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The Kitchen Play Analysis

Decent Essays

The Kitchen, unlike most plays, doesn’t have a particular storyline to follow and no direct narrative, however, the play includes individual character stories, overlapping with other characters. It is clear to see from the text that the serious aspects of the play are contrasted with the predictable. For example, abortion is a strong theme in the play, and we are made aware by Cynthia after Winnie collapses, that four or more of the waitress have taken the pills to assist in a termination – ‘she took pills that’s why. And I’ll tell you something else – there are four other girls here who took the pills. There four of them!’ This is juxtaposed as we are already aware of the affair between Monique and Peter and so to find out that she has already had three abortions, it is inevitable they were Peter’s children. Also, the fact that there are three other girls, aside from Monique and Winnie suggests that the taboo subject of abortion is a topic of hot gossip during this time, creating a comedic effect with how fast the news of this spreads around the staff, despite the illegality of the time.

It is important to see that the evolution of women’s rights from the time of the play with the second wave of feminism and Betty Freidan’s Feminine Mystique. Women were encouraged to think more about their general way of life, the ownership of their own bodies, being able to take responsibility for themselves and to regulate this as they see fit as they become more and more

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