Download characteristics of relationships in away with answers

Characteristics of Relationships in Away
In order to complete this task, choose one (or more) characteristic of relationships from each of the
following relationships in Away. Please feel free to focus on other relationships which you consider
important, simply add more rows. For each relationship describe whether it is functional or
dysfunctional. In some cases the relationship may start out as functional and become dysfunctional
or vice versa. Provide quotes / techniques to back up your point and in the last column feel free to
elaborate and to explain your ideas in more detail.
Please add to the table as we continue to read through Away.
Characters
Characteristic of
Relationships (i.e.
communication,
honesty, abuse,
blackmail, etc.)
Functional /
Dysfunctional
Roy and
Coral
Blackmail,
Dysfunctional
threatening,
miscommunication,
lack of
understanding, she
is not meeting his
expectations of
her, lack of
empathy
Quotes and
Techniques
(sound, music,
lighting, language
techniques,
dialogue, etc.)
Roy: “Let’s get
home.” Coral: “I’m
hot.” (Dialogue, p.
12)
Roy: “I’m getting
sick of this act.”
Roy: “I don’t need
a break with you.
I’m not wasting
time and money if
you’re going to
waste your time
staring at people.”
Roy: “Just let me
speak. You ignore
people.”
Coral: “You sent
him away.” (says
this about Rick but
the hidden
meaning is about
her son, therefore
Rick serves as an
extended
metaphor)
Coral and
Good, open
Functional/Dysfunctional Rick: “But I get
Explanation /
Elaboration
Coral doesn’t
acknowledge
what Roy is
saying. Roy
expects Coral
to act
“normally”
but she
cannot due to
her emotional
grief over the
death of her
son. Roy cares
about his
reputation
and how he is
“seen”
meaning that
he tells Coral
that she is
letting him
down. This
relationship is
dysfunctional
as they do not
communicate
well and Coral
is living in her
own world,
separate to
Roy who must
deal with
reality.
Coral and Rick
Rick
Harry and
Vic
communication,
trust,
misunderstanding
(he wants a sexual
affair, she wants a
replacement for
her son), genuine
care and concern,
honesty (Rick) /
dishonesty (Coral)
Faithful,
compassion, open,
good values (don’t
care about money)
(good communication
but misread signals)
Functional
excited when I
know it’s time to
see you again.”
Coral: “We like
each other.” (p.
38, Open
communication,
miscommunication
– open about
feelings but also
just
misunderstanding
intentions)
Dialogue
Coral: “You sent
him away.” (says
this about Rick but
the hidden
meaning is about
her son, therefore
Rick serves as an
extended
metaphor)
Symbolism – “As
the storm subsides
there is darkness…
the light becomes
warm and
intense.” (stage
directions,
ellipses) The
warmness and the
intensity is
symbolic of their
mental and
physical strength
and their strength
of their
relationship as
well as the
warmth of
emotions and
unbreakable
relationship
between them.
Harry to Tom: “It’s
for her. Let her see
you’re having a
good time.”
make each
other happy.
Particularly
because Rick
reminds Coral
of her
deceased son
who was
conscripted to
the Vietnam
War where he
died. They use
each other as
a temporary
escape, filling
in gaps in their
lives. He is
unhappy in his
marriage and
is turning to
Coral to help
him feel
better about
this.
Their
relationship is
functional
because they
show respect
and love for
each other
and their
feelings. They
will lose a son
quite soon
and try to
make the best
of the
situation.
Harry and
Tom
Trust, care and
concern, masking
of the truth, love
Functional (mostly) but
one dysfunctional aspect
is the hiding of the truth
about Tom’s leukaemia
Harry: “He won’t
know… He mustn’t
be afraid.”
Harry: “We love
you a lot.”
Vic and
Tom
Tom and
Meg
Meg and
Gwen
Gwen and
Jim
Honesty /
dishonesty
(masking of the
truth),
misunderstanding,
Trust, care and
concern, masking
of the truth, love
Functional (mostly) but
one dysfunctional aspect
is the hiding of the truth
about Tom’s leukaemia
Trust, he likes her
(positive
emotions),
sympathetic
Poor
communication,
negative emotions,
lack of
understanding,
concern
Functional
Suggests that he
should bulk up a
bit.
Dysfunctional
Meg: “But your
head is killing
you.”
Gwen: “I’ll have a
Bex before bed.”
(Bex motif)
Lack of
communication
(she will not let
him communicate
with her),
understanding (he
understands what
she went through),
compromise,
acceptance (he
accepts her faults),
Vic: “It won’t be
much of a
Christmas either. I
wish I could get
you a bike.”
Tom: “I won’t have
to lie.”
Vic: “You can act,
we all know that
now.”
Dysfunctional
Gwen: “You watch
your tongue girl.”
Meg: “Tell me why
you deliberately
let that box
down.”
“Please don’t be
hard toward your
mother.” (Jim to
Meg as Jim has
seen the hardships
that Gwen has
suffered)
“Your mother’s…
plans are for all of
us.”
Harry is
worried that if
Tom knows
that he is
going to pass
soon that he
will not enjoy
his final
moments.
Vic yearns to
give her son
more but she
cannot due to
financial
concerns. Vic
is worried that
if Tom knows
that he is
going to pass
soon that he
will not enjoy
his final
moments.
she’s demeaning
and stubborn, she’s
ignorant, arrogant
and naive
Gwen and
Vic
Meg and
Jim
Honest, love, good
communication,
trusting, open,
positive emotions,
friendly, respectful
Functional