Skirrid Hill and All my sons comparisons

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  • Created by: Sharr1901
  • Created on: 16-04-19 15:54

Mametz wood and Skrrid Hill

Poem- Battle of Soumme- Sheers feelings about the first war- farmers still finding remains of the fallen reawakens the horror, grief and anger at the events of a hundreds years ago. They have been forgotton, until they're found- and they died in vain and at young. Their spirits still lives.

AMS- 21 pilots are dead, Kate doesn't want to move on- she keeps on bringing up Larry. Chris and his morals belives that whoever is to be blamed for the death of the 21 pilots should be jailed.

MMTriplets in 2nd stanzaodd and too short like their life. AMS shows how the older gen want to live longer so they would do anything= I'm 61 years old, when would i have another chance to make something for you?

MM- Twenty men buried in one long grave- exetended metaphor shows they died together in unity 

AMS- You can talk yourself blue in the face, but there's no body and there's no grave, so where are you?- Boys did not die in unity- weren't buried together. 

MM structure is in tercets- meant to be lyrical, but its ironic since it's about death and defeat. Each line can represent the lifecycle. The longer pauses can emphaise the emotions filled in Sheers.

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The Farrier + All My Sons

Male gaze/Dominance: The poem is about a master crafts man- excellent at his job of shoeing a horse. The poem describes a harmonious relationship between the man and the horse. Sheers describes what it is like to be a man today in society and how it has changed throughout the years and also how his welsh culture has changed.

F: Last line: Nature doesn't need mankind and could florish alone- "Half the goddamn counrty's gotta go if i go."

"Branding a shoe"- Man over nature 

Cups her fetlock- Romantic imagery- shows how he holds the ankle- Lover- which suggests that the man thinks of his job to be a pleasure not just work. Gives her and slap and then she leaves.- Misogynistic, is it just violence towards nature or towards women as well.

AMS quotes- "You've got nice legs Annie" "The block can use a pretty girl.. pg.9  "I used to think that when i got money again I would have a maid and my wife would take it easy. Now I got money, and I got a maid, and my wife is working for the maid

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Inheritance and AMS

Family:  Sheers ancestors and he is talking about how he has been affected on his life by his Father and Mother- Father on top- How money is being passed down. In AMS goes straight to Chris- 

1st Stanza: Father- Short sentences, less emotive 'Stammer' seemes to be his weakness- he does not want all the characteristics of his father. Pathetic fallacy "Chaos of bad weather" relation to typical welsh weather- describes his father's personality to be short-tempered 

2nd Stanza: Mother: Longer sentences- metaphor "eye's ble ore" mothers eyes are blue and they are as pure as "ore" - "joiners lathe"- something mundane- turned him into something beautiful . Last Stanze: Need both traits to make thier family work, harmony in unity. 

AMS: "A father is a father!- short tempered. "I did it for you"

"I want a clean start fot you, Chris, I want a new sign over the plant- Christopher incorporated!

You made me pratical. 

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Marking time and AMS

Love/Intimacy/Time: Sheers describes a sexual relationship- what he could had experienced as a young man and how a relationship doesn't last forever

"Mark" demonstrates how woman has been affected already with the carpet brun on her back and shows that although the relationship hasn't lasted the scar remains. "Finally fading" Alliterative- forget their relationship had happened.

"Lust wouldn't wait for bed"- Passion she was during sex but it also shows how eager they were as they couldn't wait so instead they "laid us out on the floor"- very intimate, desparate to have sex. 

"But never leaves."- Relationships don't always work but that dosen't erase the past- Annie wants to let go of Larry- but Kate doesn't want that

Not much intimacy in AMS- "Like Larry's brother, do it like you Chris" (Leave Larry in past)- 

Pg.25 and 73

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Show+AMS

Male/Dominance- Objectifying women- male are portrayed as male predators- Metaphor- leaving the crocodile pit of cameras- personify men as crocs. Spectators- women are viewed as entertainment for men

Second part- Poet is waiting for his girlfriend as she applies make-up on- Sittig to the mirror- patriachal oppression of women. The fell of her dress- sexual reference as he thinks of sex immediately associating it to this artifical/costume.

AMS- the older men are 'crocs'- Keller- 'Look how nice her legs turned out!,

I like taht girl!. Wrap her up. You got nice legs Annie! pg.33

Pg.34 for how chris feels about Annie 

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Valentine +AMS

Love/Intimacy- A day of romance for lovers- they've separated- recalls the valentines they've had together- it has been painful.

Torture of your heels emptying before me down that Paris street' Irony- Paris meant to be about love, instead they're walking down the street and the woman feels tortured.

The loss of everything we'd learnt.- There is not much love in their relationship- they have learnt a lesson along with the memories- They later have sex using oxymoron 'Whether to laugh or weep' to demonstrate how they don't know how to feel about it. 

The poem differs from Ann's and Chris' relationship pg 34 and 78- love is strong 

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Winter Swans + AMS

Lies/Deciet- Struggle to maintain relationship in this poem. Personification of nature and weather "gulping for breath"- the relationship is sturggling to survive, depressing realisation. Also, repetirion of the "s"- assonance long sound emphasises the distance between the two of them

"They mate for life" parallel between humans and animals, allows them to model their behaviour on that of birds- they return just like their hands. Slow stopping emphasises change in relationship and realisation they have come upon.

Many relationships are in conflict in AMS couples do not all want the same thing, but Ann and Chris' relationship seem strong- however she wants to marry because she needs someone to protect her- 

Pg.38, 80, 74, 78, 17, 44 

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Keyways + AMS

Loss- The lovers are separating from each other- its the end of their relationship, similar to Larry's death ending his relationship with Annie. 

Should be our last time together- emotive- melancholy- cannot understand it's 'strange'  Enjambments after 'breaths', emphasises the long drawn out of breaths of them together, reinforces intimacy they shared which is juxtaposed later on with the distance and adds pathos for inevitable end

Like siamese twins sharing one lung- Similie- Hurt each other/ rely on each other but also can't be free and are ultimatley killing each other- contrasts AMS, Anne and Chris rely on each other- Kate does not want that to happen because Annie is 'Larry's girl' 

Pg. 34, 16, 78

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Farther+ AMS

Family/Loss- The poem's title has a double meaning- about how the phsyical distance between them has made them closer. Monologue makes it emotional and can emphasise they have become closer. Spilt- growing and moving on. At the loss of his son to man- Evil/nature- legend loss his son to cleft. Watching the dog shrink over the hill-  extended metaphor- they have actually become distanced 

With every step apart, I'm another close to you- Although distance has been created- it has allowed them to become mentally stronger- Directly contrasts Chris's and Joe's relationship throughout. "A father is a father." "I did it for you Chris 

17, 32, 33, 81, 82

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Trees + AMS

Memory/Death/Time- Tree is planted everytime someone return, it means new life. Symbolism- "After all, you planted trees for our arrivals" 

"some time" emphasises the tree will grow long after he is dead- life proceeds. In AMS the collapse of Larry's tree marks his death

Larry's tree is a constant motif in AMS- a reminder us of the memory of Larry and the death of the 21 pilots. 

7, 10, 12, 14, 20 ,59

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Hedge school

Death/Time- Using Pardoner's tale- story concerns young men who try kill 'Death' whom they blame for taking a friend. The young men end up killing each other- result of thier own greed. Poem also shows that people need to be educated- Keller- 

September is the child's innocence and the beginnning of his 'darkness'- berries have rippen- showing how a boy is now a murderer- lack of morality that society has and the selfishness of the human condition- Berries can symoblise the common person who is affected by the capitalist system- demonstrates boy exerting his power by 'picking' his victims. 'Hoard'- possession of berries- imagery of the upper-classes in this poem- they hoard more than they already possess. 'Slowly' line demonstrates unapperciativeness of the boy- word has the extentuated sound- crushed--Children need to be educated to be less selfish and appreciate those who are less fortunate then themselves- 'darkness' is capitalist system 

AMS- Keller is uneducated- purely belives in Capitalist system, ignores morality- believes half the country will go down if he does- uneducated-selfishness

Pgs,44, 9, 15, 16, 17, 38, 74, 80

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Joseph Jones

Male dominance/Gaze- Joseph Jones is depicted as an arrogant, over-bearing, bragging misogynist. Sheers paints a negative view of small town life and the sort of people that thrive in it.  Joseph Jones no doubt has his limitations and expresses them in terms of misogyny and bragging. The result is humorous but rather sad.

'Red wings'- poem being told by Jones himself- showing his dominance- 

'air dead with scent when he passed.'- metaphor to imply males keep everyone silent 

"Stroking his chest with one hand...' Man is capable of multi-tasking 

AMS- Male dominance is evident throughout the drama- How Annie needs a man to go explore the world- 74, the expectaions of a man on what kind of job they are meant to have- Jim and that men are meant to provide for the family with money- Keller made money because it's what 'Kate wanted.'

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Late spring

Male Dominance/Family-  Describes his experiences of working on a farm with his grandad- dominating animals by castrating them. As stanzas progress, shows how himself and his grandad become closer- whereas in AMS Chris and Keller become progressively distanced

'feels like a man'- similie and ironic imagery and suggests that a man's job meaning it is a very masculine poem describing man's role in society- sheers feels empowered and it made him different as he grows up

The final tercet shows how Sheers has used an oxymoron; this is used to show the difference between natural and un-natural things. As it shows how they have used a man made tool to change something natural this meaning the castration of the lambs meaning they cannot reproduce naturally. Sheers also shows how throughout the poem he and his grandfather’s relationship changed whilst castrating the lambs as at the beginning he uses “I” and “He” then at the end he uses “we” showing how they changed into a team.

Just like the previous poem- men's expected roles in society and also Keller's belief his legacy should run through Chris by handing him the business- makes them a team- but really for money

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Swallows

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Swallows+AMS

Family- Poem shows how important family are and the togetherness of their nature is important- Title emphasises they are never alone and they are always together- symbolises togetherness.

'script of descenders” in the final stanza showing how Sheers uses to metaphor to create the image of the ‘Swallows’ flying like a part of a letter that extends below the level of a base letter. This could possibly suggest how Sheers is showing that even though the ‘Swallows’ fall they always end up back together showing their togetherness.

Sheers also uses imagery “sky-jive” this creates the image that the ‘Swallows’ are like dancers in the sky. It relates to the dance the hand-jive which is a dance where everybody participates therefore this shows how the ‘Swallows’ are always together as if they are dancing together. This could also possibly suggest that Sheers is describing the ‘Swallows’ as being lively and that they never stop unless a problem occurs.

Clear link to the Kellers- throughout the play the family is strong- symbolised as the 'Holy family' and Chris is the only one 'that loves his family' and Keller provides for his family as 'he did it for them' However, the end shows how views have changed- but the fact that Chris becomes 'practical'- makes him apart of the family and no diffferent

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On Going +AMS

Family/Death/Loss- Describes the memory of his grandma passing away and how he felt about the experience abd how he hoped that things could have been prevented if she had used the life support she was given. The form of the poem ‘On Going’ is set in four stanzas each with four lines which is known as quatrains, meaning the pace of the poem is slow as there are frequent gaps to pause allowing the reader to feel as if they are losing breath like his grandmother did eventually equaling to her death. The form of the poem allows Sheers to express how his grandmother was feeling during her final moments

Sheers uses a metaphor, “windows into the soul’s temperature”. This is comparing the machines around his grandmother to be like a person looking in through a window instead the machines are looking into her body making sure she is still alive. Stanza two shows how Sheers uses an oxymoron “ancient child”. This suggests to the reader how his grandmother was still young at heart but her body slowly was disappearing away. Describes his love for his grandmother “connection of my kiss”. This shows that he gave his grandmother so much love at the end by just letting her go so she was not in pain any longer.

Kate believes things could had turned out differently if they didn't plant the tree (20). Chris emphasises how he can't even compare his dad to animals, 82- their relationship falls- threatens to kill. 

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The Hill fort + Y gaer + AMS

Memory/Family/Loss- There's the idea of the nemory of divorce or perhaps the loss of a child

‘Y Gaer’ also know as the fort shown as a place where a man has lost his son and is now able to express his anger on the issue. The Hill Fort’ is shown to be that the fort is “positioned as a place of protection as well as a defence”. Which could show that the father has now accepted the loss of either the separation or his child.

his use of nature and landscapes is shown through imagery “veins mapping under her skin”, this suggests that the memory they are taking about it is seen as being bad as their blood is moving quicker around their body which shows it to be darker. And also the use of nature and landscapes is shown through personification “against the wind’s shoulder”‘ this is the description of weather as it is compared as being like a human through its actions.

The parents lose thier son Larry and eventually lose Chris when he becomes pratical- page 20 Natures power

"We all goot hit by the same lighting George."

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Intermission+ AMS

Nature/Loss/Separation- a narrative poem showing a break in normal everyday life showing how it can be different and how things are affected by this break. It is suggested in the poem that the break is a power cut where a tree has fallen down and broke the power line, therefore affecting everyday life. The way the form is could suggest the breaks in this person's everyday life is due to powercut 

First four tercets- how everything around the room looks without light as the power has gone out- final three describes how people in the room therefore a closer image- smaller things can be seen.

Imagery that the “chestnut tree” has broke the power lines. This could possibly suggest that Sheers is showing the force that nature can have upon man made things therefore showing it is stronger and it is the root to everybody’s foundation.  - personifes tree to be angry- there must have been a storm. Sheers also uses a simile “like a tattooist’s needle”. This could suggest that they see the smaller things are they are like artists creating a masterpiece.

AMS- The first few pages of AMS the storm and the tree- When George arrives in Act 2, things change- Chris begins to notice things- even though 'they all got hit by the same storm' The fallen tree is a symbol of how the Keller's lie will be exploited and also foreshadows the end of life.

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Flag+AMS

Pride/Memory- Welsh culture and heritage and the patriotism of one person to their country that being Wales. They describe their love for their country throughout the poem and how they want people these being tourists to see it all. The epigraph at the beginning of the poem shows a man’s patriotism to his country. It shows how this man cannot live without his country, “Each man had a liver, a heart, a brain, and a Flag.”

Sheers also uses imagery “rewind or fast forward, depending on your seat.” This suggests to the reader that not everybody sees everything in the same way as everybody has different perspectives on and in life showing that nobody is the same. It continues to show patriotism through “more frequent.”

Sheers also uses personification “throwing fits on its pole”, this is showing something that isn’t human doing something human, therefore comparing it to something else. “beast” this shows the Welsh dragon so the mythical creature on the flag, further showing patriotism.

Patriotism in AMS is symbolised through Keller's business- 15, 17, 18, 30, 32, 38, 62, 70, 76

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Flag+AMS

Pride/Memory- Welsh culture and heritage and the patriotism of one person to their country that being Wales. They describe their love for their country throughout the poem and how they want people these being tourists to see it all. The epigraph at the beginning of the poem shows a man’s patriotism to his country. It shows how this man cannot live without his country, “Each man had a liver, a heart, a brain, and a Flag.”

Sheers also uses imagery “rewind or fast forward, depending on your seat.” This suggests to the reader that not everybody sees everything in the same way as everybody has different perspectives on and in life showing that nobody is the same. It continues to show patriotism through “more frequent.”

Sheers also uses personification “throwing fits on its pole”, this is showing something that isn’t human doing something human, therefore comparing it to something else. “beast” this shows the Welsh dragon so the mythical creature on the flag, further showing patriotism.

Patriotism in AMS is symbolised through Keller's business- 15, 17, 18, 30, 32, 38, 62, 70, 76

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Landmark+AMS

Freedom/intimacy-  a couple looking back on a moment that they have shared together under a tree. It shows the reader how close people can get even from looking at a distant perspective therefore it is like the speaker was watching the couple have sex,

the first tercet Sheers uses photographic language to describe the images that the couple have created “Afterwards”. This could suggest a time shot that the person watching has captured of the couple and the moment they have shared together, “timeless

he fourth tercet shows the reader how Sheers has used a climax to show the reader how things have actually changed and how they are seeing things differently. Sheers has also used a metaphor “as if to let go would mean forever”. This could show the reader that the couple have created something that they never want to leave behind therefore always wanting to share that moment together with each other, as they are bonded together by having sex.

AMS- there is not much intimacy in AMS or any sexual references- Annie and Chris only kiss once- however the poem suggests how nature wants the couple to be together and the couple want to be together longer- American society at the time- a woman needs a man to protect them- they cannot go into the world alone- what would a radicalist feminist argue?

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Happy accidents+AMS

War- As described here, a young worker at ‘Life’ magazine accidentally destroyed almost all the negatives from the set apart from seven. They were characterised by their blurriness and frantic appearance, yet they became iconic as a realistic, if impressionistic, record of the chaos of conflict and only a few pictures were saved- ironic title 

'Blister' 'overheat' 'melt' all ironically these are the mishaos that prevented 'negatives' from being developed; appropriatley as everything about this story is negative. 'That' is repeated at the beginning of three consecutive stanzas, so it reads like a refrain, creating a rhythmic hypnotic mood- anaphora

To fall headlong through the trapdoor of war- Metaphor suggests helplessness of war implies inevitability- nations couldn't escape and the vison of men plunging head down into earth.

AMS- There could've been a chance for the 21 pilots to live if Keller didn't sell the cracked cylinder heads- even though Chris did say 'Nobody comes back after 3 years- in the end, it seems like Larry could had came back if it wasn't for Keller.

pg. 15, 32, 68, 80, 83

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Drinking with Hitler

Male Dominance/Greed/Sucess-  Dominant dictator- doesn't care about his surroundings like Keller and a lot of imagery is used to show that he is dominant. 

He's a cruel person and the tone of sheers shows utter disgust- But I've heard about the burned workers' homes, the scorcehd huts like cauterised wounds'- Shows his disgusting behaviour and even uses the similie to emphasise the pain it has inflicted 

The enjambment used is to demonstrate how he can shift his power- he turns his attention to a woman and touches her- he even creates a stereotypical image of how woman were presented in Zimbabwe- Long-fingered, dark and quiet.'  The last stanza shows the pain inflicted on her.

AMS- Keller is like Hitler- everyone knows what he has done but they stay quiet- hence why they're called 'The Holy family'- Annie in particular is sexualised because she is young- Keller- You've got nice legs Annie' and in page 74 we see how women are presented as weak

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Liable to floods

Identity/defiance- Soldiers do not listen to the warning of the farmer- the major is full of high ignorance and he believes in his dialect 'don't worry Jack... We've got this one.' implying he's a major so he's got more knowledge- he contradicts nature and for a few days they're fine (just like Keller till George arrives in Act 2 revealing the truth) Nature prevails the men and the storm is personified as a woman as she 'pulled herself up and spread her wings' defeating the men- just like Kate is the one who actually the one that drags Keller around-- irony

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Amazon+AMS

Male Gaze/Women: Sheers expresses how the woman should not be insecure about one of her breasts being cut off in order to cure her cancer and if anything it has made her more fearsome and that now that she's better they're celebrating instead as the metaphor 'All of us masked in the flame's hot soul, writing with sparklers.

Cancer- uses alleteration of C with assonance of hard C to emphasise the cruelty of cancer and the soft c for uncertainty to emphasise she is scared. 

The last line she is personified- to be brave and not to be insecure

AMS: Links to many things about women- the last few pages about how Annie believes she can't go into the world herself and the fact she came back to get married.

Kate also has power- she has Frank make her a horoscope to go against the truth of Larry's death and in page 70- she plays with her words and tries to make Keller go to jail

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Under the Superstition Mountains+ AMS

Greed/Loss/Secrecy- Sun City West, in Arizona, cited in stanza three, is a small town with an aging population, almost entirely white and with few young people; a place unhealthily skewed and ‘dying’.

'Susan's House'- Hidden violence abd social dtsfunction in an outwardly respectable American Suburb- Sheers is alive to modern culture as he is to the past

'The mountains- Hollow in a secret place in the mountain leading to the underworld- split by God at the moment of Christ's death by crucifixion- supernatural culture

'I sit at the wheel while the photographer sleeps.' The detective is obtaining evidence of infidelity in this setting of outward respectability- they are spying- the assonant voweles in 'wheel', 'sleeps', 'reading' and 'meanness' stretched out sounds, conveying a mood of boredom and tediousness.

'Finger on the trigger of the shutter, as if he'd die and finally the shot the perfect still'- Lexical field 'trigger' 'shot' and 'still' merges the two ideas of a surreptitious photo and a lethal gunshot- they are not separate from the dysfunctional population

Bert spies on the neighbourhood for Joe because he wants to see if anyone is discussing anything about him -pg.12,23.  The whole neighbourhood also know about what Keller had did- Jim at the beginnig of Act 3- Keller also makes it clear that not everyone is so different in society in his hyperbole- Half the God damn country gotta go if i go.'- 82

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Stitch in Time+AMS

Success/Greed- narrative poem describing a tailor leaving his wife to go and find work in less economically developed countries that have not been taken over by man-made things instead it is still quite natural. The man leves his wife to work in a LEDC- recoginsed by a man offers him a chance to build a business ad comes back after 10 years to show his wife what he has and takes her to London

he rhyming couplets also create a humorous effect as when the reader reads the poem the pace of the poem speeds up as it is easier for the reader to continue on therefore meaning Sheers is using it to allow the poem to flow smoothly. 

And so he left his wife”. This suggests the idea it is in the middle of the story as we don’t know as a reader why he has left his wife and other events that has happened in his life before this. Sheers uses language of tailoring, “dummy”, “the cutter, coatmaker and finisher”, “chalk”, “darted”, “stitch”. These are to show the reader that the tailor who is being spoke about in the poem is good at his job and how he can create things using his hands. This could also possibly suggest to the reader that Sheers is emphasising how a man works in today’s society showing how they work hard to get where they want in life. Meridian” to describe the tailor’s journey in life and how he has created many businesses in less economically developed countries. This suggests that men work harder in life to strive further and achieve better which could possibly suggest that Sheers is being a bit sexist in this poem as he is making men sound better than women.

Metaphor- first stitch in the pattern to which he’d cut his life”. This metaphor is comparing and contrasting the man’s life to be just like a garment being made by his own hands and he has the ability to create further and make it better or to just leave it and give up

AMS link business and how man has to have a job to provide- 18, 15, 17, 30,36,38, 70, 76

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L.A Evening+AMS

Loss/Suffering- describing an actress at the end of her day looking back on her life and how she has changed throughout which is shown through old films and photographs. It then goes on to talk about how she has suffered from her art as it shows that she never stops and somebody is always there taking photos 

'rollerbladers pass her window”, this could possibly suggest how Sheers is creating the stereotypical image of people from Los Angeles meaning they are all laid back and ready to do whatever.- Keller doing whatever it takes to be successful in business- Annie doing whatever it takes to marry Chris.

“Scenes from every stage of her life”, this could possibly suggest the actress’ timeline of her life and how she has altered and grew older throughout her work on and off of stage. However this could also suggest that the women is near the end of her life and is in fact reflecting on what she could have done differently. Sheers references to other films that the actress has played a role in and uses a metaphor “as if he’s just caught her”. This could possibly suggest that the actress is reflecting back on her work and is actually trying to imitate what she did when she was younger. It could also possibly show how Sheers is trying to create a sense of happiness as the actress was happy back then

Lets the dog in, puts the cats out”. This could possibly show how different a dog and cat is as dogs stay in at night whereas cats are out at night. However this use of opposites could possibly suggest how the actress feels trapped in her own home as she always has cameras on her therefore it could suggest irony as they dog and cats imitate her life and how it has changed throughout the years.

AMS- Accuratley represented in the drama how women were represented as- but women do have some power such as Sue and Kate

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The singing men

Society- Homeless people, vagrants and drunks- not able to fit into society The singing then becomes a  metaphor or their souls, the elements that make them different or unable or unwilling to function in the world of work and human relationships.

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Comments

AgnessW

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Thanks for the helpful stuff. I delved into the study of the poetry of Los Angeles and I would also like to recommend that you get acquainted with Carlos Angeles on https://blablawriting.net/gabu-by-carlos-angeles-essay , which, undoubtedly, will allow you to collect a complete picture of the writers of this direction.

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