Symbolsand+motifs


 * ~ **Symbols - things that stand for something else** ||~ **Motifs - recurring themes** ||~  ||
 * < ** ‘BOLD’ ** – different meanings for different characters. **//Brave, bright, self assertive, sexually forward, impudent, daring//** ||< **Moon** – lunar is female. Eclipse is symbolic of female revealing truth ||< **Birds** – freedom/escape nurturing ||
 * Food/drink** – man always fed first. A symbol of male control/ power over the women and shows the paternalistic community they have to live in ||< ||< ||
 * < **Michael’s picture** – at first an object of worship based on a lie about a brave “IRA soldier” then the focus of all the anger as he is shown to have had the “lying head taken off him” ||<
 * Knife** – destroys things (Nora’s fabric etc) but also reveals truths/forces people to pay attention/look **// ‘a wee bit of the hard truth’ //** ||^  ||
 * < **Clothes** –
 * < **Clothes** –

Red dress. Cassie wore it to meet Michael / lent it to Marie who kept it not knowing its history.

White mini dress – Marie wore to get married in. Catholic symbol of virginity and chaste, submissive wife to be.

Kitten knickers – repressed sexuality and wants/needs of lonely widow but who is afraid to try and fulfil them (unless drunk) as she has a local status to maintain (war hero’s widow) and cannot be seen (or be allowed by IRA and community) to undermine his memory. ||< ===== **Nora's Peach fabric** – hides the outside world from view.When Deidre cuts it up it foreshadows the revelation of secrets in Scene 4. ===== ||< **Colours**

Red – passion fire anger blood lust warning

Grey – streets of Belfast – dull boring

White – virginal

Blue – Michael’s car – the colour of Protestants || ||^  ||