1. MEN SHOULD WEEP
Themes

2. THEMES
Poverty and unemployment
Conflict
Emancipation - Gender Roles

3. How do each of the characters relate to these themes?
We will use each of these as a starting point to organise our information.
How do each of the characters relate to these themes?
This is how you should approach the 10 mark question

4. Maggie struggles to feed and clothe her family
She has to rely on handouts from Lily (her sister) and from the mission
She has to work two jobs
Their house is a “midden”
Bertie has TB – not helped by damp home
He is not allowed home
She fights with John about it
She has to take all of Jenny’s wages to survive
She relies on good neighbours to help her out
Initially she accepts this situation
Eventually she loses her temper in frustration
When Jenny returns with a solution she is delighted.
She no longer lets John’s male pride dictate their course of action

5. John is unemployed
His pride becomes obvious
He hates receiving the handouts from Lily
He will not do ‘womans’ work
He wishes Maggie would not rely on the neighbours
He blames the government for his unemployment
He claims he has done nothing wrong
That he was born into poverty and he cant change that
It causes conflict with Jenny, about responsibility
Life becomes easier when he finds work
But through it all his marriage is strong

6. Jenny has to hand over all of her wages
This causes conflict between her and her dad
She blames her dad for not taking responsibility for his children and for not trying hard enough to fin work
She cant stand living in their house
She complains that she will never find a decent husband living there
She finds a new job, leaves home and makes her own life – changing role of women
Life isn’t easy for her and she even contemplates suicide
However she meets someone and settles down
She rescues the family from their terrible home and Bertie from hospital

7. HOW CAN WE EXAMINE CONFLICT THROUGH MAGGIE

8. THROUGH WHAT OTHER CHARACTERS CAN WE LOOK AT CONFLICT?

9. How does Jenny represent the changing role of woman?
What other characters can we explore this theme through?