The Letterbox

1. The Letterbox by Ann Marie Di Mambro

2. Genre: play The Letterbox is a short monologue. Themes: Domestic Violence Female Solidarity Child Abuse Denial Society Turning a Blind Eye Society as Judgemental

3. The Letterbox Significance of the title • It gives nothing away about the content of the play • This reflects the efforts of the protagonist to give nothing away to society about her situation. • A letterbox connects us to the wider world through mail. We cannot see the sender. Martha is sending verbal messages to Wendy loaded with significance about the complexities of adult relations which the little girl does not fully comprehend. She cannot see the whole picture. • In a letter you might have to read between the lines. In Martha’s spoken words you have “read between the lines” because she is not being wholly honest and we have to guess at Wendy’s words.

4. The Letterbox • “Jack and Jill” frame the monologue. • This device represents wider society • They contrasts with Martha’s plight. • Jack and Jill are happy, carefree stereotypical lovers. • However, the nursery rhyme itself is quite violent, but the violence is trivialised by the regular rhythm. • Violence in Martha’s life is not trivial, it is brutal, and her domestic reality does not conform to society’s expectation of the happy family.

5. The Letterbox • The husband is sleeping like a baby. • Is he oblivious to the impact of his actions? • Does he care? • Does he think it is his right to treat his family like this? • Does Martha think he has a right to treat her this way? • Is the author saying that Martha is responsible for her own plight? • What do you think? • Do some background thinking to support your understanding of the text.

6. The Letterbox Past Paper Question Choose a play in which one of the main concerns is injustice or cruelty or exploitation or betrayal. State the main concern * and go on to showhow the playwright deals with this concern in such a way as to involve your sympathies.** *Stating the main concern (the cruelty and injustice of domestic abuse) would be part of your introduction. Remember keep referring to ** throughout the essay not just at the end.

7. The Letterbox • Topic Sentences: • Open each paragraph with a key or topic sentence • Develop the point made in the topic sentence (try to either use a quotation or make close reference to the text in each paragraph) • Use a closing sentence that rounds off the paragraph and perhaps points the way to the next topic.

8. Possible Topic sentences and paragraph endings. • Our sympathies are immediately engagedwhen we realise that the young lovers have cruelly ignored Martha who is bleeding and in pain… • The range of emotions displayed, from stoical acceptance to straightforward tearfulness, keep the audience hooked and sympathetic to Martha’s plight … • The elipses used to depict Wendy’s side of the conversation invites audience participation. We must create a voice for this character … Being a child (and a child whose words we are actively creating) trapped in a terrible situation is enough to evoke sympathy in the audience.