PHIL

• [Beginning- PASSIVE]

  "PHIL eating an ice cream"

  "No answer"

  • Stage directions show Phil's disengagement-> The constant prioritisation of objects that lack significance or are relating to food shows Phil's selfish and careless nature even during such difficult and uncertain times for the group.
  • His incessant eating can create the image of being at the cinema and eating snacks- this represents how Phil finds the struggle and immorality of the group as a form of entertainment showing his corrupt personality at the start.
  • dramatic silence-> deception- purposefully ignorant towards the immorality that he has shown.
  • passive consumerism
• [Middle- DICTATORIAL/ VIOLENT/ IGNORANT]

  "You go to Adam's house, you wait until his mum's out, you break in"

  The repetition of "you" shows us his own lack of involvement in the plan. Reiterates his selfishness. Although the plan is to 'benefit' the whole group, his purposeful exclusion shows us that ultimately, he only prioritises his own well-being.

  The imperatives reiterate his adoption of dictatorial traits. These are problematic as they do not allow the group to feel as though they are able to decline further involvement in the plan.
• CONTINUED...

  Phil doesn't want to be involved in case they get caught-> Phil potentially sees himself as superior to the group-> Phil's lack of involvement in such an immoral plan makes him unethical.

  Phil's immorality is shown as a way for Kelly to show how society needs to intervene and the model positive behaviours.
• "He bends down. Picks up his Coke. Starts to drink his coke."

  Inconsequential action (anticlimactic)- after sharing such a detailed and specific plan, the fact he retorts back to food shows us that he is desensitised to violence as he is desensitised to violence as he is not concerned by the severity of what his plan involves. Phil reiterates Kelly's concerns that teenagers have become desensitised to violence.
• "But PHIL just walks away"

  Another inconsequential act from Phil- after implicitly telling Cathy to kill Adam, thus further descending to immorality, Phil does not action his plan or stay to observe. This reiterates his careless nature.
• "If you don't help us, we'll kill you", "we'll take you up the grille, we'll get you by the arms. By the legs. We'll throw rocks at you."

  Plural pronoun "we'll"- manipulative and direct.

  "We'll"- togetherness/ group. Phil's language outcasts Brian and makes him feel scolded and alone - this would force Brian to do as Phil says because he will feel vulnerable and alone, like he does in society.
• "You and Cathy are going to play a game. With Adam."

  Phil is trying to make it seem as if the situation is just a 'fun' game even though everyone else knows that his plan isn't a 'game'. He's trying to get Adam out of the way. This reiterates that even though teenagers know what the right thing is, but they struggle to do it.

  Phil is discussing murdering Adam in order to avoid facing consequences for his initial death. By describing it as a "game", Kelly reiterates his concerns that teenagers are desensitised to violence.
• CONTINUED...

  By reforming to it as a game, it could be argued that this was Kelly's way of criticising the modern day gaming industry developments which praised violence and murder. This reiterates, the impact that video games have on teenagers as we see Phil suggesting to murder instead of helping.
• [End- PERHAPS REMORSEFUL AND CONSUMED BY GUILT?]

  "PHIL is not eating. He stares into the distance".

  Kelly juxtaposes Phil's actins at the end with his actions throughout the play- he has 'lost' his appetite and is no longer excessively eating as a way of representing that he now realises the severity of his violent and immoral actions however it is now too late. There is a sense of hopelessness with they way he is "staring into the distance" almost reminiscing he could change his past acts.