The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Write a paragraph in which you compare the attitudes of Pearl and Olive to relationships as seen during Act 1.

Do you think the audience is positioned to agree with either character? If so, how is this achieved through the aesthetic features of the play?

Make specific reference to the play and include two quotations, one within a sentence and one which is separate.

Throughout Act 1 of the play, Olive and Pearl are presented as having very different attitudes to relationships. Olive is introduced as a very easy-going woman who is not affected by society’s perceptions or expectations. Olive prefers to ‘laugh every time [people] look down their noses at [her]’ (p.9). Rather, Olive is portrayed as valuing the decency of and individual – regardless of their marital status or occupation - instead of basing her judgments of others on whether they conform to social norms or not. This is clearly conveyed when Olive is defending her lifestyle and relationship with Roo to Pearl stating, ‘I’ve never come across anything more decent in my life’ (p.9). Through this argument, the audience is positioned to view Olive as a woman who does not necessarily conform to society’s expectations regarding marriage and relationships. Olive prefers to have a good relationship with Roo when he can, and does not feel the need to get married.

On the corollary, Pearl is presented as being extremely concerned with society’s perception of her as a woman. Pearl values respectability and following an ‘order’ associated with relationships and marriage. This attitude is conveyed as Pearl finds Olive, Barney and Roo’s relationship with one another  ‘not a decent way of living’ because none of them are married (p.9). Pearl describes their life style as ‘not altogether…decent like marriage’ (p.9). Thus, Pearl is ultimately presented as valuing respectability over a good and loving relationship. She finds it more important to conform to society, rather than appreciate a relationship for what it is.

While it is not completely obvious whether the audience is positioned to agree with either character, in Act 1 in particular, Pearl is introduced as very negative and almost unpleasant in her judgment of Olive and her relationships with Roo and Barney. On the other had, Olive is portrayed as easy-going and independent as she appreciates a person for who they are, rather than whether they are respectable in the eyes of society. Thus, in act 1, readers are positioned to agree with Olive’s attitudes because Pearl is presented as a character that should be disliked, and therefore her views should be disregarded.