Monologue Analysis: Things I Know to Be True by Andrew Bovell
In Andrew Bovell's Things I Know to Be True, Rosie Price, the youngest of the Price siblings, delivers a poignant monologue reflecting on a romantic encounter during her European travels. This experience leads her to a deeper understanding of love, vulnerability, and the unwavering presence of family.
Character Context:
Name: Rosie Price
Age: 19
Setting: Berlin, Germany; transitioning to Adelaide, Australia
Speaking to: The audience (direct address)
Synopsis: Rosie recounts meeting Emmanuel in Berlin, where their tender connection makes her believe she's found true love. However, she awakens to find him gone, along with her money and belongings, leaving her devastated in an unfamiliar city. Overwhelmed by feelings of betrayal and isolation, she yearns for the comfort of her family in Hallett Cove, Australia. This realization prompts her to return home, seeking solace in the constants she knows to be true.
Original Text: Then he wakes up and he looks at me as if he knows what I’m thinking and as if he wants to get up and run so I kiss him on his lips before he can. And he smiles. And I’m gone all over again. And we make love, so tenderly, so sweetly and after, as I drift off to sleep, lying on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, thinking I could listen to this for the rest of my life, I think is this it, is this what falling in love is?
And when I wake up in the morning he’s gone…along with four hundred euros from my wallet, my iPad, my camera, my favourite scarf and a large piece of my heart. I find a girl in the house, smoking a cigarette at the kitchen table and ask if she’d seen him. She shrugs and says that he said something about going to see his girlfriend in London. She tells me to get my things and to get out of her house.
I walk through the streets of Berlin. I feel small. I feel like I’m twelve years old, I feel ridiculous. I want to cry but I won’t. Well I do, a bit. But not as much as I want to. I want my dad. I want my mum. I want my brothers and my sister. I want to hear them laugh and argue and fight and tease me. But I can’t think of them much because if I do my chest will explode. I feel like I’m going to literally fall to pieces. That my arms are going to drop off and then my legs and my head. And so to stop myself coming apart I make a list of all the things I know….I mean actually know for certain to be true and the really frightening thing is…It’s a very short list.
I don’t know much at all.
But I know that at 25 Windarie Avenue, Hallett Cove, things are the same as when I left and they always will be.
And I know I have to go home.
Key Moments:
The Romantic Connection:
Rosie describes the intimate moment with Emmanuel, expressing her belief in newfound love.
The Betrayal:
She awakens to find Emmanuel and her valuables gone, leading to feelings of shock and betrayal.
Interaction with the Housemate:
A housemate informs her of Emmanuel's departure to London, intensifying her sense of abandonment.
Emotional Turmoil:
Rosie wanders Berlin, feeling small and yearning for her family's comfort, struggling to hold herself together.
Reflection and Realization:
To maintain composure, she lists the few things she knows to be true, recognizing the constancy of her family home.
Resolution:
Determined to find solace, Rosie decides to return home to Hallett Cove.
Journey Keypoints:
Hook: Rosie captivates the audience with a romantic tale that quickly turns poignant.
Turning Point: The discovery of Emmanuel's betrayal shifts the narrative from bliss to despair.
Climax: Rosie's emotional breakdown in Berlin underscores her vulnerability and longing for home.
Resolution: Her decision to return to Hallett Cove signifies a quest for stability and familial support.
About the Playwright: Andrew Bovell is an esteemed Australian playwright and screenwriter, celebrated for his profound explorations of family dynamics and human relationships. His works, including When the Rain Stops Falling and Lantana, are acclaimed for their intricate narratives and emotional depth. Things I Know to Be True delves into the complexities of familial bonds, love, and personal identity, offering audiences a poignant reflection on the ties that bind us.
