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Analysis of the Cliff Scene in Willy Russell's Our Day Out Essay

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Analysis of the Cliff Scene in Willy Russell's Our Day Out The title of the play is 'Our Day Out' Willy Russell wrote it in 1977. He was born in Whinston Lancashire. He grew up in Knowsley; a model village set in the countryside outside Liverpool. Once Russell had qualified as a teacher he worked at Shortfields Comprehensive School in Liverpool where his experiences lead him directly into the writing of 'Our Day Out'. While it was written in 1977 its roots were firmly planted In Russell's experiences at Shorfields comprehensive. Clearly all the vital elements of Russell's play were implicit on the day trip for the remedial department at Shortfields. It …show more content…

While the children are on the trip they cause a lot of chaos and mischief. They do many things that they shouldn't be doing. They really enjoy the day though and don't want to go home. The trip and class frequently bother Mr Briggs throughout the play. Mr Briggs is not used to the type of children who are on the trip that he is supervising, he was asked to go on the trip by the headmaster. He teaches the children in the main part of the school who are more intellectual. The headmaster asked Mr Briggs to assist Mrs Kay on the trip as he thinks Mrs Kay is not capable and has the control to take the children on a trip. She is more like a mother or a friend to the children than the teacher she is meant to be. 'She always reminds me of a mother hen rather than a teacher'.

At the core of the play the contrast lies between Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs and their respective educational philosophies. Mr Briggs is more concerned that the trip, in which he had no part in organising, should be an educational experience for the pupils and is appalled both by her attitude and handling of the pupils. The characters are deliberately created as opposites. None of the other charters in the play are created in as much detail as Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs. The language used by the pupils in the progress class is clearly recognisable that they are from the inner city of

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