Vincent Minh Bui, Ms Novacowski, Standard English

Part B Scene Analysis

Act II Scene XIII
1. Scene XIII of the Shoe Horn Sonata opens with its two protagonists, Bridie and
Sheila, recounting their incarceration as World War II drew to an end. The two
women recall how the Japanese and later the British attempted to eradicate all
evidence of camp life by burning any diaries. The Shoe Horn Sonatas thematic
concern of Truth and Honesty is ubiquitous throughout the play but is particularly
prominent within this scene. Scene XIII is a particularly prominent example through
which Misto condemns the official concealment of the wartime experiences of
women in Japanese captivity.
2. The projection of images typically corresponds to the dialogue throughout the play.
For instance within Scene XIII on the screen we see a photograph of the atomic
bomb that destroyed Hiroshima the infamous mushroom cloud. This is followed by
a photograph of the devastated city. These images of the mushroom clouds
following the nuclear explosions at Nagasaki and Hiroshima are symbolic of World
War IIs end when peace was declared and hostilities ceased. These images provide a
stark contrast with Bridies and Sheilas recount, because for them the war had not
ended and it was business as usual and more and more women perished every
day. We are therefore enriched with the understanding that war is a destructive
force that continues to have a physical and psychological impact on individuals well
past its end.
3. Sheila and Bridie recount the final days of their captivity, where one morning they
were forced to march up a hill where they believed they would be shot by an
execution squad. The women were relieved to find that the squad was actually an
army band, whereupon they played The Blue Danube Waltz On the soundtrack we
hear the beginning of The Blue Danube by J.Strauss. It continues throughout the
following speeches Mistos use of The Blue Danube Waltz relieves the enormously
tense atmosphere leading up to the climax. The upbeat and triumphant tone of the
music induces a joyous mood, all that the women, after being imprisoned for years,
are psychologically and spiritually free from captivity and war.
4. The British asked if they could borrow our diaries they didnt want anyone to
know about us so they burned our diaries. Every last one.
This particular excerpt from Sheilas account is integral to the framework of the play,
highlighting the plays thematic concern of Truth and Honesty through which the
authorities are attempting to conceal the truth and construct their version of it. The
passage allows us to look beyond the experiences of the female P.O.W.s at the wider
social and political context that has allowed their experiences to pass
unacknowledged. Moreover the passage compels us to question the way our history
is constructed and communicated.

Vincent Minh Bui, Ms Novacowski, Standard English

5. John Mistos ability to broach a contentious and unfamiliar topic with a

contemporary audience can be attributed through the integration of projected
images, dialogue, and music. This seamless approach allows Misto to recreate the
wartime experiences of female nurses, effectively propagating meaning to an
audience and eliciting from them a powerful response.
For instance, the plays thematic concern of Truth and Honesty is examined within
scene. This excerpt from Sheilas account The British asked if they could borrow our
diaries they didnt want anyone to know about us so they burned our diaries.
emphasises the actions of the authorities in attempting to conceal the truth and
construct their version of it. The passage allows us to look beyond the experiences of
the female P.O.W.s at the wider social and political context that has allowed their
experiences to pass unacknowledged. Moreover the passage compels audiences to
be openly critical of the way in which history is constructed and communicated, and
also to question the concept history is written by the victors.
Furthermore the scene examines another of the plays concerns War and Atrocities.
For instance within Scene XIII on the screen we see a photograph of the atomic
bomb that destroyed Hiroshima the infamous mushroom cloud. This is followed by
a photograph of the devastated city. These images of the mushroom clouds
following the nuclear explosions at Nagasaki and Hiroshima are symbolic of World
War IIs end when peace was declared and hostilities ceased. These images provide a
stark contrast with Bridies and Sheilas recount, because for them the war had not
ended and it was business as usual and more and more women perished every
day. We are therefore enriched with the understanding that war is a destructive
force that continues to have a physical and psychological impact on individuals well
past its end. Furthermore it allows us to reflect on the disgusting way in which
human beings treat fellow human beings in wartime situations.
In this regard, the elements of dramaturgy in Mistos Shoe Horn Sonata are
undeniably instrumental in recreating the experiences of female nurses. In
recreating their experiences, we are driven to criticise the authorities in omitting
their experiences from the official accounts. Moreover, we are led to reflect upon
degenerate behaviour and treatment of individuals during war, and also upon the
physical and psychological suffering that individuals can undergo long after a wars
end.