The Character, Beatrice in ' The Unity:1918' - Essay Example

The play axes on the 1918 ‘Spanish’ influenza and specifically, on a communicable epidemic in Unity, a minor, blinkered, countryside Saskatchewan town that purposes as a small-scale version of the integrated Canadian home facade. Kerr applies the ‘Spanish’ influenza literally, to remind audiences of the disturbing influenza virus that defense forces brought home in 1918, and figuratively, exemplifying the blowout of ‘war fever’ and Germanophobia to Canada. The town’s residents In Unity (1918), embrace martial dialect and prepare themselves to tackle the danger of the fatal virus, which they visualize as an overseas adversary, endeavoring to penetrate the township and devastate the inhabitants.

Beatrice Wilde, who has recently celebrated her 21st birthday, has a best friend known as Mary, whose soldier boyfriend that is out fighting the war only recently proposed marriage to her. At the same time Beatrice has been full of activity sending dozens and dozens of pairs of hand-woven socks to her Glen, her cherished fighter. The Spanish flu which is said to have mostly hit the young between the age of 20 and 30, is seen to be mirrored in Beatrice’s unfolding character due to the fact that she just turned 21.

The flu was mostly infecting people at this age due to the fact that, people at this age tended to go out a lot and hence interacted a lot with each other causing the flu to spread. Beatrice’s Hometown is seen to be a small close neat society with a small population. This is evident by the fact that she is seen to be conversant with almost everybody in her community. This play also tends to center around the young population in the community like Beatrice, her sister Sassy and her friend Mary.

Once the epidemic hits, almost everyone in the community is affected especially the youthful people in the community. Despite the disease Beatrice and other members of he community are seen to work together to try control the epidemic. This aspect of her life mirrors the way the Spanish Influenza hit small towns in Canada affecting almost everybody in the community and killing almost all young people in the community. However, these communities worked together to help each other in fighting the epidemic.

Beatrice also had a diary. Her diary records are seen to be the narrative’s cement she only occasionally becomes part of the action. As she weaves socks and keeps in touch with a her beloved soldier Glen she is also seen to show kindheartedness to Hart, a sightless returned soldier, whose alienated mortician father was deceased prior to beginning of the play. This portrayal of Beas character mirrors the kindheartedness and concern shown for those people who had fallen ill due to this virus.

During the Spanish Influenza In 1918 nearly everyone was bed-ridden at home. People aided their fellow citizen in any kind of way that was in their power. Beatrice’s character also mirrors the role women played during the manifestation of the Spanish Influenza. Women come forward to act nurses despite their qualifications. Service club associates prepared food in church pantries and young boys transported the food. The Sisters of Service In Ontario which was the name given to the the huge number of women helpers in Ontario, were honored in Canada’s Christmas ceremonial dinner merriments as a recognition of their