Grace

In “The Recital” by Eimear Ryan, Grace’s outer characterisation informs us that she is a young Music Composition graduate who lives with her sister and works as a barmaid.

Inner characterisation

Her inner characterisation presents her as an aspiring pianist, who gets the bartending job out of necessity: “I’d hoped they might hire me to play. When Tim offered bar work instead, I didn’t hesitate. I needed a reason to get out of the house, away from my sister’s reproachful looks.” (ll. 10-11)

She dislikes the gossiping attitude of her employer, Tim, as she finds she likes the clientele of the bar (who are mostly former politicians or bankers): “Sometimes I wished he’d keep his voice down. I couldn’t help but like the clientele. It wasn’t just that they tipped well. They had presence – a tragic, shop-soiled charisma. They told great stories. They’d been powerful men, once.” (ll. 6-8)

Her relationship with her sister Jen is conflicting because they both studied piano and Jen made a career while Grace did not. Grace was always bothered by her sister’s competitive spirit, and she always felt that she was not good enough: “And I was a hesitant player from the start. ‘Eyes up!’ he would say. ‘Don’t overthink it. Skip, skip, skip along.’ ” (ll. 44-45). This is made harder by the fact that both girls studied with their father, and although he never took sides it made them both feel more pressure.

Furthermore, Grace is bothered by the fact that Jen tends to outshine and belittle her: “It shouldn’t have surprised me that she would shield her contacts jealously.” (l. 47). She does not...