bad. They canna staun up tae things like a wumman. They loss the heid and shout.”

Question 20

How John sees Alec

Answer 20

Dialogue:
“There ye are! That’s whit ma feyther thinks o me. Ye’ve aye been the same tae me. Despisin… despisin.”

Question 21

Isa thinks Alec’s soft

Answer 21

Dialogue:
“Mammy’s bit tumphy! G’on ye big lump o dough!”

Question 22

John doesn’t want to do chores

Answer 22

Dialogue:
“Tae hell wi this Jessie business every time I’m oot o a job! I’m no turning masel intae a bloomin skivvy! I’m a man!”

Question 23

Isa’s reaction to being choked

Answer 23

Dialogue:
“Goad! Yon wis rough, Alec! That’s mair like a man!”

Question 24

Jenny wants to lead a life outside of poverty

Answer 24

Dialogue:
“The kitchen’s aye like a pig-sty… there’s never ony decent food, an if there wis, ye’d hae nae appetite for it… an sleepin in a bed-closet in aside a snorin aul wife. Naw I’ve had enough. I’m gonna live ma ain life.”

Question 25

Isa controls Alec

Answer 25

Dialogue:
“He’ll dae whit I tell him, that’s mair than you can say. I can twist him roon ma little finger.”

Question 26

No one helps Maggie, even when she’s out working

Answer 26

Dialogue:
“Yer mammy’s just tired. She’s been oot a day cleanin’ ither folks’ houses, and mebbe we ought tae have helped mak things a bit easier for her.”

Question 27

Jenny offers her family financial help

Answer 27

Dialogue:
“You can take that back tae yir fancy man. We’re wantin nane o yir whore’s winnins here.”

Question 28

Men blame the government

Answer 28

Dialogue:
“Aye I’ve seen yous men looking for work. Haudin up the street corners, ca’in doon the government - telling the world whit you’d dae if you wis rinnin the country.”

Question 29

Granny’s like another child

Answer 29

Dialogue:
“I wish you could pit yersel tae bed. Ye’re as much bother as anither waen.”

Question 30

Granny doesn’t like having to move house constantly

Answer 30

Dialogue:
“It’s awfu tae be aul an kicked aboot frae yin hoose tae the ither.”

Question 31

John and Jenny argue when she comes in drunk

Answer 31

Stage Directions:
“John takes Jenny by the shoulders and shakes her.”

Question 32

John slaps Jenny

Answer 32

Stage Directions:
“John hits her across the face.”

Question 33

Mrs Bone has another black eye

Answer 33

Dialogue:
“Hoo’s yer keeker the day? Ooh, it’s no near as bad as the last yin ye had. Whit did ye bump intae this time?”

Question 34

Lily despises Isa

Answer 34

Dialogue:
“If I wis you, Alec, I’d wallop that impudent wife o yours till she wis black an blue.”

Question 35

Alec and Isa fight

Answer 35

Dialogue:
“I’ll kill ye! I wull! I’ll kill ye!”

Question 36

Isa calls Maggie a bitch

Answer 36

Dialogue:
“I’ll learn ye tae ca me a bitch (she slaps Isa’s face)”

Question 37

Ernest has scuffed his new football boots

Answer 37

Dialogue:
“Whaur d’ye think I’ll find the money for anither pair? Oh, I cannae staun ony mair o this… I cannae staun it! (shouting at John) Leave me alone!.. I hate ye! I hate the hale lot o ye!”

Question 38

Alec threatens Isa

Answer 38

Dialogue:
“Mark ye? Whit makes ye think I’d stop at spoilin yer face for ye?”

Question 39

The heavy domestic workload

Answer 39

Dialogue:
“Right enough, if a woman did everythin that ought tae be done aboot the hoose, she’d go on a day an a night till she drapped doon deid.”

Question 40

The Morrison’s don’t have basic necessities

Answer 40

Dialogue:
“Nae hot water, nae place to dry the waens’ clothes, nae money.”

Question 41

Lily doesn’t have a husband

Answer 41

Dialogue:
“Puir Lily! Goad help her… (sotto voice) the interferin bitch. Nae wunner she coudlna get a man.”

Question 42

Lily has brought beans

Answer 42

Dialogue:
“I brought ye a tin o baked beans the night. They’ll mebbe dae yer dinner the morn.”

Question 43

Jenny doesn’t want to live here

Answer 43

Dialogue:
“I didnae ask tae be born. No in this midden.”

Question 44

Isa proves she controls Alec

Answer 44

Stage Directions:
“(She takes him with a practiced hand by the back of his collar and jerks him off his chair.)”

Question 45

Neighbours ask favours of one another

Answer 45

Dialogue:
“I wull go; but I’ll hae tae bother Mrs Harris tae mind Granny and the waens.”

Question 46

Lizzie doesn’t like looking after Granny financially

Answer 46

Dialogue:
“If ye’re comin tae bide wi me, ye’re no tae bide aff me.”

Question 47

Maggie doesn’t get much sleep

Answer 47

Dialogue:
“Seems I’m no sooner in ma bed than I’ve tae rise. It’s a right for you wi naethin tae dae but sit there an gant.”

Question 48

Maggie cries

Answer 48

Stage Directions:
“She collapses in a storm of weeping.”

Question 49

Mrs Harris’ son was ill and she had no help from her husband

Answer 49

Dialogue:
“I mind when oor Wullie had the pewmony. I wis up a day an a nicht. No a wunk o sleep did I get till he’d past the crisis… and there wis his feyther, lying snoring his heid aff.”

Question 50

Alec chokes Isa then panics

Answer 50

Stage Directions:
“He gets hold of her by the throat: she makes strangling noises. He panics and drops her.”