大象传媒

Through dramatisation and interview, the Bernard MacLaverty story of a mother and son relationship is explored. It begins by concentrating on the dual nature of both Nelson and his mother as characters. MacLaverty describes a real life incident which was the stimulus for the story - he describes being in a pub in Edinburgh in which a stripper performed who looked old enough to have a son. He then took this incident and imagined what her life would be like. He discusses the feelings of shame that the mother had towards her profession as she tries to keep this from Nelson. It is suggested that sight is a major motif in the story. MacLaverty uses Nelson's failing sight to indicate the blurring between what we see physically and our moral impression of others.