John and Jenny Flashcards
John; ‘I can get that mad at Jenny I could…then she looks up at me wi that wee smile o hers an i can feel - I can actually feel ma heart turnin intae butter.’
John’s description of how Jenny’s smile lets her get away with things suggests Jenny must be John’s favourite child. Although she can do things to make him furious, it is very easy for John to forgive her which shows he has a soft spot for her.
John; ‘She’ll pay attention tae me!’
This statement has a tone of certainty to it and suggests John is making a threat, implying that bad things will happen if Jenny doesn’t listen to him. This also highlights the theme of gender roles and his view on women as this is his reply to Maggie saying Jenny doesn’t listen – he believes that being the man of the house gives him the upper hand over his family and that being a father gives him more chance of being respected than a mother.
Maggie (alarmed); ‘Ye’ve no tae be rough wi her, John.’
This concerned warning from Maggie suggests an awareness of previous conflicts between John and Jenny. Violence was seen as the answer to badly behaved children and was thought to discipline children, so Maggie warning John not to be rough with Jenny suggests John has beeen rough when telling her off in the past.
John; ‘Leave hame? (pause) Leave – us? Naw, she wouldna dae that. No Jenny. It’s jist talk…(pause) She couldna leave us!’
John’s use of repetition and short sentences is an emphasis of his dumbfounded shock and struggle to process the information. This shows he is unaware Jenny is unhappy and had no idea she didn’t like living with them.
The word choice ‘naw’ suggests a firm refusal to accept the situation, which shows John is not going to let Jenny leave.
The emphasis on the word ‘us’ by using the dash suggests feelings of superiority and entitlement. Despite being aware of his failure to support Jenny financially, he feels she has no right to leave the house as though he has done a good job and so she should be content where she is.
Word choice ‘it’s just talk’ shows John is invalidating whatever Jenny’s reason is for wanting to leave and believes she is too young and naïve to have a real reason. He simply sees this as childish behaviour and isn’t taking Jenny seriously.
Jenny; ‘Makin a bloomin fool o me in front o ma friend!’ / ‘I’m grown up noo.’
Jenny’s frustration towards John’s intervention shows she does not feel the reason for him to be included in her life anymore. She feels embarrassed by him and this shows a need to be independent. To her, John is an old, poor man who failed to provide for her as a father and so she does not respect him.
Jenny; ‘Jist you try it!’
Jenny’s response to John threatening to hit her with his belt shows Jenny isn’t scared of him. Instead, she is daring him to do so and this suggests she will not take violence anymore. John’s attempts to have control over Jenny as a father will no longer work as Jenny has found her own voice.
John; ‘Ye’ll land in the gutter, and when ye dae ye needna come tae me tae pick ye up.’
John undeclaring his rights over Jenny as a father indicates the intensity of his disappointment in her. However, this is an ironic thing of him to say and this isn’t a problem for Jenny as he has never supported her. Jenny’s response to this (‘there’s ither things in life’) suggests she will not miss John and has found her own peace and independence in life.
John (wretched); ‘I thought ye’d hev gaun.’
John’s bitter attitude towards Jenny before she leaves the house shows a stubbornness about his character. If he cannot control Jenny and make her stay at home, he would rather show his hostility and be cruel rather than appreciate that this may be the last time he will see his daughter. This highlights the theme of gender roles and the humiliation men cannot face when they fail to control their family.
