Post by mrsanderson on Sept 24, 2014 8:35:07 GMT
Grief and Loss
- Alec's mum dies: we know this is important because this is the first thing we find out, and Davie's line is repeated: "Yer mammy's dead", as is Alec's line: "My mother was dead". The two notes on the mouth organ in background also highlight this.
- Davie becomes sullen and useless. He drinks and gambles - both destructive habits. This shows the damage that loss can do.
- Alec's mother's death drives him to religion:
"I felt this glow. It was good to feel good. It had come on stronger since my mother had died." (p36)
"I could have said it was when my mother died...But I didn't think it was true." (p38)
Religion
- Alec and Ian sing "The Sash My Father Wore" - a sectarian song connected with Protestantism and the orange order.
- They support Rangers Football Club which is the main way they are connected to the idea of Protestantism.
- "Blue is the best colour"
"Orange is good as well"
- Alec starts to go to the mission and sings the song 'Give Me Oil in my Lamp' later - this is a proper hymn.
- Alec finds solace in religion, and education. It becomes something positive in his life.
Family life
- Alec and Davie have difficult circumstances as a family.
- Responsibility in a family normally lies with the adult. In Alec and Davie's family, this relationship is skewed because Davie is unreliable and therefore Alec cannot have a normal childhood - he is forced to grow up quickly.
- This complicated relationship is highlighted by Billy and Ian's comparatively 'normal' father/son relationship.
- Billy supports Davie and gives him money, and helps him to find a job.
- Support, responsibility
Social class differences
- Alec is a social climber - he wishes to better himself and he does this through the church and school - he pushes himself.
- In the beginning, he lives with his father in poverty, but is looking at a more positive situation by the end of the play
- You can work your way out of poverty
- When shipyards closed in Glasgow, poverty became an issue. This affects both Billy and Davie in the play, but Billy finds an alternative. Davie is tragically destined to remain in poverty.
- Alec's mum dies: we know this is important because this is the first thing we find out, and Davie's line is repeated: "Yer mammy's dead", as is Alec's line: "My mother was dead". The two notes on the mouth organ in background also highlight this.
- Davie becomes sullen and useless. He drinks and gambles - both destructive habits. This shows the damage that loss can do.
- Alec's mother's death drives him to religion:
"I felt this glow. It was good to feel good. It had come on stronger since my mother had died." (p36)
"I could have said it was when my mother died...But I didn't think it was true." (p38)
Religion
- Alec and Ian sing "The Sash My Father Wore" - a sectarian song connected with Protestantism and the orange order.
- They support Rangers Football Club which is the main way they are connected to the idea of Protestantism.
- "Blue is the best colour"
"Orange is good as well"
- Alec starts to go to the mission and sings the song 'Give Me Oil in my Lamp' later - this is a proper hymn.
- Alec finds solace in religion, and education. It becomes something positive in his life.
Family life
- Alec and Davie have difficult circumstances as a family.
- Responsibility in a family normally lies with the adult. In Alec and Davie's family, this relationship is skewed because Davie is unreliable and therefore Alec cannot have a normal childhood - he is forced to grow up quickly.
- This complicated relationship is highlighted by Billy and Ian's comparatively 'normal' father/son relationship.
- Billy supports Davie and gives him money, and helps him to find a job.
- Support, responsibility
Social class differences
- Alec is a social climber - he wishes to better himself and he does this through the church and school - he pushes himself.
- In the beginning, he lives with his father in poverty, but is looking at a more positive situation by the end of the play
- You can work your way out of poverty
- When shipyards closed in Glasgow, poverty became an issue. This affects both Billy and Davie in the play, but Billy finds an alternative. Davie is tragically destined to remain in poverty.