Discuss how, using the monologue form, Alan Bennett sustains audience interest in “A Cream Cracker - page 1
Keywords: Discuss how, using the monologue form, Alan Bennett sustains audience interest in “A Cream Cracker Under the Settee” Interesting Exciting Alan Bennet
By Mose. on 01/09/2008
Level: GCSE Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)
Page Number: 1 of 7 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Alan Bennett was born in Leeds, Yorkshire. This can elucidate his broad traditional Yorkshire accent, which made significant emergence in his numerous plays and stories. Alan Bennett was famous both on and off stage, but was mainly a writer well known for his unusual sketches containing only one character.
One of his most successful monologues “A Cream Cracker under the Settee” portrays the lonely and elderly existence of Doris, trying to co-exist in both a nostalgic environment and modern day society. By doing this, Alan Bennett exposes the mind of Doris, to the watching anticipating audience. As Doris addresses the audience directly, the audience only perceives one person’s view (Doris’) on different issues concerning them and the outside world. As the play continues the audience progress from being just strangers to Doris to knowing her inside out.
A monologue in general is hard to be of interest as it only consists of one character. With only one character involved in the play at all times, it may become very tedious to the watching audience. As a result there are limitations; as we are only hearing one persons’ point of view, the sole character’s opinions on certain topics may be bias. Therefore, the subjective audience have to make their own opinions concerning Doris. Along with the sheer lack of interaction with other characters in the play, the monologue tends to accumulate a boring atmosphere on stage and within the receptive audience.
Despite these limitations Alan Bennett sustains audience captivation successfully. He uses a significant contrast in both characters and theme to highlight different characters and characteristics; he also uses a range of dramatic devices such as pauses to interest the audience. Bennett uses the monologue form to comment on themes close to his heart. Bennett’s mother was ill with Alzheimer’s and lived in a home and so Cream Cracker echoes the plight of being elderly in a modern society. Having been written in the 1980’s Bennett comments on social issues of the time. The content of the play is subjective, therefore the modern audience may not familiarise themselves with the character of Doris. Bennett criticises the care system which is prevalent at the time, negative press surrounded Margeret Thatcher’s government and the way that old people were dealt with in society. Bennett comments on the elderly’s role in a changing society.
The monologue begins with Doris, who has just fallen from her buffet
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