DNA Flashcards
1
Q
where does Act 3 take place and with who
A
woods, the group
2
Q
where does Act 1 take place and with who
A
street, Jan and Mark
3
Q
where does Act 4 take place and with who
A
field, Richard and Phil
4
Q
where does Act 2 take place and with who
A
field, Leah and Phil
5
Q
what is the symbolism of Leah’s bonobos monologue
A
- chimps are evil, attack the weak
- bonobos are complete opposite, take care and have empathy for most vulnerable in their society
- if humans discovered bonobos first, maybe we would have a different view on ourselves and behave more kindly to others
6
Q
Phil’s plan
A
- Danny steal Adam’s jumper give to cathy and mark who will put strangers DNA onto it and leave it to be discovered
- invents a person, fat, caucasian, male 5’9, thinning hair, inspired by media
- brian and richard report a flasher in the woods and others create fake footprints
- all these clues lead to a suspect who doesn’t exist
- Phil and Leah don’t have rolls
7
Q
how do Mark and Jan guide the audience
A
- act as a narrator who describe the events that happened offstage
- duologues at beginning of the acts creates enigmas and propel audience and group into next phase of plot
8
Q
what’s some of the perceptions of your people that Kelly explores
A
- in early 2000s there was a moral panic about teenagers
- anti social behaviour was introduced and headlines blamed teens and associated them with drinking, sex and violence
- Kelly suggests that the way teens acts is towards society and how they have a lack of trust for younger people
9
Q
how does Kelly approach setting, a field, a street and a wood
A
- very vague basic places which enables audience to imagine these own place in their community
- shows that teens can be found anywhere
10
Q
what does the setting “a wood” symbolise
A
- most secretive place so group conversations occur there
- privacy and space outside society
- where teens would gather because it’s away from adults
11
Q
what does the setting “a field” symbolise
A
- potentially romantic because it’s open, rural and secluded
- leah sees it this was, phil does not
12
Q
what is the effect of Mark and Jane’s language
A
- use short utterances, often only one word with frequent interruptions over each other
- repeat one and another’s lines to try and persuade themselves
13
Q
“do not use the first one on the roll, use the third or fourth”
A
phill- suggest that he’s intelligent and his coldness
14
Q
adjectives to describe Phil
A
- smart
- strict
- silent
- dangerous
- leader
15
Q
she loves…
A
she loves violence now
16
Q
phil?…
A
phil? phil? phil?
17
Q
you crying…
A
you crying little piece of filth
18
Q
what’s more important…
A
what’s more important, one person or everyone?
19
Q
alright new rule;…
A
alright new rule; that word is banned
20
Q
richard we…
A
richard we showed initiative
21
Q
do i disgust you?…
A
do i disgust you? i do. no, i do
22
Q
dead people…
A
dead people are not part of the plan
23
Q
i put the point of a screwdriver…
A
i put the point of a screwdriver on his head and i hit it with a hammer
24
Q
you’ll land on Adam’s…
A
you’ll land on Adam’s corpse and you’ll rot together
25
being seen as…
being seen as heroes is making them behave like heroes
26
who says it: “she loves violence now”
brian
27
who says it: “phil? phil? phil?”
leah
28
who says it: “you crying little piece of filth”
phil
29
who says it: “alright. new rule; that word is banned”
john tate
30
who says it: “Richard we showed initiative”
cathy
31
who says it: “do i disgust you? i do. no, i do”
leah
32
who says it: “dead people are not part of the plan”
danny
33
who says it: “ i put the point of a screwdriver on his head and i hit it with a hammer”
leah
34
who says it: “you’ll land on Adam’s corpse and you’ll rot together”
phil
35
who says it: “being seen as heroes is making them behave like heroes”
leah
36
it’s adam we used to…
it’s adam we used to go to his birthday parties
37
who says it: “it’s adam we used to go to his birthday parties”
leah
38
what emotion does this show: “it’s adam we used to go to his birthday parties”
loyalty
39
quotes that show morality
“jerry i killed him”
40
quotes that show bullying
you crying little piece of filth
41
what happened to Adam?
he was tormented, bullied and harmed then walked over a grille while others threw stones at him, he fell and everyone thinks he’s dead
42
what is phil’s plan?
create a false trail of evidence that suggests someone has kidnapped adam
43
who is in charge?
- john tate (at first)
- there is some leadership conflict with richard
- phil takes charge
44
what do the bonobos symbolise?
- they are empathetic and kind unlike chimpanzees who attack the weak and outsiders
- symbolises two opposing type of human behaviour
45
what has happened in the investigation?
police have found someone who matches the DNA on the jumper and the fictional description
46
how do the police have DNA evidence for the suspect?
because cathy and mark took the jumper to the sorting office and found someone who matched the invented description
47
Why does Leah talk about happiness and the natural order?
- kelly suggests there is no “order” in humanity
- leah implies, pressure to be happy makes life more miserable, chaos is natural state for people to be in
48
how does leah react to the investigation’s progress?
keeps reminding people that they made the “killer” up, horrified by cathy and mark’s actions
49
because brian doesn’t do his part in the plan what does phil do?
phil threatens to kill brian in same way adam died because brian refuses to identify the man in custody
50
what does leah want to do at the start of Act 3?
says she wants to run away, to get a reaction from phil, but it doesn’t work
51
what does leah say about how people’s lives have changed since Adam’s death?
- she says people are happier, as though they value their own lives more
- says she is miserable and that brian and john tate are having difficult times
52
what really happened to Adam?
- found his way out badly injured
- has been living in a hedge unable to go home
53
what does phil do to brian to explain Adam’s death?
puts a plastic bag over brian’s head, demonstrating to cathy how adam should be killed
54
how does phil and leah’s relationship change?
- phil doesn’t listen when leah tried to persuade him to go to authorities to explain
- in field takes food then rejects it and storms off crying
55
how is Act 4 structurally different?
- has two scenes, not four
- missing a group scene
- only one scene in the field with richard and instead not leah
56
what does the missing group scene represent?
lack of unity in the group, everything has fallen apart
57
who joins phil in the field at the end of
richard, not leah
58
what is the effect of the timing of the play?
short timescale with gaps between acts but no interval, creates a fast pace as the events unfold rapidly outside the character’s control
59
what is the effect of the cyclical structure of each act?
implies that events are unchangeable, they will continue to happen in a cycle and can’t be stopped
60
what is the significance of phil and richard’s relationship at the end?
phil’s silence at the end shows he affected by events or that he continues to be uninterested
61
how do the characters interact with social institutions?
very little, go to school and meet the police but all this occurs offstage
62
what impressions of young people do tabloid newspapers of the day present?
associated with anti-social, violet or criminal behaviour and involvement with sex and alcohol
63
why doesn’t kelly use mobile phones?
change the dynamics of the relationships
64
how does cathy relate to modern celebrity?
she wants to be famous
65
what are the three settings?
- a street
- a fief
- a wood
66
what is the symbolism of the title? (DNA)
- explain the differences between chimps and bonobos which represents different ways for humans to behave to one another
- dna is meant to be unquestionable evidence but i’d manipulated in the play, linking to the themes of deception and violence
67
evidence to show how mark and jan are responsible?
- both involved in adam’s death and the bullying that created it
- mark and cathy responsible for framing innocent postman
- never fully accept their responsible
68
what role does phil play in the group?
- takes control over john rate when adam’s death is revealed
- dominates the cover up by making the plan
69
phil controls the group through:
- violence
- threats
- implicit commands
- silence
70
how does phil’s relationship with leah change?
- could be a romantic element but it’s unclear
- always together in the field
- phil shows physical attention which leah thinks is too far and leaves
71
what is the purpose of phil’s eating?
- gives him opportunity to watch others
- provides black comedy
- stops eating when leah is gone shows her disappearance from his life or he’s been affected by events of play
72
how does leah behave with phil?
- constantly wants attention
- over melodramatic
- sometimes violet to herself
73
what is the significance of leah’s monologues?
- raise philosophical questions linked to play’s themes
- shows she’s talkative so when she leaves at the end, it has more impact
74
what does leah want to do with adam?
take him back to town and tell the truth
75
what is cathy like at the beginning of the play?
minor character who creates trouble to aggravate others
76
what is cathy’s role in the cover-up?
- told to plant dna on adam’s jumper with mark
- waits outside the sorting office for someone fitting the fictional description
77
what is cathy’s response to adam’s death?
- finds it exciting, change to boredom of her life
- goes on tv and enjoys attention of being associated with adam
78
when is cathy seen to enjoy power?
- causing trouble with comments at the beginning
- being seen as knowledgeable about adam on tv
- takes brian to kill adam
- control at end
79
which character in the play is brian most like? why?
adam, both victims of the group’s bullying
80
what is brian’s role in the plan?
tell head teacher he was flashed in the woods to create a false trail of evidence
81
how does brian’s language change?
becomes more repetitive, saying all his thoughts out loud and using childish imagery
82
how does danny compare with the others?
more aspirational and focused on his future
83
what are danny’s concerns following adam’s death?
- worries about getting into dental college
- concerned that an incident man has being framed
84
how does danny challenge john and phil?
asks questions but does not act on his concerns
85
what happened in to danny after Act 2?
doesn’t return on stage, distances from the group or group don’t trust him with adam’s appearance
86
how does danny symbolise people’s response to trauma?
could have PTSD suggested by his connecting people’s mouths with the grille
87
what makes adam a victim?
- subject to constant bullying, which causes his death
- when he returns he is murdered by cathy and brian
88
how does adam’s death affect the community?
public grief includes memorials and renaming buildings
89
what is adam’s speech like when he returns?
fragmented and broken showing he can’t understand what’s happened
90
how has adam been living?
- under a hedge
- eating animals, grasses and leaves
91
how does richard change?
- challenges for control a little at start but becomes a follower
- wants phil’s attention
- becomes kinder to others
92
what language does richard use to challenge others?
sarcastic put downs and complaints
93
what is lou’s role?
follows without question
94
what is lou’s language like?
short, simple utterances which make her seem young
95
when does john tate disappear?
Act 1 Scene 3
96
how does john tate react initially to adam’s death?
bans the word “dead”, he’s afraid and doesn’t know what to do so asks phil and leah for help
97
how does john tate try to keep control?
- tried to get everyone to confirm they are on his side
- threatens them with violence if they disagree with him
98
what types of bullying are presented?
- physical
- psychological/emotional
99
who are the main victims of bullying?
weaker characters
- adam (physical)
- brian (psychological)
- leah (psychological)
100
why do characters like mark and jan bully?
- gives them a sense of power
- entertainment
- boredom
101
how is leah involved in bullying?
- victim of phil’s psychological bullying
- also been a perpetrator to adam’s psychological bullying
102
how does kelly show violence through language?
common and causal
103
how does mark distance himself from the violence of their actions?
using casual language like laughing to minimise importance
104
how does violence develop into cruelty?
bullying of adam led to death
105
who is the cruellest character?
cathy
- sees adam’s death as exciting
- deliberately murders him at the end
106
how does leah connect with science?
using scientific ideas in her monologue to css light on themes of play
107
which other characters are associated with science?
- danny (wants to be a dentist)
- brian (on medication)
108
how is adam connected with religion?
could have been send as a primitive sacrifice
109
what kind of a leader is john tate?
weak and powerless
110
how is phil effective as a leader?
- has a good plan
- everyone does as he says
111
how does cathy’s leadership develop?
- transitions from a follower to a leader
- increases confidence and use of violence
112
what kind of a leader is leah?
- moral leader
- others turn to her at moments of crisis
- lacks confidence to make decisions without phil
113
how does kelly make death seem brutal?
- by describing the actions leading up to adam’s first “death”
- visually presenting the method of his murder in act 3
114
what are the echoes between adam’s two deaths?
- both offstage and brutally violent
- adam is unaware what is happening in each
- second is deliberate whereas the first is accidental
115
what does alienation mean?
feeling isolated from society
116
how does the teenagers view social institutions?
- as something to punish them or be manipulated not supportive
- little impact on the character’s lives
117
how does the play’s structure present their alienation?
several scenes have small groups or pairs separate from the main group
118
how is the group alienated from one another?
shift allegiances through the play until they all separate at the end
119
how does kelly view the play’s morality?
sees it as asking no real questions of the audience, including whether murder is ever justified
120
who are the most moral characters?
characters like leah who challenge phil or those who are less directly involved in adam’s death
121
who are the most immoral and amoral characters?
- phil (immoral)
- cathy (amoral)
122
are there any purely moral characters?
- adam is the only moral character
- all characters behave immorally by covering up adam’s death
123
what types of responsibility are explored?
- personal responsibility
- collective responsibility
124
who is personally responsible for Adam’s initial disappearance?
unclear but probably not leah and phil but possible everyone else
125
what are the characteristics of a gang?
- strong leader
- followers in a clear hierarchy
126
what language initially creates a sense of loyalty?
collective pronouns (we, us, everyone else)
127
which characters show loyalty?
- leah until the end when she leaves
- lou is loyal to cathy in the final act
- richard is loyal to phil
128
who are the least loyal characters?
- john tate and danny leave group quickly after adam’s death and don’t come back
- phil creates a plan that shows loyalty but isn’t involved in a part and then is separated at the end which could show his manipulation
129
how does leah suggest happiness is an illusion?
recognising it is an appearance or pretence about what people are cleft happy to look like
130
how does grief make people happier in the play?
come together as a community with a sense of purpose in mourning adam
131
are any characters happy at the end?
not rlly, most characters are suffering and battling it in their own ways (john tate found god, mark and jan are shoplifters)
132
what is brian like at the end?
has a breakdown and is on serious medication
133
what is danny like at the end?
sees people’s mouths as holes like the one adam fell into
134
what is john tate like at the end?
- distanced himself from the group
- has found god
135
what are cathy and lou like at the end?
- in control
- cathy is increasingly violent to keep her leadership through fear
136
what are mark and jan like at the end?
both shoplifting
137
what is leah like at the end?
moved schools
138
what is phil like at the end?
doesn’t take part in the group anymore and isn’t eating
139
what is richard like at the end?
replaced leah’s role in the field with phil trying to convince him to come back and lead the group
140
what is the symbolism of a street?
a public space
141
what is the symbolism of a field?
open space but secluded from society
142
what is the symbolism of a wood?
private space, secretive and hidden from society
143
how do the field reflect character’s relationships?
interpreted as a potentially romantic setting for phil and leah, but their relationship is ambiguous
144
how do the street reflect character’s relationships?
jan and mark’s conversations would be impossible for a passerby to decipher
145
how do the wood reflect character’s relationships?
a secret meeting place for the group, highlighting their alienation from society
146
who is argued to be less responsible for Adam’s death?
- john tate and danny- leave the group before adam returns
- brian’s breakdown leaves him unable for o make rational decisions
147
what part is a metaphor for human behaviour
leah’s monologue on chimps and bonobos
