Peer pressure in "Blackrock".
Discuss how peer pressure influences the actions and behavior of the characters represented in the play, "Blackrock". What is the influence of adult role models that are available to these young people.
In the play, blackrock by Nick Enright, peer pressure plays a major part in the horrific crimes that these otherwise ordinary boys commit. When Ricko first comes to town he begins to assert himself over the rest of the group, then when he knows he will be caught he exerts a lot of pressure onto Jared, asking him to lie to the police. There is very subtle peer pressure when the girls are trying top raise funds for a tree in memoriam of Tracy, and none of the boys will donate money in fear of ?being paid out on?. Peer pressure is evident when Jared doesn?t speak out about the rape, which he witnessed. Most of the adults that act as ?role models? are not treated as such by the young people in the play, but simply as figures of authority and oppressors.
The first signs of peer pressure appear when Ricko comes back to town.
?Ricko: Still got time to catch some waves?
Jared: Some. I stayed on at school ?
Ricko: Wanker.? (pg.2)
This is very subtle peer pressure, and Ricko probably isn?t intentionally doing it. This is one example of many that occur during the play. Ricko uses this sort of language and attitude to asserts himself as the dominant male. The way he treats his girlfriend, or any other girl for that matter is another way of doing this.
? Ricko holds out twenty dollars to Tiffany
Tiffany: Now you give it back.
Ricko: Shoot down the road and get us some beers.
Tiffany: I don?t know why I put up with you.
Ricko: Yes you do. We?ll be up the rock.? (pg.5)
He later on tries to use the result of this behavior as a lever to get Jared to lie to the police for him. When Ricko knows he could, and probably would be caught and put in prison, he attempts to coerce Jared into confirming his own story, to tell the police that Ricko was with Jared at the time of the
In the play, blackrock by Nick Enright, peer pressure plays a major part in the horrific crimes that these otherwise ordinary boys commit. When Ricko first comes to town he begins to assert himself over the rest of the group, then when he knows he will be caught he exerts a lot of pressure onto Jared, asking him to lie to the police. There is very subtle peer pressure when the girls are trying top raise funds for a tree in memoriam of Tracy, and none of the boys will donate money in fear of ?being paid out on?. Peer pressure is evident when Jared doesn?t speak out about the rape, which he witnessed. Most of the adults that act as ?role models? are not treated as such by the young people in the play, but simply as figures of authority and oppressors.
The first signs of peer pressure appear when Ricko comes back to town.
?Ricko: Still got time to catch some waves?
Jared: Some. I stayed on at school ?
Ricko: Wanker.? (pg.2)
This is very subtle peer pressure, and Ricko probably isn?t intentionally doing it. This is one example of many that occur during the play. Ricko uses this sort of language and attitude to asserts himself as the dominant male. The way he treats his girlfriend, or any other girl for that matter is another way of doing this.
? Ricko holds out twenty dollars to Tiffany
Tiffany: Now you give it back.
Ricko: Shoot down the road and get us some beers.
Tiffany: I don?t know why I put up with you.
Ricko: Yes you do. We?ll be up the rock.? (pg.5)
He later on tries to use the result of this behavior as a lever to get Jared to lie to the police for him. When Ricko knows he could, and probably would be caught and put in prison, he attempts to coerce Jared into confirming his own story, to tell the police that Ricko was with Jared at the time of the