How does Mary's attitude towards the guests change throughout the play?
Mary's attitude towards the guests remains consistently friendly and talkative throughout the play, but her confidence diminishes as she repeatedly makes mistakes.
Initially, she is eager and confident, wanting to prove she can converse well.
As the visit progresses, she continues trying to make conversation but finds herself apologizing repeatedly ('Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know') as she realizes she has offended the guests.
By the end, when she says 'Oh, must you stay? Can't you go?' instead of asking them to stay longer, she appears flustered and unable to say the right thing even when trying to follow her mother's instructions.
Explanation
This question requires students to trace Mary's character development throughout the play. While her basic attitude of wanting to engage with the guests remains constant, her confidence is shaken by her repeated blunders, culminating in her final mistake when the guests are leaving.
Solution Steps
Mary's basic attitude remains consistently friendly and talkative throughout the play
Her confidence diminishes as she repeatedly makes mistakes during the conversation
Initially, Mary is eager and confident, wanting to prove she can converse well
As the visit progresses, she repeatedly apologizes for unintentionally offending the guests
By the end, she becomes flustered and makes a final mistake when saying goodbye to the guests