https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4 Act Four en-us 2017-01-23 12:03:38 UTC 2026-03-02 09:11:03 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149136992 Dennis Kelly presents Phil as emotionally disturbed and distressed in act four. This is highlighted in the following stage direction "PHIL is not eating." This particular quote explains that Phil feels that something is empty in him as Leah has left him although Phil did not socialise with Leah in the play. Throughout the play, Phil is mostly eating as informed by the stage direction and never seen to be talking with Leah. However, the phrase "not eating" suggests that Phil is upset and also misses Leah's presence. This makes the reader feel sympathetic for Phil as he expresses his feeling by not eating. Furthermore, the verb "eating" is polysyllabic and is the only word in the whole sentence which uses more than one syllable. This is significant as it conveys that without Leah, Phil is unable to eat and complete his daily activities. Previously, the play shows that Phil enjoys eating whilst Leah is sat with him, but in this quote, Phil is not eating as Leah is not sat with him and has left him. This makes the reader question themselves due to the reason of Phil realising that he may need Leah. 
In addition, in the last scene Dennis Kelly replaces Leah with Richard which is also significant. This tells the reader that not even Richard can replace Leah's role as being a best friend. Therefore, this links to the theme of friendship as Phil seems to regret loosing the relationship he had with Leah and the fact that Richard is unable to replace Leah. ]]> 2017-01-24 19:07:30 UTC https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149136992 https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149749382 Richard: "Phil, Phil, watch this! Phil, watch me, watch me, Phil!"
-Repetition - Constantly fighting for Phil's attention. Even though the whole situation is over they cant help but depend on Phil
-Theme of leadership and status
-]]> 2017-01-26 20:11:53 UTC https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149749382 https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149759725 "Everyone's asking after you. You know that?"
-This shows that Phil is still viewed as a leader despite the fact that he left, showing how much power Phil has and how high his status is.
- The question mark suggests Richard's uncertainty due to the fact that Phil does not acknowledge his own authority 



]]> 2017-01-26 20:47:35 UTC https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149759725 https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149775043 'doesn't that bother you? aren't you even bothered?'
- unanswered question - mirrors the idea of there being so many unanswered questions through out the whole play - where Leah went? or why Phil never really directly spoke to anyone? or how John Tate turned from the most powerful leader in the play to becoming the weakest and not even being apart of their friendship group?
The unanswered question could reflect Phils personality throughout the play since he never really listened or understood and only spoke when he desired - this links back to the theme of power and leadership, because you don't follow anyone elses orders and you only speak or answer who you want, everyone is below you and not important
- the word 'bothered' is repeated - this could suggest that phil will never learn from his mistakes and carry on the same way he always had - we can see this because Richard is beginning to become more like leah, constantly talking and asking questions and leah left, yet phil hasn't changed his ways suggesting Richard will also leave - symbolising a cyclical structure in which people will come to phil and leave him yet he is not bothered
the word could alternatively suggest that phil has no care about anything, he did not really care about leah nor did he care about the murder of adam - this could portray to us that hes selfish and this could be further backed up by the number of stage directions are about phil, especially eating, showing the audience that hes only going to help himself ]]> 2017-01-26 22:09:16 UTC https://padlet.com/rsimpson5/dnaact4/wish/149775043