My Boy Jack

I feel . . . more dead than alive. When Josephine died, part of me died with her. But I sewed up the wound. I recovered, to a degree. But now I feel . . . more . . . dead than alive.

Jack was eighteen years and six weeks old. He died in the rain, he couldn’t see a thing, he was alone, in pain, you can’t persuade me there is any glory in that.

CARRIE. I’m so relieved that you see the death of our only son as such a positive and uplifting event. I am sincerely relieved that you are at ease with it all. I mean we have to look for the good in all this and your . . . I don’t know what to call it, your contentment shall we say, is a bonus isn’t it?

The suffocation, the love, the expectation. That’s why he went. To escape this dark, depressing house. To be rid of us, to be rid of home. (RUDYARD and CARRIE say nothing.)

What does that do to your theories Father? Is that reason enough to fight? Is that an honourable sacrifice? A fair exchange? Is it? (She starts to cry.) Is it? Is it? I don’t think so.

RUDYARD. No sacrifice . . . is too great . . . no sacrifice, however painful, is too great . . . if we win the day . . .

Why should I stop him? If I had, he would have suffered a living death here, ashamed and despised by everyone. Could you bear that? . . .

out there two weeks. (Silence.) Why did you do it?

RUDYARD. Why did I do what? . . . Carrie, why did I do what?

CARRIE (unable to resist). Why did you push him? You could have changed his mind.

RUDYARD. I had no desire to change his . . . (Desperately angry.) This is not the moment.

CARRIE. I knew it would happen. He should never have gone, and you should never have bullied him.

Some of these men will be dead tonight. I may be dead tonight. Let me live. Stop raining – just for a second.

What about this rain? Do you think it’ll stop?

DOYLE (looking at the sky). It’s not lookin’ good sir.

JOHN. No it isn’t, is it.

they all said the same thing – your eyesight isn’t good enough. It’s too dangerous. Well frankly Father it’ll be your fault if Jack is killed.