Cloud Nine: dramatic climax

Cloud Nine: dramatic climax

Dramatic Climax

Act 1 Climax:

• The climax in Act 1 arises in the scene of Harry’s farewell party, where several suppressed desires and tensions come forefront.
• The sequence of events at the party successfuly highlight each character’s struggle with their identity and sexual repression enforced by Victorian-era societal norms.

Lin and Victoria’s Relationship:

• Lin and Victoria’s relationship reaches its climax in Act 2 when they perform a ritual act of ‘lesbian’ bonding using the doll from Act 1.
• The act symbolises their personal liberation amidst a heavily subdued and conformist society.

Edward and Gerry’s Tensions:

• The tension in Edward and Gerry’s relationship builds upto its climax when Edward decides to submit fully to Gerry allowing his complete domination.
• This climactic point brings out the patriarchal norms of power dynamics still prevalent in modern society, despite its seemingly liberated facade.

Clive’s Outburst:

• Another high point in the narrative comes when Clive fails to control his family and his world, leading to an outburst.
• His failure to maintain the ‘mask’ of calm and control unveils the deceit inherent in constructs of male dominance and oppression.

Family Picture Scene:

• The climax of the text is arguably also represented in the final ‘family picture’ scene where the characters drop their societal masks, encapsulating the theme of liberation from the confinements of identity the text collectively works towards.

Instrumental Scene:

• The staged orgasm scene where Betty, played by a man, performs an orgasm on a stage is an essential climatic point.
• The act exposes the deep-seated notions about female sexuality and the unspoken truth of its performance in everyday societal interactions.