Bed Among the Lentils.

- Read the opening stage directions. What key information do we learn about Susan?

Susan is reconised as the "vicar's wife" in the stage directions. This suggests that Susan is seen as merely an object or possession of someone else. It states that she is "thin and nervous and probably smokes" which instantly makes the reader reflect and question why this is, which is intriguing and encourages the reader/viewer to continue to do read/watch.

- What does Susan's language reveal about her age, social class and attitudes?

Susan's language for the duration of the monologue is complexed and descriptive. This gives the impression that she is well educated and traditional. This image created by the reader is supported by the information received through the stage directions, when it is expressed that Susan is a "vicar's wife." By using language such as "(a) pang of sympathy" lives up to the expectations, set by the writer, of how a vicars wife is assumed to act.

- Which techniques has Bennett employed to make this sound like spontaneous speech?

Bennett employed fillers and side comments in the monologue to make it sound spontaneous. This is because Susan is assumed to be saying her thoughts and feelings in the moment that she is thinking/feeling them. By using side comments such as "you can say that again" gives the effect that Susan is being conversational towards the reader. She is also adding extra sentences which don't carry any information needed for the reader to know more about Susan or how she feels. This shows the monologue is spontaneous as she is unaware of what she is going to say next.

- Identify any moments of humour and explain what makes them funny.

- Identify any moments of pathos (sadness) and explain what is significant about them.

Towards the end of the monologue on film, Susans voice starts to slur and stutter. She is sniffing and making the reader feel sympathy as she sounds as if she is about to cry. This moment of pathos is shown whilst Susan is speaking about Ramish and how he sold his shop. She shows signs of grieving and uses language to show she misses him. For example, when Susan says "She's old enough apparently" her tone changes from being steady and dull, to being higher pitched and slow.

- How does Bennett hint or foreshadow future events in the narrative?