Character Study (Tanya)

Character Study on Tanya Gleason

By Charlie-Rose Lane

Name: Tanya Gleason

Age: 17 nearly 18

Place Set: In a Grammar School in Stockport

The first time we see Tanya is when she walks into the library to meet Lily who is sat with William, Cissy, Bennett and Nicholas. Tanya first enters flustered and annoyed and we see this expressed in a mild aggressive way when she comes across Lily, who has also helped build up the tension inside because Tanya has had to run around looking for her even if it's not something she wanted to do, and therefore with the year sevens having annoyed her it is quite clear she hasn't had the best of mornings. I think this shows that Tanya has a sensitive side even if it comes across in an aggressive tone when she has to deal with it.

Tanya has a serious crush on Mr. Anderson, which the others just seem to think it's mild; I think Tanya actually devotes her mind to him. In scene four I think she describes it in a way to make the girls think that she and he are a possibility although it’s most likely it never will be. I think Tanya does not want to be seen as the fat one, and so instead adopts the characteristic of the motherly one. I think everyone has something they want to be seen as but often doesn't have a choice in the stereotypical name they are given. Cissy for example wants to be liked and wants to be seen as the popular one, I think she tries and achieves this by having a high status boyfriend and keeping in the good books of other people like Tanya so it's easy to use the personal information they tell her against them or for her personal use.

Tanya puts on a strong front and often sticks up for other people. I think this allows us to see that she believes in equality, sticks up for people when they are being bullied and that her heart is in the right place. I think Tanya is a genuinely nice person who doesn't like it when people are upset. She tries her hardest to balance her sensitivity with real life issues. As well as being seen as the motherly one I think Tanya wants to be seen as the mature one. She seems to be the only one trying to stop the negativity at times whilst everyone seems to stand around and watch. I think she wants this status game to stop. I don't believe she's afraid of Bennett and often tries to stand up for herself but I do think she is wary of him. Tanya takes it to heart when Bennett calls her fat, probably because she thinks it’s true. Girls have enough problems when it comes to worrying about their appearance let alone when people like Bennett announce it to everyone who she has to see on a regular basis. I think she is more humiliated than anything.

Relationships with other characters:

Cissy: Cissy is Tanya's best friend but Cissy has upset Tanya a few times due to her gossiping traits. In scene one we see the first glimpse of this when Cissy has told her boyfriend Bennett about Tanya's biggest secret and fantasy which includes her being married to Mr Anderson and having his children as expressed more clearly between the girls in scene 3.

Lily: Lily is the new girl at the beginning but later becomes good friends with Tanya. Tanya being the friendly and mature one easily accepts Lily and looks after her.

Nicholas: Tanya isn't really close with him, just mutual friends.

Bennett: Bennett is not exactly friends with Tanya. I think they are mutual most of the time but they both get on each other’s nerves. I think Tanya has to put up with him because of Cissy but in the same time doesn't let him walk all over her and therefore gets her own back and suggests hints of knowledge about him she has gained from Cissy and tries playing him at his own game.

Chadwick: Tanya likes him as a friend, and looks out for him.

Costume:

I think Tanya Gleason wants secretly, maybe not as much as Cissy but enough to fit in. I think she would be the sort of girl to wake up an hour early to do her hair and make-up although I think her hair would be natural and easy her make up would have more effort done. I think she wants to look effortless without looking like she's made the effort. I think she would wear a nice coat on top of her basic uniform, have a nice handbag and wear patterned tights. I think she would have a item of jewelry that she always wears for example a necklace or a ring.

Things I think Tanya does which aren't specific in the text....

Tanya is probably the girl who goes home and eats loads at night, and doesn't eat during the day due to the fact she doesn't want people to think of her as the fat one. I think this wouldn't help her with her weight but she thinks as long as no one see's her eat it will be okay. I think this theory works because in scene 3, Cissy and Lily are seen eating on stage and Tanya does not eat. I think Tanya tried her hardest to make it seem she's healthy, for example when she says the line 'I think that's really dangerous, human beings have to eat, it's one of the things we do, five pieces and fruits and veg a day, thirty minutes exercise three times a week'. This seems as if she is trying to explain that she eats, but is healthy and does exercise. 

I think she is the sort of girl who would pretend she's reading so it makes her look smart but actually is just skiming the pages thinking of something else.