Taste of Honey Flashcards
(20 cards)
1.1
Enter Helen a semi-whore and her daughter Jo. They are loaded with baggage.
-“Loaded with baggage” could be a metaphor for their emotional baggage that they will always carry with them
-A 1950s audience would disapprove of Helen being a “semi-whore”
1.1
“Drink, drink, drink, that’s all you’re fit for.” - Jo
-Learn that Helen is an alcoholic
-Jo sees Helen as irresponsible and doesn’t see her as fit to be a mother
-Repetition of “drink” emphasises that it is all Helen does
-1950s audience would disapprove of Helen drinking because mothers were supposed to look after their children
1.1
“What I wouldn’t give for a room of my own!” - Jo
-Allusion to Virginia Wolf portrays Jo as a protofeministic character
-Unusual for a 1950s society because feminism had not become a large movement
1.1
“Blow your nose woman. And while you’re at it blow a few of those cobwebs out of your head. You can’t afford to lose a man like me.” - Peter
-Peter believes he can boss women about “woman” belittles Helen
-“Afford” highlights that they have a transactional relationship for money and sex
-Metaphor calls Helen stupid and portray Peter as arrogant and manipulative
1.1
“The world is littered with women I’ve rejected.” - Peter
-Metaphor “littered” demonstrates that Peter doesn’t treat women correctly and uses them until they are no longer of use to him
-Objectifies women
1.2
“A toy car! Does it go?” - Jo
-Use of punctuation highlights Jo’s excitement to see a toy car and presents her as childish and immature
-Frowned upon by a 1950s audience as Jo rarely sees toys due to Helen not raising her ‘properly’
1.2
“We’re all at the steering wheel of our own destiny. Careering along like drunken driver.” - Helen
-Helen is very spontaneous and doesn’t think before doing things
-“Drunken drivers” contrasts Helen saying we are “at the steering wheel of our own destiny” because drunken drivers are out of control and dangerous
-Helen sees life as something going uncontrollably wrong
-Reckless approach to life
1.2
“I hate milk.” - Jo
-Milk is symbolic of motherly love and nurturing as it is what mothers feed their young babies
-Jo never received motherly affection from Helen so does not like to receive affection
-Helen has not prepared Jo well for adulthood
1.2
“You should prepare my meals like a proper mother.” - Jo
-Jo wants to be loved and cared for by her mother
-Jo’s imperative language shows that Jo has to care for herself because Helen won’t
-“Proper mother” implies that Jo does not see Helen as a motherly figure and thinks she is irresponsible
1.2
“Good luck, Helen. […] Good luck, Helen.” - Jo
-The repetition shows that Jo doesn’t want Helen’s marriage to end up like all of her previously relationships and emphasises the sincerity of Jo’s words
2.1
“Shut your mouth bubble belly” - Peter
-Peter has a lack of morals for he is mocking Jo for being pregnant
-Harsh plosive alliteration makes Peter’s words sound meaner
-Delaney is perhaps teaching the audience the struggles of being pregnant outside of wedlock in the 1950s because this was usually frowned upon
2.1
“You’re just like a big sister to me.” - Jo
-Geof is showing more attention and care towards Jo than Helen ever did
-“Sister” gives an effeminate portrayal of Geof which highlights his homosexuality and how he was seen as very feminine
-Highlights homophobic views of a 1950s society
2.1
“I like you Geof, but I don’t want to marry you.” - Jo
-Jo’s character has developed since Act 1 because she has learned not to accept marriage as soon as he is offered it
-Jo is very clear about her opinion which shows that she has matured
2.1
“She’d be better off working than living off you like a little bloodsucker.” - Helen
-Helen is being hypocritical because she is living off of Peter’s earnings
-Simile suggests that Jo is taking money from Geof and causing him suffering although it is Jo’s money that pays for the flat
2.1
“I dragged you out of the gutter once. If you want to go back there it’s all the same to me.” - Peter
-Peter doesn’t view Helen as anything special and feels that he can easily replace her
-Hyperbole “dragged you out of the gutter” presents Peter to believe that he is heroic and saved Helen from poverty
-Delaney wants the audience to sympathise with Helen because of how badly Peter treats her and is trying to teach the audience that it is hard to find financial security and a way out of poverty
2.2
“The bulbs I brought with me! They never grew.” - Jo
-Cyclical moment highlights the cycle of poverty that Helen and Jo are stuck in
-Delaney is conveying the struggles of being a single mother and not being able to persue careers to show the audience how difficult it was
2.2
Helen enters loaded with baggage.
-Symbolises the emotional baggage that Helen will always have
-Cyclical structure highlights the cycle that Helen is stuck in of marrying men
2.2
“Of course we can’t all be art students, going to our expensive art schools.” - Jo
-Use of sarcasm attempts to make the scene lighthearted despite Jo resenting Geof for living her dream of being an art student
-Delaney wants the audience to sympathise with Helen in act 1 as it explains her dislike towards Jo because she never really wanted to have a child
2.2
Geoffrey dances in with a mop and begins to clean the place.
-“Dances” reflects Geof and Jo’s immaturity and suggests that Jo is not yet ready to have a baby
-Geof is helping to prepare for the baby which implies that Jo lacks the reponsibility to care for a child
2.2
“We don’t ask for life we have it thrust upon us.”
-“Thrust” demonstrates that Jo views life as unwanted and forced upon her which is what Helen has led her to believe
-Mirrors the language of Helen in Act 1 highlighting the vicious cycle that they are trapped in
