Understanding Questions The Letterbox Ann Marie Di Mambro

1. Comment on the title of this dramatic monologue 1. Comment on the title of this dramatic monologue. How successful do you think it is as a title? The Letterbox gives nothing away about the content of the play. This reflects the efforts of the main protagonist to give nothing away to society about her situation. A letterbox is the means of delivering messages from the outside world to those in the house: it connects us to the wider world. Martha is sending verbal messages to Wendy loaded with significance about the complexities of adult relations which the little girl does not fully comprehend.

2. With what do you associate the names Jack and Jill 2. With what do you associate the names Jack and Jill? How does this 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, and her domestic reality does not conform to society’s expectation of the happy family.

3. Jack and Jill appear at the start of the play and the end as a kind of “framing” for the play. The ending is an example of dramatic irony. Discuss the final word and explain why it is dramatic irony. Dramatic irony: irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. The audience are aware of what has happened to Martha and why she is outside the flat but Jack does not. He assumes she is “pissed”.

4. What do Jack’s last words in the play demonstrate about his attitude? Has he interpreted the situation correctly? Jack does not understand why Martha is really outside the house – he assumes she is drunk and does not even stop to ask her any different. Typical of the society late 1980’s – domestic violence was something which was not discussed – taboo subject – easier to pretend it was not happening

Ellipses is used to fill in Wendy’s side of the conversation 5. This monologue is written as a one-sided dialogue and we have to guess the other side of the dialogue. What technique does the author use to indicate the other side of the conversation? Ellipses is used to fill in Wendy’s side of the conversation This involves the audience – makes them more connected to the character Wendy – increases sympathy for the characters as the audience feels part of the dialogue.

6. Which phrase shows us that Wendy is young and frightened in Martha’s second paragraph? “Oh don’t cry Wendy, please, it’ll be alright.” Are there any other phrases which show she is just a young and frightened little girl?

7. Why does Martha spit on her hanky? “Spits in her hanky, moves her jaw around, feels inside her mouth…” She is most likely spitting blood into the tissue. The rest of the stage directions give the impression her husband hit her in the face/jaw area.

8. Which colloquial words indicate the setting? “hen” “eh?” Typical of Scottish people, most likely in the Glasgow direction.

9. Here the author is building tension before releasing it with a change of subject. Write out the quotation using double line spacing and label the words that show uncertainty, insistence, relief, panic, and pleading as well as the point when Martha changes the subject. “Sssh … Good. Where is he anyway? … Oh Insistence Panic/uncertainty thank God … No, no, don’t wake him. Just Relief pleading leave him … I said leave him. Let him sleep. insistence/panic Please hen ... No, I’m fine here.” Pleading change of subject

10. Look at page 103. Convert the first paragraph, into dialogue between Martha and Wendy. (You will need to think about this and decide what it is that Wendy has said, based on Martha’s monologue. Two different colour pens would help you see the change in speaker or using different lines for each character and laying out the play in a traditional format). This should let you see that Wendy’s dialogue is easy to add in. However, if it was in the play, the audience would not connect with it in the same way.

11. Wendy could be said to represent the voice of reason 11. Wendy could be said to represent the voice of reason. Why does her mother not accept Wendy’s suggestions and what weapons does she use to discourage her daughter from taking action to rectify their situation. Doesn’t accept suggestions – too scared of what her husband will do – worried she will lose Wendy Guilt – emotional blackmail “they’ll come and take you away. Give you to strangers. You want that, do you?”

“Tumshie” – turnip or more commonly as in insult to mean idiot. Look up the meaning of “tumshie” on the internet. This is a form of Scottish d ___l____t (fill in the missing letters to complete the word. “Tumshie” – turnip or more commonly as in insult to mean idiot. Dialect: A particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.

13. How effective do you think the little song is at the end of the play? Refer to the words in the song and link them to the main character and her daughter and their situation. “Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light, Ironic as there is not God protecting Martha in her situation Like a little candle burning in the night, Wendy is the candle – hope that she will not go through the same – provides hope for Martha – the only thing that gets her through the day In a world of darkness see how we shine, Their domestic life is a world of darkness – Martha and Wendy are going to come out of the darkness You in your small corner and me in mine.” Echo the final setting between Martha and Wendy - together