Vulnerability of the Elderly Depicted in the Play, A Cream Cracker Under the Settee

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In the play ‘A cream cracker under the settee’ I think the Alan Bennett is trying to convey a message about what old age pensioners are really like and what there thoughts are about modern life. The play was written in 1987 but the concerns of elderly people remain the same. The Play is focused on a woman called Doris. She is in late adulthood, widowed and lives by herself. Doris has no family or friends, she has been given a cleaner called Zulema by the council. Zulema comes once a week to clean Doris’ house. Doris was once married to a man called Wilfred but he died, she often talks to him or at least, his photo, and about him. In my personal opinion, I think Doris finds it easier to talk to Wilfred now he’s gone: as they had a very distant relationship, when Wilfred was alive. 'We're cracked, Wilfred'. I think that Alan Bennett inspires us to sympathise for Doris because she has a sad life, she had a miscarriage, never had any children, her husband died, and now she has no family and is extremely lonely. As a result of Wilfred dyeing, Doris now lives by herself. The only person Doris talks to isZulema(the cleaner). Zulema is often very patronizing towards Doris. I think that Doris’ relationship with Zulema is like a parent child relationship because Zulema is telling Doris what to do, and what not to do. Zulema looks down on Doris and she is also quite sharp with her as well. ‘For being on your own, for not behaving sensibly, for not acting like a woman of seventy-five who has a pace maker and dizzy spells and doesn't have the sense she was born with.' Doris doesn't think that Zulema does the cleaning very well and tries to do the cleaning herself. In my opinion Doris has brought the loneliness on hers... ... middle of paper ... ...lderly people are so isolated. I feel sorry for Doris because she has nobody to talk to and socialise with and is in extreme pain and nobody seems to care about her. Doris' P.I.E.S. needs are not been met. (P.I.E.S means physical, intellectual, emotional and social.) Doris' physical needs are not been met because she does not do any exercise and does not live a healthy and active lifestyle. I think if she is in so much pain she could undergo physio-therapy. Doris' intellectual needs are not been met because she is not doing any thing to help challenge her brain and keep it active. Doris' emotional needs are not been met because she cannot tell anyone her feelings and as a result is often upset and lonely. Doris' social needs are not been met because she has no friends, family and nobody else to talk to apart from Zulema who treats her badly.

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