The Slab Boys Flashcards
Describe Phil
- leader of group
- bully
- joker
- talented artist
- wants to leave working class
- vulnerable (mothers illness)
What are the central concerns of the slab boys?
- social class
- mental health
- dreams of escape
- rebellion
- generation gap
What conflict is there between Phil and Alan?
Phil is jealous of Alan's social class and therefore makes fun of his accent to degrade him. Phil sees that Alan has had an easier life than him did to his family background and is mean to him
Dreams of escape with Sadie?
Sadie wants to escape her abusive husband and is saving up money so she can leave him
Frustrated ambition and Phil?
Phil was applied to the art school as he wants to leave the slab room, yet he doesn’t get in, invoking sympathy from the audience
Describe generation gap and curry?
Curry doesn’t like the slab boys as he believes they are undisciplined and often thinks about when he were in the war which he thinks the boys would benefit from
Describe hector?
- butt of all Phil & Spanky’s jokes
- no confidence/spineless/can’t stand up for himself
‘Hector reacts badly to the boys continual mockery o his uncle for being a sailor, showing that he is beginning to get annoyed with them, shows cruel nature of Phil’ what quote does this for with?
“You pair of bastards! You’ve no regard for anything” - hector to Phil & Spanky’s after they mock his uncle
“If he catches you going through his stuff he’ll break your jaw…shut the folder or I’m getting the blame…I’m not telling you again” -Spanky to Alan after he finds Phil’s portfolio, provide analysis
Shows Spanky’s fear of Phil, highlights phil as being violent & secretive. Alan shown to be brave and daring doesn’t care about Phil’s behaviour
“She wasn’t all that bad either…not for her, that is. All she done was run up the street with her hair on fire and dive through the co-operative windows - Phil to Spanky about his mum, provide analysis
Shows the issues Phil has to deal with his mothers mental illness. Dark humour disguises the terror and fear Phil feels about his mother, and alludes the worry about catching the illness
Sadie’s abusive husband highlights the social inequality and lack of rights for women, she wants to save up and leave him but her tales of abuse are horrific to Lucile and the audience - provide quote
“I’m binding my time sweetheart. Soon as I’ve got a good wee bank book I’m showing that swine the door” - Sadie to Lucile about her husband
Phil’s treatment of Alan shows his jealousy and hatred of the Middle class as Alan defends hector, whom to which Phil beloved he’s being evil to be kind to prevent hector from attempting suicide again - provide quote
“You’ll think twice before you start applying your stupid counterfeits boys’ own paper code of fair play in here” - Phil to Alan as he defends hector, draws attention to different ways of behaving in social classes
Phil again attacks Alan about his social class. Sympathy is created for Phil at this time due to his fear for his mothers life - provide quote
“What do u know about getting up in the middle of the night in your shirt tail to say the five decades of the rosary over your maw’s open wrists?” - Phil to Alan about his mum
Phil is being unfair towards curry, as he wasn’t actually accusing him of anything. Phil is extremely defensive but also seems willing to lie in order to gain sympathy - provide quote
“Curry was making out I was being devious as I wanted to get out of here” - Phil to Spanky about Curry’s behaviour towards him
Phil’s reaction creates sympathy as his dreams are destroyed. Alan seems a little hesitant in telling him, but might also be dismissive - provide quote
“ALAN: exceptionally high number of applicants this year…something like that…
PHIL: Christ….” - Alan to Phil after the art school phoned
