EN1210 Sept 21: "Look Back In Anger"

What change does Alison observe after Helena Charles arrives at the attic flat in Act Two, Scene One?

Alison observes that "Everything seems very different here now - with you here," noting Helena settled in easily despite her upper-middle-class background.

How does Alison describe the "Zoo for Two" fantasy game that she and Jimmy created?

She describes it as "a sort of unholy priest-hole of being animals to one another" and "a silly symphony for people who couldn't bear the pain of being human beings any longer."

What direct command does Helena give Alison after witnessing Jimmy's verbal abuse in Act Two Scene One?

Helena grips Alison's arm and says, "Listen to me. You've got to fight him. Fight, or get out. Otherwise, he will kill you."

How does Jimmy theatrically mock Helena when she asks why he tries so hard to be offensive?

He calls her a "tiresome young man" target and sarcastically shouts, "Pass Lady Bracknell the cucumber sandwiches, will you?"

Why does Jimmy view Alison going to church on Sunday evening as an ultimate act of betrayal?

He views it as an affliction organized by Helena to win Alison over, asking, "You're determined to win her, aren't you?"

How does Alison respond when Jimmy brings up his narrative of rescuing her from her family?

She panics and confronts him, saying, "You rescued me from the wicked clutches of my family, and all my friends! I'd still be rotting away at home, if you hadn't ridden up on your charger, and carried me off!"

How does Jimmy respond when Cliff tries to de-escalate tension by saying "Don't let's brawl boyo"?

Jimmy rejects peaceful intervention, saying, "Why don't we brawl? It's the only thing left I'm any good at."

What violent verbal attack does Jimmy direct toward Alison's mother in Act Two Scene One?

He says, "The old bitch should be dead!" and adds, "My God, those worms will need a good dose of salts the day they get through her!"

According to the transcript, what was Jimmy's defining childhood trauma involving his father?

At ten years old, Jimmy spent twelve months watching his father die after returning injured from fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

How long did ten-year-old Jimmy spend each day in a small room with his dying father?

Jimmy spent eleven hours a day in a small room with his dying father while his family showed embarrassment and indifference.

What assertion does Jimmy make about anyone who has never watched someone die?

Jimmy asserts, "Anyone who's never watched somebody die is suffering from a pretty bad case of virginity."

How does Cliff describe his historical role between Jimmy and Alison in the household?

Cliff describes himself as "a no-man's land between them," comparing the flat to a battlefield where he acts as a buffer.

What news does Jimmy receive regarding Hugh Tanner's mother (Mrs. Tanner) in Act Two Scene One?

Jimmy receives news that Mrs. Tanner has suffered a stroke and is dying in a London hospital.

What does Jimmy do immediately after Alison leaves for church with Helena instead of going to the hospital with him?

Jimmy picks up Alison's toy teddy bear, throws it downstage making a rattling, groaning sound, and collapses face down on the bed with his face buried in the covers.

How are Colonel Redfern's age and background described in the Act Two Scene Two stage directions?

He is described as a large, handsome man about sixty years old, whose forty years of soldiering conceal an essentially gentle, kindly man.

What fundamental divide between her father and Jimmy does Alison summarize in Act Two Scene Two?

Alison states, "You're hurt because everything is changed. Jimmy is hurt because everything is the same. And neither of you can face it."

When did Colonel Redfern leave England and when did he return after commanding the Maharajah's army in India?

Colonel Redfern left England in March 1914 and returned in 1947.

What is Jimmy's immediate reaction when Helena calmly informs him that Alison is pregnant?

Jimmy responds with callous indifference, stating, "I don't care. I don't care if she's going to have a baby. I don't care if it has two heads!"

What physical encounter leads directly to Helena passionately kissing Jimmy at the end of Act Two Scene Two?

Helena slaps Jimmy's face savagely; after Jimmy utters a muffled cry of despair, Helena tears his hand away and kisses him passionately.

What visual details in Act Three Scene One signify Helena's settled domestic role in the flat?

Alison's personal items on the dressing table have been replaced by Helena's, and Helena stands at the ironing board wearing an old shirt of Jimmy's.

How does Helena's reaction to Jimmy's pipe smoke in Act Three Scene One contrast with Cliff's complaint?

While Cliff complains about "That stinking old pipe!", Helena answers Jimmy's question by saying, "No. I quite like it."

What bizarre literary theory about Shakespeare does Jimmy share in Act Three Scene One?

Jimmy recounts a theory by an American Yale professor claiming Shakespeare changed his sex and married a Warwickshire farmer after having three children by him.

What does Jimmy state regarding "good brave causes" for his generation in Act Three, Scene One?

Jimmy states, "There aren't any good, brave causes left," explaining that generation-defining causes were done in the thirties and forties when they were kids.

How does Alison describe her altered concept of marriage in Act Three Scene Two?

Alison explains she gave up believing in the "divine rights of marriage" long ago and views it now as a "constitutional monarchy" where "You are where you are by consent."

How does Helena diagnose Jimmy's fundamental existential flaw in Act Three Scene Two?

Helena states Jimmy "was born out of his time," feels like he's "still in the middle of the French Revolution," and "will never do anything, and he'll never amount to anything."

What specific train does Helena plan to catch to London upon leaving Jimmy?

Helena packs her belongings to catch the 7:15 PM train to London.

What does Jimmy say is required for love in his monologue following Helena's departure?

Jimmy says love "takes muscle and guts," and that without dirtying your hands, "you'll never make it as a human being."

What tragic event does Alison reveal upon her emotional collapse in Act Three Scene Two?

Alison reveals that she suffered a miscarriage and lost her unborn baby.

What does Alison declare about wanting to be neutral or a saint during her breakdown?

Alison cries, "I don't want to be neutral, I don't want to be a saint. I want to be a lost cause. I want to be corrupt and futile!"

How do Jimmy and Alison seal their final reconciliation in Act Three Scene Two?

They retreat into their animal fantasy game, imagining themselves as a bear and a squirrel living on honey and nuts in their cave and dray.