Use Of Distinctively Visual Techniques In The Shoe Horn Sonata

1053 Words5 Pages

(1st Slide) Distinctively Visual Distinctively Visual ideas in text have the power to provoke reactions from the responders. The elements of characterisation, dialogue, stage directions and dramatic techniques, cause responders to question the notions of normalcy, and challenge them to think and visualise in new ways. (2nd Slide) The shoe horn sonata by John Misto is a highly evocative play which explores the up-to-then largely forgotten history of female prisoners of the Japanese during WW2, by looking at the stories of two characters, Bridie and Sheila. Misto has effectively incorporated a wide range of language techniques both visual and auditory, which create powerful images in the responders’ mind to achieve distinctively visual ideas. …show more content…

Since their first encounter, their relationship sustains them through indescribable deprivation with their strong resilience. In Scene 6 Sheila is shown a tobacco tin and claims to not remember giving it to Bridie for her Birthday. The tobacco tin symbolizes friendship and loyalty, as she gave up her only dinner to Bridie. The stage directions tell us ‘it’s obvious she remembers’. Bridie then looks at Sheila with sudden and desperate affection, while Sheila tries to resist the force of this emotion. Bridie is shown embarrassed at displaying how much she still cares for her, which reinforces the viewer’s perception and lets them distinctively visualize how close they really …show more content…

Both nurses and civilians were victims of terrible mistreatment and cruelty during the traumatic war. Being demanded to kowtow during tenko in Scene 1 transports the responder into visualizing the past action. In Scene 3 Bridie’s monologue in the distinctively visual image of the TV studio displays a recollection of the Vyner Brook being strafed with an image of Japanese shooting at life boats and the deck, while more people die from breaking their necks by jumping off the deck with inappropriate life jackets. Misto uses irony with the image of the WW2 navy life jacket, showing the object out of context, letting the viewer use their imagination and visualise the dead floating bodies next to the sinking ship, killed by these presumed life-saving