Conflict and Character Relationships in "Heartbreak Kid
Conflict and Character Relationships in "Heartbreak Kid"
In the play "The HeartbreakKid" by Richard Barrett, Papa is the most to blame for the conflict, rather than Nicky. Papa, a teacher, led Nicky, her student, to believe she was sexually attracted to him. Papa is unaware of her own feelings, making her indecisive, and declines to use her power to stop Nicky’s ideas of the two of them ‘dating.’ Nicky also has to take some responsibility as he reads too much into Papa’s interest in him.
Her Greek background and her youthful age, are factors that contribute to Papa’s isolation from her collegues. Being trapped between the Australian and Greek cultures, also excludes her from her more traditional family. This leaves Papa looking for an understanding, inclusive connection; she believes she can find this with Nicky. Nicky too is alienated from his family and their Greek customs, he is also caught between wanting to be an adult, but still being a teenager. He too is looking for a relationship where he can comfortably fit in and looks to Papa for a sense of belonging.
Conflict in the play, arises from Papa and Nicky’s relationship, and what they both want from it. Papa is confused by what she wishes for; she is torn between the wants of a teacher and a personal relationship. She is not fully aware of what her true feelings for Nicky are, leaving her to be undecided on what action to take. Her indecision encourages Nicky to pursue the affair and friction occurs when the two of them start dealing with each other on a more personal level. They argue with one another and others over what each party desires from the connection.
Papa is given many chances to stop Nicky’s fantasies of the two of them. From the beginning, she declines to make her intentions clear about the purpose of the drive. Through-out the play, Papa passes up many opportunities such as after the first soccer game when Nicky says "I’ll take you…out"pg32, she can put a stop to it then but dismisses the chance. The scene where Papa accepts the necklace, but asks him to mind it, is another illustration of this, it also displays Papa’s uncertainty of what she wants. On the most important occasion to say ‘no,’ when Nicky insists they go to the National Park, Papa fails once more. She also is the one who...