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ENGLISH LITERATURE
DNA
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Key Themes | Violence Responsibility Good and evil Human beings and animals - different/similar Morals/morality Choices Law and order Power Control Leadership Bullying Gangs Teenagers Victim Responsibility |
| Key Characters | Leah Phil John Tate Adam Brian Cathy Richard Danny Lou Mark and Jan |
| Whole Text Messages 1 | Modern Society is dysfunctional. Violence is infectious. Power is corruptive. The view for the future is negative. |
| Whole Text Messages 2 | Bullying is destructive. The view for humanity is bleak. Human behaviour is ruled by consequence not by a sense of what is right or wrong. |
| Cathy's character/personality | violent, selfish, immoral, cruel. without remorse, lacks intelligence |
| Methods use to present Cathy | stage directions, dialogue, reactions of other characters |
| Cathy's role in the play | a symbol of selfish and sinister violence. She is the leader at the end which suggests a bleak future. |
| Quotes About Cathy 1 | "Better than ordinary life." (about Adam's death.) "Cathy was on the telly. She's like a celebrity." "They might give me money." |
| Quotes About Cathy 2 | "Cathy: I threatened to gouge one of his eyes out."(About Adam when she finds him alive living in a hedge.) "Brian: She loves violence now." |
| Quotes About Cathy 3 | "Phil looks to Cathy. She nods." (implies she will kill Adam with a plastic bag.) "Cathy doesn't care. She's too busy running things. She cut a first year's finger off." (End of the play.) |
| Quotes About Cathy 4 | "Pause. They all stare at Cathy." (when they learn the police have matching DNA.) "You told us to get DNA evidence. We got DNA evidence." (About framing the postman.) |
| Key Vocabulary | bullying collective responsibility cruelty DNA gangs individual responsibility morality nihilism playwright society stage directions sociopath torture |
| Symbol: DNA | DNA is a frequently occurring motif in the play. Leah explores how a small change in DNA can mean the difference between highly sociable behaviour and aggression and violence, using primates as examples. Phil demonstrates an in-depth understanding of how |
| Symbol: Food | Food is a recurring symbol around the character of Phil. In the first three parts, he is seen eating, and appears to be more focused on his food than on Leah. When he finally shares some food with her, at the end of part three, it is too late and she stor |
| Symbol: The wood | The wood becomes a symbol of the primitive violence which the gang slip into. It is where Adam is bullied and ultimately killed, and where secret plans are made. Here, characters can exhibit the darkest sides of their personalities. |
| Power and status - The leader | There are constant shifts of power within the group. John Tate starts off as leader but it is Phil who comes up with a plan and controls the others. |
| Power and status - Cathy | Cathy discovers that violence and the threat of violence gives her power. |
| Power and status - Phil | Phil exhibits power over Leah by refusing to speak to her. |
| Speech and Silence - In general | Speech within the play is colloquial and often disjointed, bringing a feeling of realism to the action. Often words or phrases are repeated for emphasis or to re-introduce or explore an idea. |
| Speech and Silence - Leah | Leah has long chunks of speech which explore some of the central themes of the play - she is the most eloquent of the characters. Phil uses silence to exert power over Leah. |
| Speech and Silence - Phil | Phil's speech is calm and factual when he does speak, giving him status within the group. |
| Speech and Silence - Adam | Adam's speech is unusual and has a lyrical quality to it, demonstrating his alienation from the rest of the group. |
| Violence and Cruelty - In general | Events in the play are initiated by an instance of bullying which escalates into violence. Many characters threaten each other with violence to manipulate or control. |
| Violence and Cruelty - Leah | Leah experiments with violence, killing a pet and threatening to kill herself, to get Phil's attention. |
| Violence and Cruelty - Cathy | Cathy becomes increasingly fascinated by violence, and seems to show no remorse for her actions. |
| Violence and Cruelty - Phil | Phil is consistently cruel to Leah, refusing to talk to her and barely reacting to her requests for attention. |
| Happiness - Leah | Leah is fascinated by the idea of happiness and the concept that it is a social responsibility - to be unhappy is not "normal". |
| Happiness - some characters | Some characters seem to become more happy as their involvement in events becomes more tangled - they enjoy the drama and the feeling of sharing a secret. |
| Happiness - Danny | Some characters are desperate to protect their happiness - for example, Danny is terrified that his plans to become a dentist are being sabotaged. |
| Happiness - Brian | Brian is made desperately unhappy and eventually becomes mentally ill because of the events in the play. |
| Individual and Collective Responsibility | The characters form a gang which enables them to shift responsibility for their individual actions - instead, they are acting together and no-one feels individually responsible. |
| Individual and Collective Responsibility | Not all the characters feel able to shy away from their responsibilities. Leah leaves, Brian becomes mentally ill and John Tate finds religion as a way of assuaging his guilt. |
| Individual and Collective Responsibility | Phil asks whether it is more important for the individual or the collective to be happy - this is a complex moral question which invites us to explore how we function as a society. |
| Language Techniques | chorus colloquial contrast emotive language fillers (spoken language) foreshadowing irony juxtaposition metaphor persuasive speech rhetorical question repetition simile |
| Power and status - The gang versus Adam | The gang exert power over Adam, making him perform ridiculous tasks until things become out of control. |
| Dennis Kelly | Author of DNA |
| 4 | Number of acts in DNA |
| John Tate | Character: -The leader of the group in Act 1 -Uses threats of violence to control people -Feels guilt about Adam and tries to find redemption -Never finds out Adam survived -Ineffective leader and struggles to control or organise group |
| Phil | Character: -Highly intelligent and manipulative - always in control -Cold and sadistic - no emotional intelligence -Always eating -Rarely talks-observer/ calculating |
| Leah | Character: -Mental health issues - no self esteem -Constantly talking - speeches are subtext for the group -Only character with empathy and emotional intelligence -Manipulated by Phil |
| Danny | Character: -Sensible and ambitious - middle class dreams -Selfish - only joins group for protection and only cares about himself -His dream is ruined by survivors guilt -Shows some morality -Would sacrifice the gang for his own benefit |
| Brian | Character: -Mental health issues -Verbally and physically abused by gang -Moral but afraid to tell the group -Very emotionally fragile - mental state deteriorates as the play progresses |
| Adam | Character: -Goes through torture to try and be a part of the group -History of bullying -Catalyst for the events of the play -Head injury makes him vulnerable |
| Richard | Character: -Stands up to leaders -Sarcastic and puts down other gang members -Takes on Leah's role in the field |
| Cathy | Character: -Leader of the group in Act 4 -Thug and a sheep -Self centred and has no empathy or remorse -Follows orders -Enjoys Adam's death |
| Lou | Character: -Pessimistic -Loyal to whoever is in charge - sheep -Low down in the group hierarchy |
| Jan | Character: -A chorus character - comments on things that happened off screen -Street smart -Does what she's told - sheep -Tries to avoid blame for Adam's death |
| Mark | Character: -A chorus character - comments on things that happened off screen -Higher in group hierarchy than Jan but fills her in on things -Shoplifting shows lack of morality |
| Power | Theme: -Phil manipulates Leah -Leader of gang has power over everyone |
| Bullying | Theme: -Gang sadistically torture Adam -Phil forces gang (especially Brian) to do what he wants -Cathy cuts a kids finger off |
| Morality | Theme: -Group cover up a murder to avoid getting in trouble -Cathy frames the post man -Brian wants to tell the truth |
| Guilt/regret | Theme: -Danny has survivors guilt -John Tate seeks redemption -Leah hates what happened |
| Mental health | Theme: -Leah has low self esteem and kills Jerry -Brian goes insane and is put on medication -Adam's head injury leaves him mentally deficient |
| Nihilism | Theme: Phil justifies his plan by saying it helps the most people |
| Social Darwinism | Theme: -Brian and Adam are 'weak' and fall behind -Cathy rises to the top (and Lou) |
| Sheep | Theme: Someone who follows whoever the think is in charge without thinking for themselves - Lou, Jan, Mark, Danny, Cathy to begin with |
| Monologue | Device: -In each field scene Leah goes on and on, but quickly moves on to different topics -Phil's plan |
| Real talk | Device: Characters don't talk in complete sentences, they overlap each other and swear to recreate how teenagers talk |
| Juxtaposition | Device: -Phil and Leah are very different characters -A lot of the gang members contrast each other |
| Act 1 scene 1 | Scene: Mark and Jan have a conversation which mainly consists of the word 'dead'. Jan can't believe it ('what, dead?') |
| Act 1 scene 2 | Scene: Leah and Phil are in a field. Leah talks about identity, feelings, friends, self esteem and fear. Leah tries to draw Phil into the conversation but remains silent |
| Act 1 scene 3 | Scene: Introduces the gang. John Tate struggles to maintain calm and a power struggle takes place. They explain what happened to Adam and Phil reveals his plan |
| Act 1 scene 4 | Scene: Leah and Phil are in a field. Leah talks about chimps and bonobos which is a metaphor for the group('Chimps are evil'). Leah tries to get Phil's attention first by strangling herself then by talking about bonobos' sex lives, both attempts fail |
| Act 2 scene 1 | Scene: Mark and Jan have a conversation('He's not going in'). Mark knows more than Jan showing their social positions. Jan again can't believe it ('Is he insane') |
| Act 2 scene 2 | Scene: Leah and Phil are in a field. Leah talks about global warming and the fragility of life. She reveals that she killed Jerry but doesn't know why, showing her mental health |
| Act 2 scene 3 | Scene: The gang find out that a man has been arrested for Adam's 'murder'. Cath reveals that she framed a post man and is unbothered by an innocent man spending the rest of his life in prison because of her actions. |
| Act 2 scene 3 | Brian says he isn't going into the police station but agrees to when Phil threatens him with death ('You'll land on Adam's corpse and you'll rot together') |
| Act 2 scene 4 | Scene: Leah and Phil are in a field. Leah talks about déjà vu and wonders whether she has the ability to change the world, for the first time she stands up to Phil. ('Well I do') |
| Act 3 scene 1 | Scene: Mark tells Jan that Cathy has found someone in the wood, again creating mystery for the audience. Only 3 people know of this which shows fractures in the group ('You and me. And Cathy for the moment') |
| Act 3 scene 2 | Scene: Leah and Phil are in a field. Leah foreshadows her leaving by bringing a suitcase but then talks about how the group has changed. |
| Act 3 scene 2 | Leah stops trying to engage Phil and instead implies her dislike of him ('as long as you have your waffle, who cares') |
| Act 3 scene 3 | Scene: The group find a traumatised and injured Adam who has been living in the wood since his fall and describes what happened to him since. |
| Act 3 scene 3 | Phil sends most of the group away before showing Cathy how to suffocate someone with a plastic bag, it is implied but never revealed that Cathy then murders Adam. Leah protests but Phil's cold heartedness and cruelty means he ignores her |
| Act 3 scene 4 | Leah and Phil in a field, there is no dialogue. Phil shows his only affection to Leah in the whole play, Leah storms off as she can't deal with what the group did |
| Act 4 scene 1 | Jan and Mark talk about someone moving schools. It isn't said but it is clear that they're talking about Leah |
| Act 4 scene 2 | Richard and Phil are in a field. For the first time Phil isn't eating. Richard talks about the stars and universe, before revealing what happened to the gang. Phil has obviously been withdraw from the group for some time. |
| Structure | Act 4 does not follow the same pattern that the first 3 do. This shows that things has fallen apart for the group and everything has changed, there is no longer order |
| Proper dead, not living dead | Act 1 scene 1 Jan Shows Jan's disbelief. 'living dead' refers to teenage slang for being in trouble Themes of death, teenage speak |
| What are we going to do | Act 1 scene 1 Jan Show's Jan's reliance on others and inability to think for herself Themes of sheep, hierarchy |
| The fear that everyone lives in, the brutal terror | Act 1 scene 2 Leah Could be referring to effect of the gang, or wider social-political events Themes of fear, power |
| You're a bit... You're... | Act 1 scene 2 Leah Leah is afraid to criticise Phil showing the power he has over her Themes of power, friendship |
| Do I disgust you? | Act 1 scene 2 Leah Shows Leah's low self esteem/that she doesn't trust Phil to like her Themes of mental health, friendship |
| We need each other | Act 1 scene 2 Leah Show's Leah's commitment to Phil and hence manipulation of her Themes of control, trust, friendship |
| Screwed | Lou's catchphrase Shows Lou's pessimism and teenager's attitudes to giving up Themes of teenage speech |
| I don't think Richard's- | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate John is bothered by the idea of a threat, showing his insecurities and weaknesses as a leader Themes of leadership, loyalty |
| I can't get mixed up in this. I'm gonna be a dentist | Act 1 scene 3 Danny Danny's only worried about himself and his future not anyone else Themes of selfishness, cowardice, dreams |
| New rule; that word is banned | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate Can't maintain control and has to resort to stupid, childish measures Themes of leadership |
| I'm gonna hurt you, actually | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate Leads through threats of violence. Empty and vague threat Themes of leadership |
| He's on Richard's side | Act 1 scene 3 Cathy Stirs confrontation showing sadistic nature. Idea of 'sides' shows lack of unity in group Themes of conflict |
| You crying little piece of filth | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate Demeans Brian despite him being in the gang, showing Brian's powerlessness Themes of bullying, power |
| I think we should tell someone | Act 1 scene 3 Brian Risks humiliation by group to suggest the logical and morale solution Themes of morality, intelligence |
| John Tate places a finger on her lips. She is silent. | Act 1 scene 3 Stage directions Show's John's power over people outside the gang Themes of power, control, fear |
| We were just having a laugh | Act 1 scene 3 Mark Trying to justify actions against Adam to avoid trouble Themes of torture, trying to escape trouble |
| Adam was laughing harder than anyone | Act 1 scene 3 Mark Show's Adam's compliance as he wanted to be a part of the gang Themes of compliance, power |
| That's when I went home | Act 1 scene 3 Jan Jan's attempt to remove herself from the worst aspects of what happened Themes of escaping trouble |
| Dead. He's dead | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate John contradicts himself by saying the 'banned' word, showing his ineffective leadership Themes of leadership, death |
| What do we do | Act 1 scene 3 John Tate Hands over power to Phil and seeks help Themes of power, leadership |
| If everyone keeps their mouth shut we should be fine | Act 1 scene 3 Phil Cold heartily covers up Adam's 'death' and 'we' shows loyalty to the group by including himself and helping them Themes of morality, cold heartiness, injustice |
| Chimps are evil | Act 1 scene 4 Leah Metaphor for the inhuman, animalistic behaviour of the group Themes of morality |
| Our understanding of ourselves would be very different | Act 1 scene 4 Leah Suggets humans made a choice to be bad and base actions off of animals Themes of morality, behaviour |
| You're amazing. You're unreal | Act 1 scene 4 Leah Shows Leah's admiration and devotion to Phil Themes of control, friendship |
| Empathy. That's what bonobos have | Act 1 scene 4 Leah Gang are like chimps not bonobos so lack empathy, unaffected by what they did to Adam Themes of morality, empathy, animalistic behaviour |
| Leah gets up, sits next to Phil | Act 1 scene 4 Stage directions Despite Leah's efforts, Phil beat her by doing nothing, showing he has control over her Themes of control, power |
| Shit | Act 2 scene 1 Jan Shows how quickly Jan has come to rely on Phil's plan. More extreme from 'God' Themes of teenage speech, sheep |
| Are you happy? | Act 2 scene 2 Leah Shows how much Leah trusts Phil, implies Leah isn't happy Themes of friendship, mental health |
| It's us that's the anomaly | Act 2 scene 2 Leah Shows Kelly's view of life through Leah Themes of pessimism, humanity |
| It's Jerry. I killed him | Act 2 scene 2 Leah Shows Leah is unstable and seeking attention. Makes the audience think of Tom and Jerry which creates a more emotional response Themes of manipulation, mental health |
| He's the man who kidnapped Adam | Act 2 scene 3 Lou Believes their own lie Themes of morality, sheep |
| We showed initiative | Act 2 scene 3 Cathy Tries to be smart and it backfires, causes rest of the play Themes of sheep |
| I'm not going in | Act 2 scene 3 Brian Defies the group for own benefit, shows decline in mental health Themes of mental health, insanity, morality |
| If you don't help us we'll kill you | Act 2 scene 3 Phil Declarative, shows control of group, not an empty threat like John Tate makes Themes of control, violence, morality |
| Well I do | Act 2 scene 4 Leah Opposes Phil and stands up to him for the first time Themes of control |
| Cathy found him in the woods | Act 3 scene 1 Mark 'Woods' suggests wild behaviour Themes of primitivism |
| You and me. And Cathy | Act 3 scene 1 Mark Shows the fractures in the group as they break apart Themes of friendship, power |
| You're not going to stop me are you | Act 3 scene 2 Leah Finally realises that Phil doesn't really care about her Themes of manipulation, control |
| Omelettes and eggs as long as you've got your waffle | Act 3 scene 2 Leah Phil is selfish and doesn't care about consequences Themes of selfishness, power |
| Considers for a long time, opens his mouth to answer. Stops | Act 3 scene 2 Stage directions (Phil's response to Leah 'How do you feel?') Phil lacks emotional intelligence Themes of intelligence, mental health |
| Do you ever feel like the trees are watching you | Act 3 scene 3 Brian Synaesthesia-Brian's brain no longer processes information correctly Themes of mental health |
| If he comes back our lives are ruined | Act 3 scene 3 Phil Selfish as he cares about himself rather than Adam's wellbeing Themes of selfishness |
| Who, Brian's or Adam's | Act 3 scene 3 Mark Makes jokes about "friends'" mental state, lack of care Themes of morality, bullying |
| Nods to Mark. They go | Act 3 scene 3 Stage directions (Jan's response to Phil telling them to leave) Shows that they're sheep as they do as they're told without question Themes of intelligence, sheep |
| What's more important; one person or everyone? | Act 3 scene 3 Phil Phil's use nihilism to justify actions Themes of nihilism, selfishness |
| Yeah. I do | Act 3 scene 3 Cathy Cathy is willing to let Adam die Themes of murder, violence, sheep |
| We used to take the piss, remember | Act 3 scene 3 Leah Adam was bullied in the past Themes of bullying |
| He's dead. Everyone thinks he's dead. What difference will it make | Act 3 scene 3 Phil Disregard for life, uses hard logic. Shows cruel and cold nature Themes of cruelty |
| Phil puts his arm around her | Act 3 scene 4 Stage directions The only affection Phil shows Leah, he realises he's losing her and tries to draw her back in Themes of Power, control |
| Stares at Phil. Storms off | Act 3 scene 4 Stage directions (Leah leaves the field) She doesn't have to speak to convey feelings unlike before. Breaks from Phil Themes of freedom, power |
| Moved schools. That's what people are saying | Act 4 scene 1 Mark Idea of a wider world. Gossip spreads fast Themes of teenage speech, Freedom |
| Phil is not eating | Act 4 scene 2 Stage directions Phil was eating whenever he was with Leah. By not eating it suggests he actually cared about her Themes of power, friendship |
| Come back to us | Act 4 scene 2 Richard The gang is struggling without Phil's leadership Themes of sheep, power |
| John Tate's found God | Act 4 scene 2 Richard John is the only one to seek redemption for what he did Themes of regret, trauma, redemption |
| He says when they open their mouths sometimes it feels like you're going to fall in | Act 4 scene 2 Richard Metaphor for falling in the grille. Danny is traumatised by what he did and it ruins his dreams of being a dentist Themes of trauma, mental health |
| Brian's on stronger and stronger medication | Act 4 scene 2 Richard The group destroyed Brian and he's worse Themes of trauma, mental health |
| She's too busy running things | Act 4 scene 2 Richard The most psychopathic and cruel character benefited from the event Themes of power, control, cruelty |
| That's what they say anyway | Act 4 scene 2 Richard Doubts gossip. Doesn't fully fear the leader- like with John Tate Themes of power, gossip |
| Lou's her best friend | Act 4 scene 2 Richard Insignificant character rose through the ranks by following the leader Themes of power, friendship |
| Jan and Mark have taken up shoplifting | Act 4 scene 2 Richard "Street" characters have taken up a "gateway" crime - no morales Themes of morality |
| There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on Brighton beach | Act 4 scene 2 Richard He's started Leah's rambling showing the decline of his mental state Themes of mental health |
| Field scenes | Primarily Leah and Phil. Leah uses metaphors to talk about the group Beauty of nature, overarching theme is Leah and Phil's relationship |
| Street scenes | Mark and Jan. Use vague terms around other people and CCTV, showing their "street smarts". Location for chorus. Overarching theme is the events that happen off screen |
| Wood scenes | The gang. It's secluded and withdraw from society. It's where the animalistic behaviour and actions take place suggesting the animals habitat influences the humans in it. Overarching theme is the gang's actions |
Created by:
HJB1972
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