The Reprimand By Jane Anderson Summary

Abigail Craffey

ENG 102

Robert Kellerman

16 May 2016

Fat Pig

The short play “The Reprimand” by Jane Anderson tells a story of a confrontation between two characters Mim and Rhona, who are co-workers. Work competition is not a new concept in today’s work. Just like Rhona and Mim, many individuals in the work setting undermine each other just to have that upper hand in their place of work. Rhona becomes the instigator throughout the play. This play perceives looks being connected to a performance in the workplace a major competition for validating an approval from their boss.

It all started when Jim was making the introductions in the beginning of the play and Mim said “Oh Rhona, why don’t you rake the bigger chair” (Anderson, 887). It then

But from what I’ve observed, I think – because you are an attractive woman – that he still uses you for window dressing. Especially when you’re working with me. You know what I’m saying? Mim: Well, if that’s the case, Jim is a jerk” (Anderson, 888). These quotes form the play show that Rhona is clearly very jealous of Mim’s appearance and her insecurity about her weight is becoming clearer. It also gives the reader and audience of the play the idea that there is a competition going on between these two characters. Rhona is making a reference to how beauty and appearance effects the way a male boss looks and treats his female employees. Rhona seems to make this comment a much bigger deal than it really needs to be. She acts as if she has power over Mim and accuses her of calling her fat, when really all Mim did was offer her the bigger chair in the room. It seems as if Rhona was just looking for something to attack Mim about, and the second the opportunity approached itself, Rhona pounced on it. Mim apologizes, but rather than accepting the apology, Rhona says the comment was distracting and rude for the whole room and also may have costed them the project. Now Rhona is just attacking Mim and making a much larger deal about the situation than need

“Fat Pig” is the last two words that are spoken at the end of the play by Mim after she hangs up the phone. That comment is the biggest form of passive aggressiveness that I can see in the play. Mim had been being nice while Rhona confronted her and then all of a sudden, her tone changed at the end and all she had to say were those two nasty words. Rhona wants to instigate Mims anger about the situation so it doesn’t seem like her fault anymore. While on the other hand, Mim really seems like she doesn’t want part in any drama and she also refuses to take the bait about the