Act Two

Act Two

Act Two

Setting and Introduction

• Act Two continues in the same location – the slab room of a carpet factory.
• Despite its restricted setting, the play continues to delve into the personalities, friendships, and resentments among the characters.

Characters

Phil

• Phil is shown as a tragic character in this act, troubled by his mother’s failing health and his impending rejection from the Glasgow Art School.
• His art portfolio is ruined by an errant bucket of paste, which deepens his frustration and desperation.

Spanky

• Spanky shows a lack of empathy towards Phil’s personal situation, revealing a more self-interest oriented facet of his character.

Mr. Curry

• Mr. Curry lets slip that Phil is unlikely to be promoted, further demoralising Phil and reinforcing the theme of despair, contrasted against his earlier optimism.

Lucille

• Lucille’s visit to the Slab Room is a significant event in this act, her presence inciting attempts to impress and flirtation from the boys.

Plot Development

• The plot develops around Phil’s growing desperation and disappointment with his life.
• The announcement of Phil’s impending rejection from Glasgow Art School and the ruining of his art portfolio symbolise his crushed ambitions.
• The exchange with Lucille injects a sense of adolescence and innocence into the narrative, even if the attempt to impress her is laden with defiance and refusal to conform.

Notable Themes

• The main themes explored in Act Two include desperation, loss of hope, adolescence, and callousness.
• The act explores the impact of broken dreams and limited opportunities within a working-class context.
• The interplay between humour and pathos – in Phil’s defiance, the boys’ attempts to impress Lucille and Spanky’s indifference – is a critical artistic device used by Byrne to enrich the narrative.