Sailmaker Key Quotations Flashcards
At the beginning of the play, Alec remembers the way in which his father told him the news of his mother’s death. (Act 1)
“Ah’ve got a bit of bad news for ye son. Yer mammy’s dead.”
Alec recalls his reaction to the news, which affected him greatly at the time. (Act 1)
“I was standing there, crying - real big deep sobs.”
In the aftermath of is wife’s death, Davie tries to keep busy doing jobs around the house. He tries to forget what has happened. (Act 1)
“Sometimes for whole minutes ye can nearly forget about it, shove it take the back age yer mind.”
Alec, at the beginning of the play, is shown to be creative, child-like and imaginative. He plays games with his cousin Ian. (Act 1)
“We can kid on. Use yer imagination.”
Alec defends his dad when his cousin, Ian, criticises him for working as a ‘tick-man’. (Act 1)
“He’s really a sailmaker. That’s his real job.”
Davie begins to use alcohol as a means of coping with his wife’s death. (Act 1)
“Just wan, son. Honest! Wee hauf at the end of the day. Just helps tae unwind.”
Davie reveals his true feelings about his wife’s death to his brother, Billy. (Act 1)
“Comin hame’s the worst. The boy’s lot playin. House is empty. Gets on top of ye.”
Alec grows angry with his dad’s unfulfilled promises concerning the yacht. (Act 1)
“Yeh‘ve been sayin’ that for weeks!”
Davie tells Alec about losing his job at the factory at the end of Ac 1.
“Scrubbed. Again. Laid off. Redundant. Services no longer required.”
Alec turns his attention to religion as a means of getting over his grief, but struggles to answer questions about his faith. (Act 2)
“When did the Lord Jesus come into your heart? Pardon? I says. Terrified!”
After Davie is beaten up, Alec gives up hope that his dad will ever fix his yacht for him. (Act 1)
“Ah’ll shove this in the Glory hole, oot the road.”
Alec, irritated as Davie’s reluctance to find himself a new job, becomes critical of his father.
“He’s not actually working just now, but he’s a sailmaker to trade. Sounds fascinating. Aye.”
Davie realises that he and his son are drifting apart.
“Can ye no talk to me these days? Can ye no tell me anythin? Think ah came face another planet!”
Alec’s anger can no longer be contained when his dad returns drunk, having not used his bursary money to pay the electricity bill. (At 2- KEY SCENE)
“We’re living like bloody Steptoe and Son! Nae light. Place is like a midden.”
As the pair argue Alec brings up the subject of another woman. (Act 2- KEY SCENE)
“Why don’t ye admit it? Why don’t ye just admit ye fancy her?”
