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The theme of Freedom in; Philadelphia, Here I Come! By Brian Friel -…
The theme of Freedom in; Philadelphia, Here I Come! By Brian Friel
Freedom of movement
- Gar has total freedom of movement
- Gar is emigrating from Ballybeg to Philadelphia showing us how much freedom of movement he has
- In the opening of the play we see a joyful Gar singing 'Philadelphia here I come' emphasing his joy to freely move yet at the end of episode I he sing the same song much more 'limply' , by the end of Episode II his trepidation leaving home is highlighted by increasing anxiety
- Freedom of movement is a great source of joy for Gar
- His anxiety is expressed as frustration towards his father: 'in a whispered about' he says, 'Screwballs say something! Say something, father!'
Freedom of expression
- There is a Public and Private Gar, this is done to show the lengths which people go to in order to avoid their feelings
- 'Public Gar is the Gar that people see, talk to, talk about' whereas 'Private Gar is the unseen man, the man within, the conscience, the alter ego, the secret thoughts' - Brian Friel
- There are no laws or rules in Ballybeg that prohibit Gar from freely expressing himself yet the community he lives in expects him to behave in certain ways which inhibit his freedom
- Example: when Gar's father asks Gar about the mouse trap, Gar only responds with: 'Aye' and S.B. further says he 'didn't catch as many about the year' and the conversation limps along. Private Gar instead is seething at the utter banality of the chat 'Priceless! Beautiful! Delightful!... Did you ever hear the beat of that?...'
- A lack of freedom of expression characterises the family meals as the people feel pressure to say what is expected of them
Freedom to rebel
- Gar struggles to express his freedom to rebel in a coherent manner
- this can be seen when Kate pays a visit to Gar, while Kate is affectionate and wishes him well, Gar is immodest: 'Very likely. That's my plan anyhow'. Gar then proceeds to see Kate's visit as an opportunity to get one over her and speaks to her ' a shade louder than necessary'. Gar's rebellion towards Kate is emasculating for him, making him appear like an immature young man
Freedom to fall in love
- There is freedom to fall in love in the play, there are no apparent restrictions yet to marry someone isn't as easy
- when the 'boys' visit Gar on his last night in Ballybeg, they attempt to sound like experienced romancers of women: 'the blondie thing I seen at last Mass on Sunday'
- Gar O'Donnel and Kate Doogan enjoy the freedom to fall in love althought their love will end in failure
- The couple planned to be engaged by Christmas and married by Easter but Gar must obtain Kate's farther's blessing
- Gar isn't as wealthy as Kate and needs to obtain more money to marry her, although her father is aware that Gar wants her hand in marriage ultimately Gar leaves as he believes her father will not accept the marriage
- In Ballybeg, the only limit to the freedom of love if the ability to pay for love.