A Taste of Honey How does Shelagh Delaney present the changing factors of Jo’s character? Essay

In this essay I am going to be sounding at the play a taste of honey and looking at the factors of Jos character. This play was written in 1956 the writer Shelagh Delaney was only a teenager when she wrote this playHelen and Jo are stick and daughter and they live in tatty flats. Helen meets a man named peter and they get married. Helen leaves goes to live with peter. Jo meets a male child who is in the navy. They spend Christmas together Jo gets pregnant and the boy leaves. Jo meets another boy called Geof and they set up home together. Geof is bisexual. Helens marriage breaks up because peter goes off with a younger woman. Helen comes back to and moves back in and get disengage of Geof and he leaves and then it is nonplus and daughter againIn the play Jo is the main character as she is always present in the play. In the play Jo meets open who is the father of her child and she also meets Geof who is bisexual and they have a relationship, Jo also has relationships with her mot her Helen. Jo and Helen doesnt get on well with each other and Helen leaves Jo at home when she goes out in the play a lot happens too Jo her mother leaves she gets pregnant, she lives with a bisexual and her mother returnsThought out the play Jos character changes at the start Jo is critical as she says to her mother your knocking them back worse than ever she is capital and organised as she says I abominate to see an un-shaded electrical light bulb I will put my scarf around it, im not just talented im jeanious When Jo meets peter her character changes she becomes as she says shes jealous she says this because she is jealous of her mother. Jo becomes quarrelsome when she says I fannyt bear to see me being affectionate with anyone Jo also becomes annoying. When her mother Helen leaves Jo becomes resentful of her mother as she says you dont half knock them back these days this is her being resentful of her mother.Jo is also hurt as her mother has left her when she says you equival ent to leave me but she says this because she does not want here mother with her because she has hurt her. When her mother leaves she also feels un chicaned by her mother. Jo changes again when she meets Jimmy she becomes flirtatious when she says I love you and when Jo says I cant resist myself. Jo also becomes coy when Jo says its my school fille complexion and anything might happen Jo also likes wariness because she did not get any love of her mother.Jo also says to Jimmy you enjoyed it as much as I did she says this because she is getting the attention she wants. Jo character changes again when she meets Geof she becomes overbearing my calling him a big sister. Jo also becomes cynical itll always be number one by itself and becomes frightened when she is heavily pregnant, she is frightened when she says I dont want this deflower I dont want to be a woman. When Jos mother Helen comes back she gets rid of Geof this is when Jo is in labour and becomes less assertive when she s ays are you coming back Jo becomes resigned by baby will be back she becomes less assertive when she cant argue back when she is in labour.Shelagh Delaney uses hammy devices to show the changes into Jos character, the first one I am going to write close is affair and fights that take place between all characters thither are quarrels between Helen and Jo there is also quarrels and fights between Jo and Peter. When Jo physically attacks peter this is because he is taking her mother away from her. Helen and Jo have had another argument about Helens engament to peter. There is also conflict between Helen, Jo and Geof when they argue about the care of Jo. When Helen and peter are about to split up there is argumentss between them. It is to avoid conflict that Geof leaves to avoid conflict as he is precise selfless.In the play there is a lot of contrast there are love scenes juxtaposed with quarrels with Helen and Jo Helen and peter and which Jo and Jimmy where they say Will you marry me and I love you and Helen shows love to Jo why dont you lie down which is another love hate relationshipIn the play there are two very different people Jo is frightened, Critical, Determined and insecure Helen is Selfish, bossy, neglectful, and disorganized.There are also 3 different men who visit the flat they are Peter who drinks, insults, and is homophobic Geof who is bisexual, caring, supportive, and hard working and finally there is Jimmy who loves, immature, persuasive, and reliable.In the play there is a use of harmony and dance, each character is introduced with some music can suggest aspects of there character the music gives a surreal effect and can help gives the time gaps in the playUse of dramatic unities is clear unity of place is shaven when everything in the play is in of near the flat people visit the flat, and leave. The only person who stays in the play the whole way thought is Jo.The unity of time is clear when in the play everything happens in a year Jo move s from a school girl to a working loving partner into a loving relationship to a parent.The unity of action is shown when the play comes full cycle. It is cyclical that Helen and Jo are alone in the flat and the cycle of deprivation continues but there is a new life on its way. Jo mirrors Helen in that they have both a failed relationship.In the play the use of language reveals the factors in which cause Jo to change there are insults between the characters. There is also a use of expletives like loco Bitch and little bastard and sour faced old bitch. The educated language of Helen shows her using impressive vocabulary like when she says The only polish I can find in your immediate presents is your ultimate absents. Jimmy also has an educated language as he has knowledge of Shakespeare.The social conclusions straightforward aspects of Jos character. Poor housing is clear in Jos character Jo lives in a small 1 bed-roomed flat and it has a shared prat with the other flat. The flat is in Manchester and it is by the ship cannel which is polluted the flat is also by the gas works which smells, this means that the cost of housing in the area is low. Helen has a low income as she is a prostitute and Jo has 2 low paided jobs. Geof has a student grant from the government and he makes clothes for the baby as it is cheaper than buying them. Helen is a prostitute she properly became a prostitute because she might have had no money and she also had a child to support.