Journeys End by RC Sheriff - How does the Opening Grab the Audience’s Attention? :: English Literature

How does the Opening of Journeys End grab the Audiences Attention?R.C Sheriffs Journeys End is a piece of First World War literatureand presents a realistic picture of life in the trenches as he hadknown it and a interpretation of the horrors from the war. It is setin 1918, and opens on Monday March 18th. It is placed in a dugout inthe British Trenches forwards St Quentin. It is a powerful playexpressing many different sides of the war from the death and fightingto the way the recruits spend their spare time. This play involves theC Company including a Company Commander and four officers. In Act 1scene 1 the previous caller-out has had a quiet posting with only unsteady snipes and the German troup movements are just starting.The opening is one example of the way R.C Sherriff has tried to makeit fun as well as stern. He opens with insolent singing a song, One andTwo, its with Maud and Lou, which also shows that some parts areunrealistic and not showing a war the way we on the who le know a war to belike.The first two characters we are introduced with are Hardy and Osborne.Hardy is the incompetent, casual and good humoured soldier whichbrings the hilarity and wakeful hearted side of war to the audiencesattention. Osborne on the other hand is the opposite from Hardy. Hedisplays experience and discipline to the dugout. He is also veryfair-minded and level headed. In this scene they introduce Stanhope tothe viewers but they have conflicting views on him. Hardy quotesStanhope really is a freak showing he doesnt have a positiveopinion on Stanhope. Whereas Osborne quotes in his favour Hes a longway the dress hat company commander weve got. With the contrast in viewsand the appearance of Stanhope yet to be seen is making the audiencequestion What is Stanhope really like?.During the conversation between Hardy and Osborne were told that theyare expecting a new officer, from Osborne saying, I hope were luckyand get a youngster straight from school. Theyre the kind th at dobest. There is also a question over The Big Attack which we areyet to be knowledgeable about. This is known because the conversation,the big German attacks expected any day now I should think youllget it right in the neck between the two officers tells us so, whichkeeps us interested to find out more.This play is a slice of real life with documentary realism. It has allthe right parts to it from the comic of Hardys jokes to the