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Analysing Major Barbara
Task E - Our answer
Although Stephen says the first words of the play, it is not at all clear
that his first turn counts as an initiation. Its content ('What's the
matter?') and the fact that Lady Britomart appears to be concentrating
on what she is writing, suggests that she has probably sent a message
with one of the servants, telling him to come and see her. Hence although
Turn 1 is a question, it appears to be a response, not an initiation.
Throughout the extract Lady Britomart initiates the conversational exchanges
and Stephen is in the secondary, responding position. When Lady Britomart
does appear to respond to something Stephen has said it is usually the
case that his utterance, in turn, was a response to a previous initiation
by her. A good example of this is turns 15-19:
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15 LADY B
[squaring herself at his rather aggressively]:
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Stephen: may I ask how soon you intend to realize that you are
a grown-up man, and that I am only a woman?
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16 STEPHEN: [amazed]:
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Only a---
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17 LADY B:
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Don't repeat my words, please: it is a most aggravating habit.
You must learn to face life seriously, Stephen. I really cannot
bear the whole burden of our family affairs any longer. You must
advise me: you must assume the responsibility.
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18 STEPHEN:
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I!
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19 LADY B:
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Yes, you, of course. You were 24 last June. You've been at Harrow
and Cambridge. You've been to India and Japan. You must know a lot
of things, now; unless you have wasted your time most scandalously.
Well, advise me.
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Lady Britomart initiates the sequence in turn 15. Stephen responds in
16, and in 17 Lady Britomart rules out his response and then reinitiates.
Stephen responds to that initation in 18, and in 19 his mother responds
to that response and re-initiates again.
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