Hello (it's my first time here!) and this is my first draft essay on the title
"How important is Osborne's role in Journey's End?"
I just want to know how I could improve it and any other comments or advices would be very much appreciated. Thanks :)
How important is Osborne's role in Journey's End?
Journey's End, a play based on the author, R.C Sherriff, experiences, portrays the condition of the First World War. The characters in the play each symbolized different aspects or ideas different people had when facing the same situation in the trenches. In the play, Osborne's role is very important because he showed the feeling of calmness despite any conflicts that were going on. His reaction to the war, his relationship with Stanhope, and how he settled down the conflicts between other characters in the play supported this.
Osborne dealt with the war situation, the real physical conflict in the play, in a more mature way than any other characters. Besides from being the oldest, "about forty-five", and the most experienced, Osborne is married and has two children. He spent most of his free time in the trench reading "Alice in Wonderland" and he talked about "making a rockery" and gardening during his civilian life. This showed that he is rather a family man. Osborne said that he looked at the war in a "romantic" way; there is no point of looking at things in a "black sort of way" because everything will seem to be even worse for him. He seemed to be the one that spend the time in the trench usefully, at least more useful than Stanhope's "drinking" and Trotter's circle drawing. He joked around about the big attack with Hardy at the beginning of the play and about food with Mason throughout the play, not trying to be too serious about everything. This characteristic of Osborne makes the atmosphere of the trench better, not too serious and not too silly. There should always be the responsible and the in charge character in a play, and in Journey's End, Osborne is the one. Sherriff did this to make the play seemed real and right.
Osborne and Stanhope displayed a 'family' relationship throughout the play, showing the sweeter side of Stanhope. One of the admirable personalities of Osborne is the way he is loyal to Stanhope. While other officers, including Hardy, gossip about Stanhope habit of drinking and saying that Osborne should instead be the commander, Osborne clearly state that a guy like Stanhope "worth a dozen people like me". Osborne is the only character Stanhope trusted and feel free to talk to. Osborne cared about Stanhope very much, just like a member of a family, or "uncle". He helped Stanhope to go to bed after drunk and "takes the blanket and puts it over" Stanhope. Osborne always there beside Stanhope, despite the fact that he is also Stanhope's "second in command", to listen to Stanhope's feeling and making sure that Stanhope feels better and does not get too "tired". This is one of the importance of Osborne's role in the play because Stanhope alone seemed to be like a tough and strong guy, but when he was with Osborne, he showed his weaker side and his inner problems, including the fact that he drink to cope with the "strain". Without Osborne, Stanhope could be out-of-control, as shown after Osborne's death.
Osborne is the one who controlled and settled down the tension or conflicts between other characters, mostly between Raleigh and Stanhope. When Raleigh first arrived, Osborne helped Raleigh to settle down in the trench by talking about Raleigh's past and the relationship with Stanhope. Osborne even warned Raleigh not to "expect" his hero to be "quite the same" after three years here. Osborne broke the awkward "silence" during the first conversation between Stanhope and Raleigh to prevent any conflicts and changed the topic of conversation. Osborne always tried to persuade Stanhope to think of Raleigh in a better way, or at least "not as bad as" what Stanhope was thinking. As soon as Osborne disappeared, there was a conflict between Raleigh and Stanhope.
During the play, there were many conflicts going on, personal, physical, and between the characters. During any of this, Osborne managed to stay calm and in control, symbolizing a father figure centring the whole in the play. Without Osborne, the play can be too chaotic. Osborne's role is, in my opinion, the most important one in the play, because even his death is significant to the plot.
