The Letterbox

by Ann Marie Di Mambro

The Letterbox

Significance of the title

• It gives nothing away about the content of the play • This reflects the efforts of the protagonist to give nothing away to society about her situation. • A letterbox connects us to the wider world through mail. We cannot see the sender. Martha is sending verbal messages to Wendy loaded with significance about the complexities of adult relations which the little girl does not fully comprehend. She cannot see the whole picture.

• In a letter you might have to read between the lines. In Martha’s spoken words you have to “read between the lines” because she is not being wholly honest and we have to guess at Wendy’s words.

The Letterbox

• “Jack and Jill” frame the monologue • This device represents wider society • They choose to ignore Martha • Their relationship contrast with Martha’s plight.

• Jack and Jill are happy, carefree stereotypical lovers. • However, the nursery rhyme itself is quite violent, but the violence is trivialised by the regular rhythm. • Violence in Martha’s life is not trivial, it is brutal • Her domestic reality does not conform to society’s expectation of the happy family.

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      Discuss the significance of the names of “Jack and Jill” Discuss how they are used to

contrast

ideals and promises of romance with the brutal realities of abusive relationships Their parts are very short – discuss what their presence adds to the play Discuss what would be lost were we to ignore their contribution Discuss how the snapshot of their behaviour hints at how romantic relationships start Discuss what Jack’s final “pissed” comment suggests about wider male attitudes to violence and women

The Letterbox

The husband is sleeping like a baby. Discuss why: Is he oblivious to the impact of his actions? Is he in a drunken stupor?

How far does he think he has a right to abuse his family?

How widespread do you think these attitudes are in our society?

What point is the playwright trying to get across about male attitude’s here?

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Does Martha think he has a right to treat her this way? How far is the author suggesting that Martha is responsible for her own plight? What do you think?

Do some background thinking to support your understanding of the text.

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  List all of Martha’s reasons or excuses for her husband’s violence towards her: For each, decide: Whether Martha really believes it or whether Martha is saying it to comfort her daughter or whether Martha is saying it out of fear of consequences

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     Martha exhorts her daughter, Wendy, not to tell anyone about the incident What reasons does she give?

For each decide if the reason is valid or just an excuse List all of the reasons that Wendy has to tell somebody List all of the reasons that she has to keep quiet.

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   Martha also tries to downplay the seriousness of the abuse that she has suffered List all of the ways that she seeks to assure Wendy that the abuse is not serious: For each try and decide: whether it reflects her own genuine belief or is motivated by her desire to reassure her daughter or is motivated by fear of the consequences of telling Wendy the truth

The Letterbox: Themes

The Letterbox is a short monologue.

Domestic Violence Female Solidarity Child Abuse Denial Society being Judgemental and ignoring truth

The Letterbox : Themes

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Domestic Abuse

: Research task Find statistics to show the prevalence ( how commonly it occurs) of Domestic Abuse in Scotland Find some evidence of organisations which are set up to tackle Domestic Abuse Find evidence of any strategies that are used to help end it

The Letterbox: Themes

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Female Solidarity

What does the play say about the need for women to stick together?

How is the portrayal of Jack ( basically an average decent young man) used to reveal wider attitudes amongst men?

Why do you think the playwright chooses to make the child a daughter rather than a son? How valid is the implication here that men and women have different attitudes to violence and abuse?

The Letterbox: Themes

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Child Abuse

List the effects of her mother’s abuse on Wendy’s welfare in the play What dangers does Wendy now face given that she is trapped inside the house with her father?

How might her mother feel that she is protecting Wendy by her reaction to the abuse by her husband?

Why might she be wrong in assuming that she is helping to protect her daughter?

The Letterbox: Themes

The Letterbox: Themes

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Denial

    Denial is a strategy that is used to avoid truth and thereby avoid having to take action that would be painful.

How do Jack and Jill show evidence of denial in their actions towards Martha?

How does Martha’s monologue reveal that she is in denial over the abuse that she faces What potentially could be the long term effect of those who could affect change being in denial about the situation?

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Past Paper Question Choose a play in which one of the main concerns is injustice or cruelty or exploitation or betrayal. State the

main concern

* and go on to

show

how the playwright deals with this concern in such a way as to

involve your

sympathies.**

*Stating the main concern (the cruelty and injustice of domestic abuse) would be part of your introduction. Remember keep referring to ** throughout the essay not just at the end.

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Topic Sentences: •Open each paragraph with a key or topic sentence •Develop the point made in the topic sentence (try to either use a quotation or make close reference to the text in each paragraph) •Use a closing sentence that rounds off the paragraph and perhaps points the way to the next topic.

Possible Topic sentences and paragraph endings.

 Our sympathies and in pain… are immediately engaged when we realise that the young lovers have cruelly ignored Martha who is bleeding  The range of emotions displayed, from stoical acceptance to straightforward tearfulness, keep the audience hooked and sympathetic to Martha’s plight …  The elipses used to depict Wendy’s side of the conversation invites audience participation. We must create a voice for this character … Being a child (and a child whose words we are actively creating) trapped in a terrible situation is enough to evoke sympathy in the audience.