"Everythin' I told her was true"
Olive believes that Pearl's view of the lay off was a
mis-judgement caused by the fact that it "was all different" this year.
If she could have seen "just somethin'" of the way it normally was,
she would have understood.
Do you agree with Olive? Support your view with evidence from
the text, including two quotations.
You might consider the following in making your decision:
• In what ways is
this year different?
• Is Olive's view
of the lay off supported by anyone else?
• Why did Nancy
get married?
• What does
Johnny Dowd have to say about the house?
Make sure that you provide an argument with evidence. Post to
your blog before Monday's lesson.
In the play, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Olive believes that Pearl’s view on
the lay off-season was a misrepresentation because it was different. In Olive’s
mind, it has always been the four of them, but now things have changed. Roo
supposedly had a bad back and left the last cane season. Barney’s girl, Nancy
has move on, she got married. Nancy is a silenced character in the play,
however it is most likely she moved on because she wanted the male-female
relationship society wanted for her. She didn’t want to only have “five months
of heaven” (P9). Olive doesn’t seem to understand that the relationship she has
with Roo and Barney may come to an end because of Nancy leaving. However, her
mother, Emma, was sure of the fact. “Olive’s a fool…” (P86), she has fantasised
about the last sixteen years and it was inevitable to change. Barney and Roo
support the idea of lay-off season in the old boarding house, however, they
soon realize things are changing when Johnny Dowd comes into the house and has
quite a realistic and truthful attitude towards the house. “Funny thing. I
imagined this place pretty often. Oh, of course I’ve never been here, it’s just
the reputation that’s been built up among the boys. I reckon you could say its
almost famous up north.” (P66). Olive has a fatal flaw that leads to the demise
of the seventeen-year relationship; holding onto the past has made it hard for
her to move on. She refuses the marriage offered to her by Roo and the breaking
of the dolls plays a significant roll in understand that they relationship is
over. The representation that Pearl saw was an old boarding house with no fun
or games because in the play, everything was different this year.
