The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is categorised as modern realism. Write a paragraph explaining the characteristics of this style of drama and giving examples of how language is used in Act 1 Scene 1 in a way that is consistent with this style.  

Categorised as modern realism, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll portrays a very accurate idea of what life was like in Australia doing the 1950s. The play presents ideas on gender roles, social status and social expectations regarding marriage and relationships.

The play is set in an ordinary 1950s Australian home, and follows the lives of four average Australian men and women of the time. Through this setting, the audience is presented with a very typical household, thus allowing the play to be categorized as modern realism. The language used throughout the play further adds to the realistic nature of the piece. The characters also use quite colloquial language with plenty of Australian slang – such as ‘s’pose’ and ‘playn’’  - which further emphasizes the normal, day-to-day nature of the play.