A Compare and Contrast Essay Evaluating a Series of Monologues by Alan Bennett and the Monologue: Loops of Peaches.
In this evaluation I will be comparing a series of monologues from the Talking Heads series by Alan Bennett and Loops of Peaches by Koolking. Playing Sandwiches is about a paedophile who gradually reveals aspects of his life that at first seem irrelevant, and it is only later in the monologue that we realise the significance of these minor details. The character does not realise that he is ill. He has a sexual passion for children which he does not realise they do not share. He truly believes that the children covet a sexual encounter - "It's what I thought she wanted".
In Loops of Peaches, the character is an emotionally troubled insomniac. She realises this, but does not realise that Caz can never return her love. The reader does not know whether she knows her sexuality, but it becomes progressively clearer that she does not feel attracted to any of the male characters - "They"re all bastards" and feels very close to Caz - "I care about her". This is revealed gradually, as it is in Playing Sandwiches.
In Bennett's: A Cream Cracker under the Settee, the monologist has chosen to incorporate a rich and diverse continuum of emotions to enhance the narrative. The character in this piece, therefore, has much fluctuation in the sentimental content. There is a range of ways in which the character can talk about an event. Facial expressions and vocal tones are just two examples of variables that can be altered according to the nature of the speech, be it an angry demand, ("Hey! Get out. Go on. Clear off. You little demon."), rhetorical questions, ("Would you credit it?") or a fond reminiscence, ("all ready for bed sat in front of the fire with my long hair still"). Sighing is also major indicator of emotion in the piece, and as with the voice, the tone of the sigh tells the viewer/listener the exact mood of the character.
