gulpand gasp

zahurenabdkadir/saser/2011

GULP AND GASPBY JOHN TOWNSEND


SYNOPSIS

This is a melodrama about a villain, Lord Septic who is greedy for more power, money and fame. He is even capable of committing murder to get what he wants. He owns the railways and is after the Gatsby gold. Crouch, Lord Septic’s manservant is a big bully. Rose is a damsel in distress who meets Percy, the hero. They fall in love and he rescues her from a bloody death at the railway tracks. Later, Percy learns he is the heir to the Gatsby gold and is known as Sir Percy. Lord Septic loses everything.


THEMES

Pride goes before fall

Greed is destructive

Justice and equality


Pride goes before fall

Lord Septic was very arrogant with his wealth. He would do anything to get what he wanted. He was very greedy and wanted more even though he owned several railways. He was willing to kill to get what he wanted. In the end, he was arrested by the police.


Greed is destructive

Even though he owned a railway station, Lord Septic plotted to get the Gatsby Gold. He was not satisfied with what he had. He wanted more. His life was ruined in the end because he was arrested by the police for trying to kill Rose and Percy.


Justice and equality

The truth came out and Percy obtained his right. He was the heir to the Gatsby Gold. Justice was finally revealed. On the other hand, the evil Lord Septic was arrested because of his crime.


MORAL VALUES

One should be humble about one’s wealth and fame.

We should be sensitive to people’s feelings.

Downfall of man due to his greed for power, money or fame.


SETTING

An empty train stationA cold foggy night


PLOT

EXPOSITION / BEGINNING

CLIMAX

RESOLUTION

The two villains are introduced at the railway station, plotting a devious scheme.

Percy and Rose plan a future together and the police come for the two villains.

Rose is tied to the railway tracks and the rumbling of an approaching train is heard.

Lord Septic slams Percy against a locker. Percy recovers and runs off.

Lord Septic orders Crouch to tie Rose to the railway track to kill her.

Lord Septic hits Percy on the head.

Rose threatens to expose Lord Septic’s criminal behaviour.

Rose, a blind flower girl enters to sell flowers and is roughly handled by the two people.

Train screeches to a halt.

Lord Septic slams Percy against a locker. Percy recovers and runs off.

Rose helps Percy unravel the mystery of the NSL initial on the key he has been wearing around the neck.

They recover the Gatsby Gold which is rightfully Percy’s.


CHARACTER

Rose, the damsel in distress


CHARACTER

Percy, the hero


CHARACTER

Lord Septic, the villain


CHARACTER

Crouch, the bully


Rose, the damsel in distress a very loving daughter her mother was sick and Rose needed money to pay for her medication. was willing to sell flowers until late at night to get some money

ROSE


ROSE

Gentle-hearted I’ll take that as a no, then. (pg 70)

Yes, sir, do buy a sprig of heather for a penny. It may bring you good luck. (pg 71)

Caring of mother But, I can’t go home till I earn a few coins. My mother is so sick and I must pay for the pills that will make her well. (pg 72)

Sensitive and sympathetic

How very sad. You poor boy. (pg 76)

Perhaps your luck will change tonight. (pg 76)

I wish I could help you. (pg 77)


ROSE

Able to stand up for herself

It’s because of you I’m blind. It’s because of you my mother is so ill in the slums. It’s because of you I have nothing. (pg 79)

Until I tell my story. It’s time I told the Evening News about your cruel ways. (pg 79)

Intelligent ‘Percy! Oh Percy! It was Percy!’ – She was able to connect the story of Lady Gatsby to Percy. (pg 84)


a caring man helped Rose and told Crouch off for bullying her did not mind sharing money with Rose if he had any later, when he found out about his inheritance, he decided to give money to Rose for her eye operation and her sick mother.

PERCY


PERCY

Caring You need someone like me to look after you. Someone to take you home and put you in water. (pg 75)

You poor girl. You can’t see, can you? (pg 75)

Positive I say, it’s not that bad! It might be sunny tomorrow. (pg 73)

Romantic A pure white rose! Then let me pick you and hold you under my nose. (pg 75)

I think it already has. I just met you. (pg 76)

This morning I was nobody but you have made me a somebody. Now I have all I need. (pg 91)


PERCY

Generous If only I could give you some money. But all I have is my railway ticket. (pg 76)

Able to stand up for others

Have you no shame, man? It’s time I gave you a bit of your own treatment…it’s time to tell you what’s what! (pg 77)

Ensures that justice is served

I told the guard on the train to call the police. (pg 87)

It’s the last day of your life of crime. You’ll soon be behind bars when we tell the world. (pg 89)

My price is JUSTICE! (pg 90)


LORD SEPTIC

Nasty, cruel, villain ..And nothing will get in my way. (pg 66)

…tie her to the railway track. I can hear the midnight express. (pg 80)

The Grim Reaper has a ticket on the midnight express! Ha, ha. (pg 82)

..the Gatsby Kid? I threw it away in the litter bin. (pg 84)

Arrogant No one speaks to me like that. (pg 79)

Just try and stop me! No one ever tells me what to do. (pg 80)

Takes advantage of others

I only married her for her arms. (pg 68)

Lord Septic didn’t pay us. He didn’t keep the matches safe because it would cost him money. (pg 75)


LORD SEPTIC

Sadistic Tell her to go or I’ll throw her and her flowers under the midnight express ..(pg 70)

Ambitious, power crazy

…Power. Money. Fame. (pg 84)

More! I want more, Crouch. I need it. I long for it. I’m mad for it. I’ll kill for it. (pg 64)

I will get more ideas on getting rich. Filthy rich. Thick, black, and oily. (pg 66)


CROUCH

Bully, villain Shut up. Clear off. Get lost. (pg 70)

Who cares? (pg 72)

Now get out of here and keep this platform free of filth … of vermin…of scum. (pg 72)

Cruel, sadistic If you haven’t gone…you and your flowers will be pulp under the next train. (pg 73)

Grovels for a living Most sorry, sir. Very sorry, sir. Really sorry, sir. (pg 66)

And you always want what you get, sir. (pg 64)

Even more greedy, sir. (pg 64)

I bet that’ll cause a bit of a stink, sir! (pg 68)

Killer trains must run in your family, sir. (pg 82)


LITERARY DEVICES


IRONY

• Lord Septic thinks he will become even richer when he gets the Gatsby gold by gaining possession of the railways. But he ends up with nothing when he is arrested for his crimes and Percy proves to be the rightful heir to the fortune.

• The only things I ever give away free are nose bleeds! - This is an ironic statement as Percy uses the blood from his nose to turn his long-johns into dark red. Then, when he places it over a gas lamp, it shines dark red. The train driver thinks it is a stop light and stops the train on time before it runs over Rose.


SYMBOL

• The names ‘Septic’ and ‘Crouch’ are symbolic of the characters. ‘Septic’ means contamination with bacteria and Lord Septic is like a ‘contaminant’ to all who come into contact with him. crouch, the manservant, is a grovelling bully and the name is symbolic of his ‘crouching’ in obedience to Lord Septic all the time.

• The railway tracks are symbolic of Lord Septic’s path to fame, fortune and power.


ALLITERATION

• It’s a freezing, filthy, frosty, foggy, foul night.

• …to plot more plans.

•You are dim, daft, dopey, dozey and dippy.


FORESHADOW

• The part if the drama where Percy tells Rose about his past and the

key around his neck is a hint about a future incident, which is Percy’s

realisation that he is the heir to the Gatsby Gold.


IMAGEY

• It’s a foul and filthy night ; This fog is so thick. I can’t see a thing

out there – give the image of a dark, cold and gloomy night

• Filthy rich. Thick, black and oily. – gives the image of wealth

attained through cruel and unethical means


FLASHBACK

• It’s just like many years ago. I stood right here as my father tied

Lady Gatsby to the same track.


REPETITION

• …the man who runs…the man who will soon…the man who’s

wrecked….

• It’s because of you….it’s because of you my mother….it’s because

of you I have….


PUN

• Not those arms. She owns a gun factory.

•…a big strike at the match factory?

•… a shorter working wick…I think you mean WEEK…

• Good knight!....Good night!


COMPARISON

• Killer trains must run in your family, sir – makes a comparison of

Lord Septic and his father as killers with trains that kill if one is

caught in the track


ONOMATOPOEIA

• snap them like twigs…crack them like nuts…pop them like pods


FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

•IDIOM

• filthy rich – thick, black and oily; a pain in the neck; key to my

heart; nick of time

• SIMILE

• It’s a thick pea soup;….like thunder…like a dragon coming to slay

the damsel

• METAPHOR

• A pure sweet rose! Then, let me pick you up and hold you under my

nose! …put you in water.


PERSONAFICATION

•… like a dragon coming to slay the damsel – the train is personified

as a person about to kill another

gulpand gasp

Education

rose rose

lord septic slams percy

lord septic hits percy

evil lord septic

lord septic orders

irony lord septic

percy recovers

names septic