Look Back in Anger Themes and Text
Jimmy is ideally constituted to be the all-purpose hero of the dissatisfied young people of post-war on England. “Look Back in Anger” by John Osborne?
Look Back in Anger Themes
Jimmy Porter, the protagonist of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, is a complex character who is well suited to be the figurehead of the dissatisfied young people of post-war England.
He is an educated, articulate, and passionate individual who is struggling to make sense of his life in a rapidly changing world. He is disillusioned by the lack of opportunities available to him in a country that is still struggling to recover from the devastation of the Second World War.
In addition, Jimmy’s working-class background and his sense of being stuck in a dead-end job, living in a cramped apartment, and feeling powerless to affect any change in his life or in the larger world, all contribute to his feelings of anger and frustration.
Jimmy’s dissatisfaction with the status quo is palpable in the play, and he expresses it through a combination of verbal and physical outbursts.
Jimmy’s verbal aggression is directed not only at the people around him but also at the larger society he inhabits. He is acutely aware of the class divisions in post-war England, and this is a major source of his discontent.
His feelings of anger and frustration are further compounded by his inability to fit into the traditional gender roles expected of men. He is fiercely independent and often challenges the traditional roles and expectations of men in post-war England.
Look Back in Anger Text
Jimmy’s anger is also rooted in his inability to find a place in the world that he can call his own.
His dissatisfaction with his current situation is further compounded by his inability to find a purpose in life. He is a man without a plan, and he feels trapped by his circumstances and the lack of opportunities available to him.
Jimmy’s discontent and dissatisfaction with post-war England can be seen as a reflection of the general feeling of dissatisfaction and unrest that existed among the younger generation at the time.
His character serves as a catalyst for the younger generation to question the status quo and to take a stand against the injustices they perceived in their society.
By giving voice to the feelings of dissatisfaction and unrest among the young people of post-war England, Jimmy became the symbol of the dissatisfaction of his generation.
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Author: Md. Rabby Sharif Ador
Department: English
Institution: Notre Dame University Bangladesh
Member of ‘Future Writers’
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