Critical Reading Flashcards
What is the plan for:
Theme of love?
Theme of love:
Franco and Bridget truly love each other and are a clear example of love in the play.
We see this when Franco tries to convince Rosinella that Bridget is the one for him.
‘They’re a great family Rosinella, really close’
This shows that Franco really loves Bridget as he is trying to get Rosinella to approve of their relationship.
Rosinella is hypocritical of Hughie and Lucia because she loves Lucia and doesn’t think that Hughie deserves her.
This is shown when Rosinella is talking to Lucia about Hughie.
‘Jumped up wee pieceof nothing thinks that because he works here he can look at you’
This shows that Rosinellais protective of Lucia and treats her as if she was her own child as she disapproves of Hughie and wants the best for her.
Rosinella and Massimo have an argument in act two but they rekindle their love at the very end of the play.
This is when Massimo follows Rosinella to Italy and theyreenactthe night they eloped.
‘That’swhy I’m here. To stealyou away. To take you back to Scozzia’
This is a good example of love within the play as it shows that Rosinella and Massimo’s love prevails in the end.
What is the plan for:
Theme of Prejudice?
Theme of Prejudice:
Rosinella is prejudice towards the Scotts, especially Scottish girls.
This is conveyed when Rosinella is speaking to Franco and telling him not to pursueBridget.
‘It’s one thing to play around with them, so long as you marry your own kind’
This shows just how prejudice Rosinella is towards Scottish girls as she sees them as play-things for Italian men and that they don’t make good wives.
The Scotts are also prejudiced towards the Italians.
We see this when the Scotts attack Massimo’sshop.
The level of noise increases; Massimo crouches over them, arms protectively ‘round them.
This shows that the prejudice flows both ways in the play and is a common theme within it.
Rosinella, later on in the play, realizeswhat she has done and how prejudice she has been.
This is when Rosinella is apologizing to Hughie.
‘Hughie-son-I’m sorry’
This shows that Rosinella has come to realize what she has done and how much of an impact her comments have made on others.
What is the plan for:
Theme of War?
Theme of War:
Rosinella is very naiveat the beginning when talking about war.
This is when Rosinella and Massimo are discussing what would happen if a war was announced.
‘What’s it got to do with us? we just live here. It’s no even our country’
This shows that Rosinellaisn’tbeing realistic as she thinks that if they keep themselves to themselves that nobody will bother them.
Massimo is more realistic and knows that it won’t matter what they do if a war is announced, they will still be targeted.
This is shown when Massimo is talking to Rosinellaabout what he thinks will happen if Italy joins the war.
‘I always thought I was lucky. I had two countries. Now I feel like I’vegot nowhere’
This shows that Massimounderstands that they will be at risk no matter what they do.
The war has a devastatingimpact on the Pedreschi family.
We see this when the mob attacks Massimo’s shop.
The level of noise increases; Massimo crouches over them, arms protectively ‘round them.
This shows that Rosinella was wrong and the family was attacked for doing nothing. The war has made the Scotts lash out at the Italians.
What is the plan for:
Theme of Family Loyalty?
Theme of Family Loyalty:
Franco is desperate to leave the family business but can’t bring himself to tell his father as he is afraid that he will be disappointed.
We see this when Franco is talking to Bridget about it.
‘For as long as I can remember, I’ve thought about getting out’
This conveys the theme of family loyalty as is tells us that Franco has thought about leaving for a long time but he is afraid of his father’s disappointment.
Hughie feels the need to be the man of the house after his father dies.
This is shown when Hughie is talking about his father’s death.
‘I’ve to be the big brave man. I’ve to be strong for my mammy. I’m not going to cry’
This tells us that Hughie is loyal to his family and wants to protect them as much as he can.
To Italian families family and the family business is very important.
We see this when Franco tells Rosinella and Massimo that he has joined the army.
‘How could you do that?’
This shows that Massimo is shocked and horrified when Franco gives him the news as the family is so important to him.
What is the plan for:
Theme of parenthood?
Theme of parenthood:
Rosinella can’t have children but she considers Lucia to be one of her own.
This is shown when Rosinella and Massimo are talking about Luigi and Lucia.
‘Ach-he knows his lassies better off here’
This conveys Rosinella’s love towards Lucia and shows that she sees Lucia as her own child and doesn’t want her to go back to Italy.
Massimo, throughout the play, comes to see Hughie as a son.
We see this when Massimo is talking to Hughie about the shop.
‘I don’t want to lose you son’
This shows that Massimo is devastated when Hughie tells him that he can’t work for him anymore as he has come to see him as a son.
Luigi is very protective over lucia and he has his own plans for her future.
We can see this when Rosinella is speaking with Luigi about Hughie marrying Lucia.
‘Will you stop making plans for Lucia, Lucia is my lassie’
This shows that Luigi has set out plans for Lucia even though they are not what she wants. Rosinella is shocked at this and just wants lucia to be happy
What is the plan for:
Use of language?
Use of language:
The use of Italian speech next to Scottish speech is quite funny.
An example of this is when Luigi and Hughie are talking.
LUIGI- ‘Bevi!’
HUGHIE- ‘Bevvy!’
This is funny as Hughie thinks that bevi means cheers and so he repeats it back to Luigi when it actually means drink.
The use of Italian speech next to Scottish speech is quite funny.
This is also seen when Luigi is trying to explain something to Hughie.
Speaking very slowly and deliberately to make him understand.
This shows that Luigi is trying to make sure that Hughie can understand what he is saying as he cannot speak Italian.
What is the plan for:
Relationship of Rosinella & Massimo?
Relationship of Rosinella & Massimo:
There is a lot of conflict between Rosinella and Massimo at the beginning of the play.
We see this when Lucia swears and Massimo slaps her.
‘Don’t you ever hit that wean’
This shows that Rosinella doesn’t agree with Massimo very often and so this creates a lot of arguments.
Massimo finally snaps later in the play after all the back and forth arguments.
This is when Massimo is angry after he considers everything that Rosinella has done.
Massimo looks at her very coldly; no sympathy at all.
This tells us that Massimo has finally had it with Rosinella and her attitude towards others (especially her being prejudice towards the Scotts)
At the end of the play, Rosinella & Massimo make up.
This happens when Rosinella goes to Italy and Massimo follows her.
‘That’s why I’m here. To steal you away. To take you back to Scozzia’
This shows that Rosinella has listened to Massimo and tried to put her wrongs right and Massimo sees this and follows her to Italy as he truly loves Rosinella.
What is the plan for:
Conflict between Rosinella & Bridget?
Conflict between Rosinella & Bridget:
Rosinella is very prejudiced towards Bridget at the start of the play.
We see this when Rosinella is talking to Franco about how she wishes for him not to pursue Bridget.
‘It’s one thing to play around them, so long as you marry your own kind’
This shows us that Rosinella sees Scottish women as play-things for Italian men and she thinks that Franco can do better.
When Franco goes to war Rosinella is horrible to Bridget.
An example of this is when Bridget comes to speak with Rosinella after Franco has left.
‘Franco will be marrying an Italian girl. Now you go find yourself a nice scotch boyfriend’
This shows that Rosinella doesn’t like that Bridget is going on about Franco because she thinks that she isn’t good enough for Franco.
The conflict between Rosinella and Bridget is resolved at the end of the play.
This is when Rosinella is in Italy and Lucia asks where Bridget is.
‘Who do you think is working in the shop?’
This tells us that Rosinella and Bridget have resolved their problems and Rosinella has even given Bridget a job in the shop.
