Philadelphia, Here I Come!: Form, structure and language test questions - CCEA - GCSE English Literature Revision

1

Philadelphia, Here I Come! is a tragicomedy, which means there are lighter moments as well as serious issues, but what could be described as the tragedy of the play?

Gar is going to emigrate so S.B. will be short staffed at the shop.

Communication between Gar and S.B. has broken down, and they may never be able to tell each other how they really feel.

Gar’s friends want to emigrate too but he can’t take them with him.

2

What element of the structure is used to highlight the importance of certain events?

Flashbacks are used to highlight the importance of the past in the play, particularly specific events that led to Gar’s decision to leave.

All the events take place in one evening, so we know that that must be an important date to the family.

The play is in three acts and each act is in a different place, so we know each place is important.

3

Why does Friel use the dramatic technique of a split character in the play?

He wants to show that Gar is lying about everything, and the character Gar Private tells us what’s really happening.

He uses Gar Private as Gar’s inner thoughts, to show us the turmoil going on in his mind about leaving and his frustration about his relationship with his father.

He wants to show us that Gar is just the same on the inside and the outside and his inner thoughts reflect exactly who he is.

4

Read this extract.

Ned

[quickly] By the way, lads, who’s the blondie thing I seen at the last Mass on Sunday?

Tom

A big red-head?

Ned

Are you bloody-well deaf! A blondie! She wouldn’t be Maggie Hanna’s niece, would she?

Tom

There was two of them, sitting over near the box?

Ned

I seen one.

Tom

‘Cos they’re English. Staying at the hotel. But the big red thing – she’s one of Neil McFadden’s girls.

Ned

Annie? Is Annie home?

Joe

Aye, she is. So I heard the mammy saying.

Ned

Bloody great! That’s me fixed up for the next two weeks! Were any of youse ever on that job?

Joe

No, I wasn’t, Ned.

Tom

For God’s sake, she wouldn’t spit on you!

Ned

Game as they’re going, big Annie. But you need the constitution of a horse. I had her for the fortnight she was home last year and damned near killed me.

Episode Two

How does this extract show that the boys are not as educated as Senator Doogan or Master Boyle?

They use Donegal vernacular and speak crudely.

They use Irish phrases, showing that they have not learnt proper Standard English.

They are showing off, so this shows they haven’t been educated in how to speak about women.

5

Read this extract.

Private

… Is it possible that you have hoarded in the back of that mind of yours – do you remember – it was an afternoon in May – oh, fifteen years ago – I don’t remember every detail but some things are as vivid as can be: the boat was blue and the paint was peeling and there was an empty cigarette packet floating in the water at the bottom between two trout and the left rowlock kept slipping and you had given me your hat and had put your jacket round my shoulders because there had been a shower of rain. And you had the rod in your left hand – I can see the cork nibbled away from the butt of the rod – and maybe we had been chatting – I don’t remember – it doesn’t matter – but between us at that moment there was this great happiness, this great joy – you must have felt it too – it was so much richer than a content – it was a great, great happiness, and active, bubbling joy – although nothing was being said – just the two of us fishing on a lake on a showery day – and young as I was I felt, I knew, that this was precious, and your hat was soft on the top of my ears – I can feel it – and I shrank down into your coat – and then, then for no reason at all except that you were happy too, you began to sing...

Episode Three, Part Two

How does the language in this extract express Gar’s feelings about this memory?

Gar is making a big speech to pretend this memory is special to him but we can tell it bores him.

Gar recalls the memory in very specific detail, and uses poetic language to describe the scene and how he remembers feeling. This shows how significant the memory is to him.

Gar uses sad words to describe the memory of fishing with his father, because he remembers how unhappy his childhood was.

6

Read this extract.

[She dashes off. S.B. stares after her, then out at the audience. Then, very slowly, he looks down at the paper again – it has been upside down – and turns it right side up. But he can’t read. He looks across at Gar’s bedroom, sighs, rises, and exits very slowly to the shop…]

Episode Two

Stage directions can be a very important tool for the playwright to show us something significant that isn’t clear from the dialogue alone. What do the above directions tell us about S.B.?

S.B. is illiterate and has been pretending to everyone that he can read.

S.B. doesn’t care about Gar and is indifferent to him leaving for America.

S.B. is going to miss Gar and is sad or worried about him leaving, even though he hasn’t said so.

7

Gar Private can only be heard by Gar Public, so when Gar and S.B. are at the table they are mostly sitting in silence. Therefore Madge is being ironic when she says “A body couldn’t get a word in edgeways with you two”.

What does Friel tell us by using silence in the play?

The O’Donnell family are so comfortable with each other that they don’t need to talk.

Communication has completely broken down between Gar and S.B. and they are unable to talk openly about how they feel, so they sit in silence.

There has been a big argument in the family and the silence shows us that Gar and S.B. are refusing to talk to each other because they are so angry.

8

Flashback is a dramatic tool that Friel uses in the play to highlight important moments and memories.

What is the significance of the following flashback?

Public

[remembering] September 8th.

Private

By God Lizzy was in right talking form that day –

Public

‘You are invited to attend the wedding of Miss Kathleen Doogan of Gortmore House–‘

Private

[snaps] Shut up, O’Donnell! You’ve got to quit this moody drivelling! [Coaxing.] They arrived in the afternoon; remember? A beautiful quiet harvest day, the sun shining, not a breath of wind; and you were on your best behaviour. And Madge – remember? Madge was as huffy as hell with the carry-on of them, and you couldn’t take your eyes off Aunt Lizzy, your mother’s sister – so this was your mother’s sister – remember?

...

Lizzy

[trying to control herself] That was always the kind of us Gallagher girls, wasn’t it … either laughing or crying … you know, sorta silly and impetuous, shooting our big mouths off, talking too much, not like the O’Donnells – you know – kinda cold –

Private

Don’t man, don’t.

Con

Your gloves, honey. It’s been a heavy day.

Lizzy

[to Public, with uncertain dignity] Tell your father that we regret we did not have the opportunity for to make his acquaintance again after all these -

Public

[impetuously] I want to go to America – if you’ll have me -

Private

Laddy!

Con

Sure. You think about it, son. You think about it.

Public

Now – as soon as I can, Aunt Lizzy – I mean it –

Act Three

This is the day Gar decides to emigrate, and is also the day Kate Doogan gets married to someone else and Gar meets his mother’s sister for the first time.

It was a day in September, so Gar is worried about the weather getting colder.

It is significant because we learn that Madge does not like Lizzy.

9

Why does Gar repeatedly quote lines from ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’?

He is trying to learn about history so he can be more educated when he goes to America.

He secretly wishes he was moving to France and is obsessed with the French revolution.

He uses it as a distraction technique to stop him from dwelling on how he really feels.

10

Friel uses music throughout the play. What is the purpose of this?

He uses the music to signify Gar’s mood - such as a dramatic or serious mood when he plays Mendelsohn - and to help Gar change his mood.

The music is used to create the ambience and mood of the time that the play is set in.

The music is just incidental and unrelated to the plot.