GENERAL INTRODUCTION The theme selected is Juvenile delinquency.

Juvenile delinquency is defined as committing an illegal offence between the ages 10 and 17 years. This fundamental purpose for selecting this theme was to highlight the growing juvenile crime problems which is an important issue facing our nation. Juvenile crime stems from a complex array of causes. Criminal acts committed by youngsters are a major cause for concern, not only because they may be symptomatic of troubled youth but also because of the immense pain and suffering they can cause for their families and for the victim of these crimes. This relates to my work-related interest is due to my interest in being an educator. Therefore when I see many youths with the potential to achieve greatness go astray it concerns me because at a time when youngsters should be looking forward to the possibilities that life has to offer them during adulthood, it is sobering thought and a point of despair that many youngsters, even before approaching the latter years of schooling, already seem to have embarked on a life of crime. However I believe that schools are one of the factors that can play a crucial role in counteracting juvenile delinquency.

REFLECTION
PREFACE The topic chosen is juvenile delinquency. The purpose of this choice is to educate the public on the forms of juvenile delinquency and their repercussions because not enough attention is being placed on youth crimes. The intended audiences are people both young and old, parents and teachers. The use of the setting of a beach lime gone wrong was appropriate because missing classes to hang out with friends is one of the most common forms of delinquency. By illustrating the extreme effects of the characters delinquency youths will get a better idea of what their delinquent actions can lead to.

CHARACTERS Sheila Max sheilas boyfriend Anastacia Tyrece- anastacias boyfriend Mother

UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS (Sheilas mother is sitting in the living room reading a newspaper when Sheila enters) Sheila: Good morning mummy, dont forget that I have math class today. Mother: Whats the cost dear? Sheila: Seventy dollars plus an extra twenty five dollars for spending money. Mother: Well I will give you $125 that should cover all your expenses. Sheila: thanks mom. Let meh get dressed and organized. (exits to get ready) Mom: Sheila how many times do I have to tell u to speak properly? You dont say meh its me and I do hope that all this extra financial investment will yield success in your cxc. (speaks to Sheilas retreating figure) One hour later Sheila: Hello guys. Have u all been waiting long? Max: Hear de English woman nah like she feel she better than we owa. Gyul jus come in de car an leh we go. Sheila: (slowly getting into the car) Whey we goin to lime today Anastacia: de sky is de limit gyul. Here take ah drink ah sum ah this cask wine. (Sheila hesitates waiting for a cup) Anastacia: No cup gyul, take it straight from de bottle Tyrese: Leh meh roll up something to spice up de wine and we on. ( takes some marijuana and piece of paper out of his pocket)

Anastacia: Tyrece hurry up and drive nah boy. ( turns from her position in the front seat to Sheila). Like de driver stickin owa. Sheila: Ha!Ha!Ha! Doh study it I hav ah feelin that this go be ah good lime today, even better than last week. Max: I hav ah special fuh yuh later babes. ( a concerned expression appears on Sheilas face). Doh worry nah babes, it eh go be nothing to stop de fun. (tugs gently on Sheilas hand) come closer nah hun, de seatbelt cyah stop yuh. Anastacia: Well look at dem to love birds in de back nah. Tyrece: We is love birds too but ah have to keep meh eyes on de road. Max: Here take ah pull man and free up yuhself.(passing the cigarette to tyrece at the front) Anastacia: Leh we ride round de roundabout, passs through Princess Town to mayaro, take ah bathe on de beach and head back through Grande and down de highway. Sheila: But dat will take whole day! I have to reach home by one o clock. Anastacia: Yuh neva hear bout extra classes? Exam near, sir double up classes whole day to finish de syllabus. Sheila: well arite nah, ah get d point. I on fuh dat! Pass de wine and let meh raise d volume on this music. At the beach Tyrece: Max hear this nah, we drink and weed runnin low and I know where we could get ah nice portion ah weed right here in Mayaro. Max: Boy my money done. Tyrece: So who have money? Max: Everybody low man.

Tyrece: Well I have ah special ah cud use (shows Max the gun in the waistband of his jeans) Max: Whey yuh get that from man?! Tyrece: is de big boss, I have to be armed to protect he gooods. Anyway leh we talk some business, we cud pull up by KFC and make ah stick up. Max: Yuh think we cud try that and d police station right dey? Tyrece: This is country boy, de police eh have time. Them probably watchin T.V. and them girls doh have to know, we go tell them we goin an buy some chicken and chips. Max: cool man I with yuh on that One hour later Tyrece: ( pulls up in front of KFC) Ok you ladies can stay in the car, allyuh want it spicy or regular? (In unison) Spicy! Fifteen minutes later Tyrece alone runs out after three gunshots were heard Sheila: Tyrece whey Max and why we hear gunshots? Tyrece: (hysterically) d gun accidently went off and he get shot, ah think he dead. Oh lord I not goin to jail for this, allyuh leh we go. (speeds out of the parking lot towards Guyaguyare while Sheila and Anastacia cries hysterically) Sheila: oh god tyrece what yuh do? Let meh out! (screams as she tries to grab the steering wheel to stop the vehicle as police sirens can be heard in the distance) Tyrece turns around and slaps Sheila across her face and she slumps to the seat unconscious Anastacia: Why yuh do that? (shouts at tyrece in panic). Oh lord wat we goin and do, we goin and get ketch. Boy let meh out ah this car ( pushes tyrece and the car swerves and looses control)

Two weeks later Sheila: (throws a rose onto Maxs casket as she places a hand on her already growing abdomen) Good bye Max I will miss you. Mother: ( holds Sheilas shoulder and leads her away from the cemetery as tears flowed freely down their faces) Sheila I hope you see where your careless actions have led, your friend is dead and Tyrece who turned out to be a local drug dealer is spending time in jail. I do not know how many times I have to tell you to think before you act. You never listened to me now you are pregnant. I really dont know what your future holds but I will still stand by you. ( Sheila and her mother exits with their arms around each other)

ANALYTICAL In my play entitled, UnexpectedTurn Of Events, the language variations and attitudes to language of the characters will be discussed. Throughout the play a dialectal variation was observed as there were sharp contrasts between Sheilaand her mothers use of language and her friends use of language.Sheila and her mother spoke Standard English using the acrolet variation as seen in the example I do hope that all this extra financial investment will yield success in your math exams. Her choice of language may have been because of her upper class status or her level of education. However Sheila although versed in speaking Standard English spoke creole when with her friends her register experiences a sudden shift to the mesolect variation which is a mixture of creole and standard English to try to sound like her friends as seen in the example But dat will take whole day! I have to reach home by one o clock. The attitude to language may vary given a persons perception. In the play Sheilas mother chides her for speaking creole when she said meh instead of me. She considers acrolet/ Standard English the proper language to use. She indicates this by saying,Sheila how many times do I have to tell u to speak properly. Anastacia on the other hand is of the opinon that by Sheila speaking Standard English she is looking down on her or thinks herself to be superior to those who do not speak like her. She indicates this by saying, Hear de English woman nah like she feel she better than we owa?. In conclusion the play incorporates dialectal variation and the two main opposing attitudes to language- all in an attempt to add realism to the underlying subject of juvenile delinquency.