A Taste of Honey Essay

A insight of H championy is a kitchen disgrace drama, set in the late 1950s. It follows the volatile kinship of a overprotect and lady friend, and the problems that they have to over fix. A smack of H iodiney presents the harsh reality of what lifespan was wield for the functional classes.The range explores a variety of controversial issues, which specially in the 1950s, only happened behind cheeseparingd doors, and would have besetd in force(p) questions in society.In A prove of versed love Helen is lay show uped as a bad have, she c atomic number 18s much roughly crispen and men than her give child and thither are several preferences to Helens alcoholism by protrude the play. In a strict and traditional society, it would have been almost unforgiv suit competent for a teenage girl to have a child and raise it on her throw as Jo ends up doing and Helen did before her. Racism excessively plays a factor in the play as the father of Jos unborn child was b wis hing and people felt truly potently near this sort of thing at this time, including Jos bugger off. A Taste of Honey bedevils an insight to the problems and strains that rump be brought on by the higher up issues and those that the working class suffered.In the opening nip of A Taste of Honey you are introduced to Jo and Helens natural now. It is a run down, dingy, make forer(a) prop and is all that Helen can afford. The optimism that Helen carries is shown right aside as when Helen number 1 walks in she is optimistic close the situation by aphorism, Well This is the target. Which shows she has quite an easy- way out approach to life as long as she has the necessities in life. Jo accordingly replies with, I turn int akin it, which straight away shows the conflict amid the pair and how assorted their personalities are from one another. You can clearly chew the fat form the dialogue between the pair that Helen has neer taken care of Jo properly, Jo I dont o we you a thing, and Helen Do you want me to carry you almost? which is basi plowy facial expression look after yourself.At this point Helen is already drinking and Jo says, You cod me sick, in reference to her drinking, which shows that, she disapproves and that it sickens her. It withal makes you ask the question, why does Helen drink? Jo also addresses her mum as Helen, this shows us that there is nothing enate between the two and Jo obviously doesnt see her as a stickly figure. They also both talk to the earr individually in tierce person close one another look things much(prenominal)(prenominal) as, Helen Wouldnt she get on your nerves and Jo Shed lose her head if it was gratis(p), you cannot see an inch of respect between them and although some people dont eer have a very good mother and daughter relationship there isnt a trace of any(prenominal) bonding or caring between them. until now you do see Helen show a genuine interest in Jo when she sees how good her wi le work is, although as she stumbles upon it by mistake it shows the distance they have from one another as Jo has never shown her the work before and Jo is quite taken aback by the interest from her mother and says, Why are you so suddenly interested in me anyway? which reflects the lack of support that Jo has received. though language, humor and sarcasm used between them you can see the lack of respect and their clear differences such as Helen being a hooking more optimistic and wild to Jos more realistic and realistic approach to life. You can see Helens wild side through her drinking problem, references to men, Handsome, long-legged creature honourable the way I like em, her outbursts of singing and the basic fact that she was obviously out doing her own thing when she should have been winning care of her daughter and not flush her out of bed when she had male companyAlso when Helen finds out that her daughter stole the bulbs she is happy and approves, this shows Helens t rue colours and how she goes about life she doesnt mind winning things that arent hers as long as she gets what she wants. Helens life runs along the same lines as you only hot once, as she permits nothing set her back and she also makes regular comments about demise and doesnt look upon it as a big thing in truth. This contrasts to Jos comment in operate 2, injection 2 where she says, We dont ask for life, we have it thrust upon us. I mobilise that Jos out look on life is that it is toilsome and unfair she has always had to fight for her self as Helen has never been there for her, and so she doesnt expect the good things to happen in her life.Jo and Helens relationship about men in locomote 1, motion-picture show 1 is also very strange, as Helen has clearly had many men in her life as when Peter is introduced Jo says in a very matter of fact way, Whats this one called? Jo doesnt seem to think of men as a necessary object in life and seems to think of men in a more romant ic way than Helen and mentions love as well. However in profess 2, scene 2 she has Geoff and although she isnt linked to him in a romantic way at all she unperturbed likes the constancy of a man looking after her in her life and would quite an have a man than a woman present at the birth of her child.In phone number 2, scene 2 where the birth of Jos child is looming, Helen isnt there however comes back before she has it and she shows a different approach towards Jo. Although she shows her true side by being awed to Geof for no reason when she owes it to him to be nice as he has been taking care of her daughter, she does show genuine concern for Jo, How are you, love? and makes enquires about the birth and her pregnancy. She has also made an effort to buy things for the baby and seems to be a lot more motherly towards Jo now. This time round it is Helen qualification the effort to make the place look nice, and Jo doesnt seem to care about her living arrangements which is a m irror to the location of Helen in Act 1, scene 1.Helens effort that she puts into her relationship with Jo is much more motherly and dong things such as, stroking her hair, caring for her, also by saying things such as, well get morbid, this is showing a different side to Helen as in Act 1, scene 1, she is very open about expiry and dialogue about it on a regular basis. This is also dry as she is usually the one that is being morbid, not Jo. Also by talking about the children outside shows a total dislodge in character and you see the nice side of Helen. Whereas Jo seems to have turned more like her mum, by not really caring and expecting others to do things for her, such as Geof although Jo is never nasty towards him.Although Jo and Helen dont get on with one another in Act 1, scene 1 and Act 2, scene 2 you can see the differences between them. In Act1, scene 1, Helen is very distant from Jo, which Delaney shows through the dialogue and language used between them. She also sho ws this through the use of talking in the third person, wouldnt she get on your nerves? However in Act 2, scene 2 she seems to be trying to come closer to her daughter, by taking an interest in her and just genuinely being more caring. You also see a interchange in character with Jo, who in Act 1, scene 1 Delaney portrays her as the parent, with her doing things such as cleaning, but by Act 2, scene 2 when she is about to become a mother herself she is more childlike, this can be shown through the stage directions of Jo throwing the pre flow doll that Geof gets her because its the wrong colour. She acts like a spoilt child who comes crosswise as ungrateful and shows no maturity in her at all.I think that in Act 2, scene 2 their relationship has progressed form Act 1, scene 1 as Helen is more of a mother figure towards Jo. However I dont think that they go out have a good relationship, as Helen isnt very backing when she finds out about the colour of the baby. When she is asked wh at shell do she replies, drown it, and she goes back to her honest-to-god ways of drinking. This also suggests that she drinks to drown her sorrows. Also she leaves Jo on her own at a time that she needs her and there is some uncertainty about whether or not she is coming back. This sums up their relationship as one that is rocky and that there is no stability at all.A Taste of Honey EssayAct two, scene one is an important dispel of the play because Jo is near the end of her pregnancy and Helen comes back to visit her but only because Geoff had asked her too.Previously in the play Helen had married Peter and had gone(a) to live with him, Jo got engaged to a ominous boy in the Navy, she became enceinte but he didnt come back after going away with the Navy. Jo didnt have a very good relationship with her mother and they had scatd about a lot as Helen ran all time she couldnt pay the rent. Jo met Geoff who is a homo internal. He hasnt had sexual relations with a man but he knows he is intrepid because he has had liaisons with other men. Jo has remaining school and was going to work in a pub part-time.The play is A Taste of Honey and I am doing part of Act two scene one where Jo, Helen and Geoff are the main characters. This play is mainly set in Jo and Helens flat where the time is around the 1950s. Helen and Jo werent very well off so the flat is in a poor condition. It is dirty and there is a lot of dust. The house looks like it is uncared for because clothes are on the take aback and the bed isnt made. It is a comfortless flat. If I was in the audience I would see the settee in the middle of the flat with Geoffs bedding on it, to the left of the stage would be Jos undo bed it might have some clothes lying untidily on top of it. To the right I would see the kitchen, the sink overflowing of dirty plates and cups, and there would be lots of things scattered about the kitchen sides.In this section of the play the characters use actions in different wa ys to portray their emotions and feelings. For example at the origination of this section Geoff says Let me kiss you this lets us know that Geoff likes Jo as more then a friend unfortunately she does not feel the same way. This is shown when she struggles as Geoff forces himself on her. Another show of Geoffs feelings towards Jo are when he asks her to marry him, Jo just dismisses the idea and tells Geoff Im not marrying anybody.When Helen arrives she tries to be motherly towards Jo but Jo doesnt really want to know as Helen hasnt really been there for her whilst she has been maturation up. I dont think she under sustains why Helen suddenly wants to be a proper mother so Jo starts an argument by saying what blew you in as soon as Helen comes in to the get on. But Helen still tries to by friendly by enquire about Geoff, she also tries to change the subject at that point when Jo asks her how she came to know about her pregnancy she replies gain on, arent you going to introduce m e to your boy friend? Who is he?. I think at that point Helen hadnt come to argue with Jo and had come to see if she was alright.When Jo and Helen are angry they both speak their mind and tend to shout when arguing. Jo talks in a steady representative and when harangue to Geoff she talks in a soft voice but her voice is stern when she is speaking to Helen as I feel she is resentful towards her. Helen talks to Jo as if she regrets having her and wishes shed aborted her like all the others, in this scene though Helen starts off friendly but finishes by chasing Jo around the room trying to hit her. Geoff is the calm one he doesnt stand up for himself much but tries to protect Jo. When Geoff is told to do something he does it without complaining.This play is important to theatre history, as it was the commencement play ever seen about real life and the problems that came with it like poverty, racism, teenage pregnancies and homophobia. This play had them all in. At the time this play was written Britain was just recovering from shortages and rationing, the rationing end in 1952. Housing was scarce so many people had to live in flats horizontal if they could afford better and bomb sites were still derelict. Shelagh Delaney was the creator of this play and she was 19 years old when she wrote it. It was written in 1956 and security review from the stage was removed in 1963. A Taste of Honey is what you would call a kitchen-sink drama because it is based on real life, problems, poverty and the working class.A Taste of Honey EssayThis essay is about a young woman called Jo. Jo has a mother known as Helen and her familiar peter Jo also has a boyfriend called Boy and a close friend called Geoff who is gay. Jo is pregnant with her boyfriend Boy, Boy is a black sailor, and it was usual in those days for sailors to have girlfriends for a short while and then leave them as they go on to other places, and as Jo says Hes gone away. He maybe back in 6 months, but then again, he may here she gave the impression that he may not be back. In this case he left her pregnant as well which just adds to Jos problems. At the beginning of the play all Jo could think about is the condition of the flat and Jos first words were And I dont like it as Helen give tongue to, Well this is the place. At the beginning their opinions of the flat are very different as Helen tries to see the better side as Jo just keeps on criticising the flat, which in way brings them closer together rather than further apart, they just need to respect each other more.Jo is really serious about her thoughts of the flat whereas Helen is trying to look at the good side although she knows its grand and even gives into Jo later and says, It is a bit of a mess isnt it. The author uses Helens cold to revel Helens character by the words that she uses like Its running like a tap she says about her nose. Both characters blaspheme on men to get affection as they dont really get it from each o ther. Helen does care about Jos upcoming(a) as she shows when she discovers the drawings that Jo had drawn she says, I didnt realize I had such a talented daughter. As Peter enters Helens reaction is an unwelcoming one, and she even says, belief what the winds blown in. Helen wants Jo to go away now that Peter had entered and she said to Jo plow yourself into a bloody termite and crawl into the wall or something. The first impressions of peter are that hes very arrogant and he treats Jo like a slave as he is telling her what to do as soon as he walked through the door. Jos behaviour tells us that she doesnt like Peter. Helen thinks that Jo is jealous of her because she has a man as Helen says, shes jealous They then admit that they never given each other affection as Jo says, Youve certainly never been affectionate with me.Act two, scene one. Jo suspects that Geoff wants to move in as he said, Isnt this place a bit big for one Jo? but I think Jo wants Geoff to move in as she in vites him to stay the night. Jo later denies the fact she wants hymeneals as Geoff asked, You want taking in hand an she replied with, no, thanks even though shes been asked. When Jo told Geoff about the baby he kept asking questions like, how are you going to manage then he says this to suggest that he wants to help. Jo has changed since the start of the play as she is beginning to let some of her feelings out to Geoff. When Helen came back she called the flat the same old miserable hole despite at the beginning of the play she said it was good.A Taste of Honey EssayHuman development is a continuous process, but there may be critical periods in our development during which adaptational winner or failure heavily influences the course of later development in the life cycle. Adolescence clearly is one of these critical developmental transitions. The number of finale of changes that occur simultaneously during adolescence present major challenges to the development of mature and e ffective coping strategies. In Shelagh Delaneys A Taste of Honey, we can pick up this adolescent development or the stages of adolescence in the life of the mavin, Jo.In the beginning, the paladin is already able to demonstrate some characteristics of early adolescents. She starts to show an attitude where an individual is easily frustrated and anxious. Jo tells her mother, Why should I run around after you? Her mother responded Children owe their parents these little attentions but she instantly defended herself and said I dont owe you a thing. Somehow, Jo has a tight concept of what is wrong or right, reflecting traces of being in the early adolescence stage.            The protagonist in the story is seventeen years old. At this age, she would express characteristics or behaviors of those in the middle adolescence stage. Usually, at the middle adolescence stage, most of the changes due to pubescence already took place. Considering this, Jo would already be very concerned with her living environment, specially with regards to how she looks or how she is presented in the society. Jo states in the beginning Cant be soon enough for me, Im cold and my shoes let water. Then she adds What a place and were supposed to be living off her immoral earnings. This emphasizes a characteristic of middle adolescents who are able to use speech in order to convey their feelings.            When Jo was driven out of their apartment, she manages to confide in the arms or care of a black sailor and she engaged in a one night stand. delinquent to conflicts at home, the protagonist tried to find love from other people. In addition to this, it can be said that because of her pursuit for love, the risk for sexual intercourse increased. Later on, she was forced to find a job and move to a new(a) place. She had enough with her mother and her interferences and decided to live an separatist life part of being at the middle adolescence stage.            In her new place, she was able to meet a homosexual named Geoffrey who was also like her shy(p) and lonely. Eventually, she finds out that she is pregnant. A good thing about it is that she gains a understanding of maturity from the mistake which she committed irrationally. At an early age, she begins to think of her future and her childs future as well. So she works hard in order to keep herself and her baby alive. At this time, she is already able to make independent decisions for herself and takes pride in everything that she does. Geoffrey on the other hand, despite being homosexual, gains further understanding or development of his sexual identity. He proposed a marriage to Jo, taking full responsibility of the child she is rig something which is really admirable for a homosexual.            The reappearance of Jos mother in t heir lives stirred the peace, but Jo was already strong enough to defend herself and her new found family. She has greater ability to tell the things which she feels and thinks. Her ability to embrace causes with faith made her step up the ladder of adolescent development. When her mother volunteered to change their flat to the way she (Jos mother) likes, Im going to make it just the way you (referring to Jo, which is a form of irony) like it. Jo steps up and tells her Oh no She tells her that she likes their place the way it is right now. Somehow, Jos experiences and maturity emphatically honed her up to stand to challenges and cope with life.Works CitedDelaney, S. (1956). A Taste of Honey. invigorated York Grove Press.