Kate Flashcards
“a woman of uncontrolled inspirations, and an overwhelming capacity for love”
18
Motherly nature is immediately established, it is show to be central to her character.
“Overwhelming” would suggest her motivations are fuelled by love,
“capacity” would suggest an ability.
“Uncontrolled inspirations” could suggest an instability in her character, she is granted enthusiasm by so many things, that it can be hard to contain her true feelings.
“I think her nose got longer” and “You gained a little weight, didn’t’ you, darling?”
24
Barbed comment
Kate throughout the play uses manipulation is a subtle way to further her own agenda, and to help bring what she wants to fruition.
Uses physical insults to degrade Anne, making her more vulnerable and susceptible to manipulations.
The use of rhetorical questions reinforces this, as it forces Anne to pick apart her own insecurities, so Kate’s words linger and leave Anne is a state of doubt and self-questioning.
‘darling’- hedge and diminuitive
Phatic talk- friendly but w underlying tension
(Mother sits in a chair downstage, stiffly, staring, seeing)”
The triplet “stiffly, staring, seeing” would suggest plotting, and a total focus on how to deal with George.
Couplet of present participle verbs would suggest a presence - she is focused and unwavering in her thought.
They also further suggest her skills of observance, physically able to spot key details, but also being able to emotionally read someone, and act accordingly.
(with an undercurrent of observation)”
Kate is a contrast to Joe, in that she is a perceptive, cunning and intelligent character. “Undercurrent” would suggest an ability to hide this intelligence, as a character she subverts tradition roles of female characters in literature.
As long as you live, that boy is alive. God does not let a son be killed by his father. Now you see, don’t you? Now you see.
68
Use of monosyllabic phrasing suggests a definite nature, is she really so entrenched in her beliefs, or is this her cunning, using her matriarchal role typically associated with trust and love to manipulate others- tag question
Repetition of “now” would suggest she believes she has revealed something, and helped Chris accept the truth, but in reality hasn’t.
Biblical allusion : Accidentally, Kate places Joe as being at odds with Christian ideals, here, making his actions even more despicable.
Tag question
DA
Declaratives
Biblical allusion
“That’s why there’s God. Otherwise anything could happen. But there’s God, so certain things can never happen” -
28
Kate feels that if she accepts Larry is dead, she must accept the evil of Joe’s crime, and her complicity with this. Religion is used her as a tool to allow personal ignorance, rather than self-betterment and enlightenment. Use of connectives guides Kate’s thinking and logic, suggesting God is central to her beliefs, which is ironic considering her manipulative and secretive nature throughout the play.
