Journey's End Structure

Question 1

Explain the general structure of Journeys End.

Answer 1

• The play has three acts
• Everything takes place over 4 days
• confined time span and claustrophobic setting
• overwhelming feeling of doom

Question 2

What does the structure help to create?

Answer 2

a sense of unity in the play

Question 3

What have some critics said about the structure of Journeys End?

Answer 3

Some have accused it of having no structure at all because of the plays realism.
It is a series of scene almost unrelatable and difficult to interpret as they would be in real life.

Question 4

How does the apparent dis organised nature of events reflect the nature of war?

Answer 4

They reflect the chaos of war where things do not follow a strict pattern.

Question 5

What does Sheriff include in the structure of the play?

Answer 5

a number of complications, moments of drama and an exploration of characters’ reactions and relationships, showing the conditions of war.

Question 6

How does Sherriff’s creation effect the audience?

Answer 6

The audience are left not knowing what to think but eventually come to their own conclusions.

Question 7

How does Sherriff vary the structure of mood?

Answer 7

the play moves from moments of calm to tension, light relief to drama, joy to sadness and anger to peace.

Question 8

What does Sherriff show a true understanding of?

Answer 8

The plays movement from high drama to calm shows a significant awareness of human psychology and of the war itself.

Question 9

How does the setting reflect the real life conditions of trenches?

Answer 9

• the basic living conditions serves as a reminder to the audience of the hardships soldiers went through
• their boredom was made worse by the cramped conditions of the trenches
• yet, the condition allowed a closeness between the soldiers which Sherriff explores.