A Taste of Honey Essay Example for Free

A Taste of Honey Essay A Taste of Honey is a kitchen sink drama, set in the late 1950s. It follows the volatile relationship of a mother and daughter, and the problems that they have to overcome. A Taste of Honey presents the harsh reality of what life was like for the working classes. The play explores a variety of controversial issues, which especially in the 1950s, only happened behind closed doors, and would have raised serious questions in society. In A Taste of Honey Helen is portrayed as a bad mother, she cares more about drink and men than her own child and there are several preferences to Helens alcoholism throughout the play. In a strict and traditional society, it would have been almost unforgivable for a teenage girl to have a child and raise it on her own as Jo ends up doing and Helen did before her. Racism also plays a factor in the play as the father of Jos unborn child was black and people felt very strongly about this sort of thing at this time, including Jos mother. A Taste of Honey shows an insight to the problems and strains that can be brought on by the above issues and those that the working class suffered. In the opening scene of A Taste of Honey you are introduced to Jo and Helens new flat. It is a run down, dingy, old place and is all that Helen can afford. The optimism that Helen carries is shown right away as when Helen first walks in she is optimistic about the situation by saying, Well! This is the place. Which shows she has quite an easy-going approach to life as long as she has the necessities in life. Jo then replies with, I dont like it, which straight away shows the conflict between the pair and how different their personalities are from one another. You can clearly see form the dialogue between the pair that Helen has never taken care of Jo properly, Jo: I dont owe you a thing, and Helen: Do you want me to carry you about? which is basically saying look after yourself. At this point Helen is already drinking and Jo says, You make me sick, in reference to her drinking, which shows that, she disapproves and that it sickens her. It also makes you ask the question, why does Helen drink? Jo also addresses her mum as Helen, this shows us that there is nothing maternal between the two and Jo obviously doesnt see her as a motherly figure. They also both talk to the audience in third person about one another saying things such as, Helen: Wouldnt she get on your nerves and Jo: Shed lose her head if it was loose, you cannot see an inch of respect between them and although some people dont always have a very good mother and daughter relationship there isnt a trace of any bonding or caring between them. However you do see Helen show a genuine interest in Jo when she sees how good her art work is, although as she stumbles upon it by mistake it shows the distance they have from one another as Jo has never shown her the work before and Jo is quite taken aback by the interest from her mother and says, Why are you so suddenly interested in me anyway? which reflects the lack of support that Jo has received. Though language, humor and sarcasm used between them you can see the lack of respect and their clear differences such as Helen being a lot more optimistic and wild to Jos more realistic and practical approach to life. You can see Helens wild side through her drinking problem, references to men, Handsome, long-legged creature just the way I like em, her outbursts of singing and the basic fact that she was obviously out doing her own thing when she should have been taking care of her daughter and not kicking her out of bed when she had male company! Also when Helen finds out that her daughter stole the bulbs she is happy and approves, this shows Helens true colours and how she goes about life; she doesnt mind taking things that arent hers as long as she gets what she wants. Helens life runs along the same lines as you only live once, as she lets nothing set her back and she also makes regular comments about death and doesnt look upon it as a big thing really. This contrasts to Jos comment in Act 2, scene 2 where she says, We dont ask for life, we have it thrust upon us. I think that Jos out look on life is that it is hard and unfair; she has always had to fight for her self as Helen has never been there for her, and so she doesnt expect the good things to happen in her life. Jo and Helens relationship about men in Act 1, scene 1 is also very strange, as Helen has clearly had many men in her life as when Peter is introduced Jo says in a very matter of fact way, Whats this one called? Jo doesnt seem to think of men as a necessary object in life and seems to think of men in a more romantic way than Helen and mentions love as well. However in Act 2, scene 2 she has Geoff and although she isnt linked to him in a romantic way at all she still likes the stability of a man looking after her in her life and would rather have a man than a woman present at the birth of her child. In Act 2, scene 2 where the birth of Jos child is looming, Helen isnt there but comes back before she has it and she shows a different approach towards Jo. Although she shows her true side by being nasty to Geof for no reason when she owes it to him to be nice as he has been taking care of her daughter, she does show genuine concern for Jo, How are you, love? and makes enquires about the birth and her pregnancy. She has also made an effort to buy things for the baby and seems to be a lot more motherly towards Jo now. This time round it is Helen making the effort to make the place look nice, and Jo doesnt seem to care about her living arrangements which is a mirror to the attitude of Helen in Act 1, scene 1. Helens effort that she puts into her relationship with Jo is much more motherly and dong things such as, stroking her hair, caring for her, also by saying things such as, well get morbid, this is showing a different side to Helen as in Act 1, scene 1, she is very open about death and talks about it on a regular basis. This is also ironic as she is usually the one that is being morbid, not Jo. Also by talking about the children outside shows a total change in character and you see the nice side of Helen. Whereas Jo seems to have turned more like her mum, by not really caring and expecting others to do things for her, such as Geof; although Jo is never nasty towards him. Although Jo and Helen dont get on with one another in Act 1, scene 1 and Act 2, scene 2 you can see the differences between them. In Act1, scene 1, Helen is very distant from Jo, which Delaney shows through the dialogue and language used between them. She also shows this through the use of talking in the third person, wouldnt she get on your nerves? However in Act 2, scene 2 she seems to be trying to come closer to her daughter, by taking an interest in her and just genuinely being more caring. You also see a change in character with Jo, who in Act 1, scene 1 Delaney portrays her as the parent, with her doing things such as cleaning, but by Act 2, scene 2 when she is about to become a mother herself she is more childlike, this can be shown through the stage directions of Jo throwing the pretend doll that Geof gets her because its the wrong colour. She acts like a spoilt child who comes across as ungrateful and shows no maturity in her at all. I think that in Act 2, scene 2 their relationship has progressed form Act 1, scene 1 as Helen is more of a mother figure towards Jo. However I dont think that they will have a good relationship, as Helen isnt very supporting when she finds out about the colour of the baby. When she is asked what shell do she replies, drown it, and she goes back to her old ways of drinking. This also suggests that she drinks to drown her sorrows. Also she leaves Jo on her own at a time that she needs her and there is some uncertainty about whether or not she is coming back. This sums up their relationship as one that is rocky and that there is no stability at all.