Mitchem And Bamforth example essay topic

This essay is about a small English patrol of seven men in the Malayan jungle who all have very different personalities and who capture a Japanese prisoner; these two facts cause many conflicts between the characters. (The play is set mainly in a small run down hut which is a few hundred from a tin mine which is now deserted. There is a door with winders on either side looking out on the veranda and the jungle beyond. The hut has been stripped of everything of only value by the mine-workers before they fled-all that remains is a table and two chairs and also a form to the right of the room.) Mitchem is the sergeant in charge of the patrol. He has a natural authority which is first shown when he discovers Maceish and Bamforth out to fight and restores order quickly.

He controls Bamforth by using the sort of sarcasm Bamforth uses on everybody else. I've met your kind before. I've seen men who'd make breakfast out of muck like you go in the nick and do their time and come back so butter wouldn't melt in their crutch. Don't try and come the hand stuff with me son. It doesn't work. I'm up to all them tricks myself.

OK', Mitchems job is to make sure all his men do their duty and to keep them calm and motivated. When the men here the Japanese voices on the radio he attacks their fear by saying "You " ve heard one slimy Nippo on the set and now you " re having second thoughts then giving them brisk specific instructions. Mitchem doesn't like what he has to do 'It stinks to me to do for him. Come to that, the whole lot stinks to me! Johnstone is the one character we don't give any sympathy. He is corporal but he has little of Mitchems skill of handling people and uses brute fence to keep the patrol in order.

He hates the enemy, we see this when he treats the prisoner inhumanly 'it's a bloody nip', he tears up the prisoners family photographs. If he had his way the prisoner would have been evacuated. Mitchem and Bamforth are having little disagreements all the way through the play. Bamforth's ways seem to get to Mitchem and he is the one who keeps him in order. We see this when Mitchem says 'You got any suggestions Bamforth... ' Bamforth replies, "Only offering opinions".

Mitchem 'Well don't I bother. If we want opinions from you we " ll ask for them. Mitchem was very clever but stern way of talking against Bamforth because it is the only way he will listen. Bamforth see's Mitchem as one of the leaders probably not a mate of his.

But both men seem to have a certain amount of respect for each other. Mitchem disagrees with Bomforth when Bamforth wants the prisoner to have a share of the drinks for the, journey back to camp but Mitchem puts the patrol first 'as four as in concerned its these lads or him. ' Bomforth stands in front of the prisoner protecting him from the other patrol members. Bamforth really shows his anger for Mitchem when he doesn't change his mind. 'You " re a dirty bastard, Mitchem. None of the patrol members seem to like Johnson much but Bomforth is the one who dares to step out of line and challenge him a certain degree of respect, Bamforth only does when he has to.

An example of Bamforths attitude against Johnston is shown when he says under his breath 'Nit'. Johnstone hears hi and answers 'What was that' (knowing Bamforth won't repeat the sly remark), Bamforth then says 'Me, I only coughed' Bamforth doesn't repeat what he said because he is fairly clever and won't get into trouble if it isn't worth it. Mitchem tell Bamforth to watch it and be careful how he behaves and Mitchem adds 'Too true, lad. Watch it. Watch it careful.

I've had my belly full of you this time out. You Watch your step. Put one foot wrong, just one, I'll have you in the nick so fast your feet won't touch the ground. Just move out of line that's all'. Johnstone says this with authority making it clear to Bamforth he is at a higher rank than he is and it would be very foolish to mess with him. Bamforth then reply's 'You threatening me, Corp?' This shows Bamforth does dare step out of line and answer back.

Johnstone and Bamforth also have opposite attitudes towards the prisoner, They are arguing about the prisoners water when Johnstone says 'Theres no more buckshee's for the nippo, Bamforth' Bamforth then challenges him again by saying, 'I've warned you, Johnno', Don't overstep them tapes' (Bamforth is referring to the two stripes on his sleeve what make him lance corporal). Macleish would be prepared to fight Bamforth and loose his role as lance corporal than take trouble from Bamforth and not retaliate. 'Bamforth say's 'Ah shut up, you Scotch haggis. Dry up boy! It's not your fault, all corps are bastards, we all know that' This shows Bamforth has no respect for Maclish, it also shows his racist attitude. 'Macleish reply's 'As far as I'm concerned I'll jack the tape in tomorrow to drop you one, and that's a promise Bamforth'.

Macleish hates Bamforths racist attitude. When Bamforth says a racist word about the Scottish he adds 'Aw come off it son, Where I come from it's just a name'. Macleish replies 'It so happens, I don't like it'. Macleish is a good man who likes to stand guard, and mainly likes to just overhear the patrol's conversions. Bamforth and Maceish do share something in common though they both show sympathy for the prisoner. Macleish says to Mitchem towards the end of the play 'You can't just walk him outside and put a bullet into him'.

Evans and Bamforth have there moments of dispute, but also talk and get along from time to time; Evans's first line in the play is the question 'Can we have a drag, Serge?' This line tells us quite a lot about his character; He is fairly confident in front of his fellow privates through out the play but will only ask small simple questions to a man at a higher rank than himself. When Bamforth makes a comment about the Welsh, 'Very crafty boys these Taff, You " ve got to hand it to them' Evans replies 'Go on man' Bamforth then says 'Straight up. It's straight son. Got any fags have you, Taff?' This is typical for Bamforth; he is always using racist comments but can also say nice things about different cultures to get things out of people. Evan instantly knew Bamforth was after something, because it isn't his style to praise people in such a way. This shows both men are fairly clever and know each other quite well.

Evan's replies 'I thought you must be after some thing' (he then hands him a cigarette). That shows the two men can't be on bad terms with each other. In the end dispute about the prisoner Evans is friendly with Bamforth but disagrees with him. 'I reckon Mitch is right, you know. We couldn't get him back to camp, could we, boy? The nips must have a division between the camp and us'.

Bamforth replies how we would expect him to reply to any one who went against him, 'He wants to kill him you, you nit!'. Smith is a typical private; he often tells his fellow privates such as Bamforth or Maclish to be quiet (to Maclish) drop it, Maclish! He didn't mean any harm. He sticks up for Bamforth in this situation and tells Maclish who must be getting on his nerves. He will often comment against privates who are annoying him, but respect Mitchem.

Bamforth, Smith and Evans are friends but annoy each other all the time. They often talk about things that are nothing to do with war because they are all normal young men and don't want to be at war. Smith is English so Bamforth isn't raciest against him much. Smith is known as racist names sometimes as well such as 'Taff' or 'Jock'. It is no surprise that Whittaker ends up accidently killing the prisoner. He is very jumpy and very unprofessional.

Bamforth winds Whittaker up all the time. One situation is the radio conversation. Whittaker says he has a signal. This really winds him up.

Bamforth says "so w ots the use" after singing songs and winding him up. Whittaker replys "I got something through, I tell you" Bamforth says "that's your story, boy - stick to it". He later says "don't give us that, got through! You couldn't get through a hot dinner, my old son" Whittaker doesn't like a joke and won't ever, join in with Bamforth. Evans and Smith. Bamforth doesn't dislike him, he just enjoys winding him up.

Whittaker does talk to them about his girlfriend and they do listen and talk to about her, but Bamforths teasing doesn't stop, "dancing! Get him! He " ll be drinking beer and playing cards for money next. One of the biggest problems the patrol have is racism, Bamforth the instigator throughout the play. He has slang names against many different races and sayings and also some songs. The patrol would do a lot better if they could just forget their problems and work together.

Bamforth uses language such as "Cardiff Creep" towards Evans who is Welsh. Johnstone is also a problem in the patrol because he only cares about himself, he shows no respect for any one else and wants everything to go his way like killing the prisoner. We should have done him when he first turned up. He always has a negative attitude and must always be correct. All Mitchem wants is for his men to get out of the war alive.

The radio creates a lot of tension in the play. It worries the patrol a lot when they hear the Japanese. Mitchem says 'you " ve heard one slimy nippo on the set and now you " re having second thoughts. The sound effects and noises make the end of the play very dramatic.

At the end they hear machine gun chatter and when there is silence a bird cries out into the jungle this end the play brilliantly because it reminds us well, where the play is set..