(Machinal) What Weapon Does the Man Say He Used to Kill Two Mexicans?
A immature woman who initially lives with her mother and works for a wealthy businessman named George H. Jones. Helen is characterized as "soft" and "tender," a person unfit for the hard "mechanical" world she lives in. Though she'south primarily bothered past the impersonal and loveless manners of the people around her, she's also made uncomfortable by the actual mechanism that surrounds her in daily life. Because of this, she acts skittishly, fifty-fifty getting off the subway i morning time considering she feels every bit if she'due south suffocating. When Mr. Jones proposes to her, she's deeply hesitant to have, complaining to her mother that she doesn't honey him. Nevertheless, she somewhen relents and listens to her mother and coworkers' communication to marry George because he's rich and considering refusing his proposal would likely mean losing her job. In one case married to George, Helen rarely speaks upward for herself, instead repressing her emotions in order to placate her ignorant husband. After having a baby, though, she begins to secretly rebel against her loveless marriage by starting an matter with a man named Mr. Roe, who tells her that he one time killed several Mexican bandits with a canteen filled with stones. Taking this to middle, Helen murders George ane night with the same rudimentary weapon, an action that leads to her execution in the electric chair.
Helen Jones Quotes in Machinal
The Machinal quotes below are all either spoken past Helen Jones or refer to Helen Jones. For each quote, you lot can also run into the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Before the curtain
Sounds of machines going. They keep throughout the scene, and accompany the YOUNG WOMAN's thoughts after the scene is blacked out.
At the ascent of the drape
All machines are disclosed, and all the characters with the exception of the YOUNG WOMAN.
Of these characters, the YOUNG WOMAN, going whatever day to any business organisation. Ordinary. The defoliation of her own inner thoughts, emotions, desires, dreams cuts her off from whatsoever actual adjustment to the routine of work. She gets through this routine with a very small surface of her consciousness. She is not homely and she is not pretty. She is preoccupied with herself—with her person. She has well kept easily, and a fox of constantly arranging her hair over her ears.
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Marry me—wants to ally me—George H. Jones—George H. Jones and Company—Mrs. George H. Jones—Mrs. George H. Jones. Dear Madame—marry—do you accept this human being to exist your wedded husband—I practice—to dearest honor and to dearest—kisses—no—I can't—George H. Jones—How would you like to marry me—What practice you say—Why Mr. Jones I—let me look at your piffling hands—y'all take such pretty little easily—allow me hold your pretty little hands—George H. Jones—Fat easily—flabby easily—don't bear upon me—delight—fat easily are never weary—[…]—don't touch me—please—no—can't—must—somebody—something—no rest—must residue—no rest—must rest—no rest—tardily today—yesterday—earlier—late—subway—air—pressing—bodies pressing—bodies—trembling—air—stop—air—tardily—job—no job—fired—late—alarm clock—alert clock—alert clock—hurry—job—ma—nag—nag—nag—ma—hurry—task—no chore—no coin—installments due—no money—[…]—coin—no work—no worry—free!—rest—slumber till 9—slumber till ten—slumber till noon—at present you have a good residual this morning—don't get upwards till you want to—give thanks you—oh thanks—oh don't!—please don't touch on me—I want to rest—no rest—earn—got to earn—married—earn—no—yes—earn—all girls—most girls—ma—pa—ma—all women—virtually women—I can't—must—maybe—must—somebody—something—ma—pa—ma—tin I, ma? Tell me, ma—something—somebody.
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YOUNG WOMAN. Tell me—(Words suddenly pouring out.) Your skin oughtn't to curl—ought it—when he just comes most you—ought it? That's wrong, ain't it? You lot don't get over that, do you—ever, practise you or exercise you? How is it, Ma—do y'all?
Female parent. Practise you what?
YOUNG Woman. Exercise you get used to, it—so afterward a while it doesn't thing? Or don't you? Does it always matter? You ought to be in love, oughtn't you, Ma? You must be in love, mustn't y'all, Ma? That changes everything, doesn't it—or does it? Possibly if you but like a person information technology'due south all right—is it? When he puts a hand on me, my claret turns cold. Just your blood oughtn't to run cold, ought it? His hands are—his hands are fat, Ma—don't you see—his easily are fat—and they sort of press—and they're fat—don't yous see?—Don't you see?
MOTHER (stares at her bewildered). Come across what?
YOUNG WOMAN (rushing on). I've always thought I'd find somebody—somebody young—and—and attractive—with wavy hair—wavy hair—I ever think of children with curls—little curls all over their head—somebody young—and attractive—that I'd like—that I'd love—But I haven't institute everyone similar that yet—I haven't found anybody—I've hardly known anybody—you'd never allow me go with anybody and—
Female parent. Are you throwing it up to me that—
Immature WOMAN. No—let me cease, Ma! No—let me finish! I just mean I've never found anybody—anybody—nobody's ever asked me—till at present—he'southward the only human being that's ever asked me—And I suppose I got to marry somebody—all girls do—
Mother. Nonsense.
Immature WOMAN. Simply, I can't go on like this, Ma—I don't know why—but I can't—information technology'south like I'yard all tight within—sometimes I experience like I'k stifling!—You don't know—stifling. (Walks up and downward.) I can't go on similar this much longer—going to work—coming home—going to work—coming home—I can't—Sometimes in the subway I think I'chiliad going to die—sometimes even in the function if something don't happen—I got to do something—I don't know—it'southward like I'grand all tight inside.
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HUSBAND. […] Say did I tell you the one about—
Young WOMAN. Yes! Yes!
HUSBAND (with dignity). How do yous know which ane I meant?
YOUNG WOMAN. You told me them all!
Hubby (pulling her back to his articulatio genus). No, I didn't! Non by a jugful! I got a lot of 'em up my sleeve even so—that's part of what I owe my success to—my power to leap a good story—Y'all know—you got to acquire to relax, little girl—haven't y'all?
Immature WOMAN. Yes.
HUSBAND. That's one of the biggest things to learn in life. That'due south function of what I owe my success to. Now you go and get those heavy things off—and relax.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Let me alone—allow me alone—allow me alone—I've submitted to plenty—I won't submit to whatsoever more—crawl off—crawl off in the dark—Vixen crawled under the bed—way dorsum in the corner under the bed—they were all drowned—puppies don't become to sky—heaven—golden stairs—long stairs—long—too long—long golden stairs—climb those golden stairs…—no matter—nil matters—dead—stairs—long stairs—all the expressionless going upwards—going up—to exist in heaven—sky—golden stairs—all the children coming down—coming down to exist born—dead going upwards—children coming down—[…]—St. Peter—St. Peter at the gate—you can't come in—no matter—information technology doesn't matter—I'll rest—I'll prevarication downward—downwardly—all written down—down in a big book—no matter—it doesn't affair—I'll lie downward—[…]—a girl—aren't you glad it'south a daughter—a little girl—with no pilus—none—trivial curls all over his head—a piddling bald daughter—curls—curls all over his head—what kind of hair had God? No affair—it doesn't matter—everybody loves God—they've got to—got to—got to love God—God is love—even if he's bad they got to beloved him—fifty-fifty if he's got fatty hands—fat hands—no no—he wouldn't exist God—His hands make you well—He lays on his hands—well—and happy—no matter—doesn't matter—far—too far—tired—also tired Vixen crawled off under bed—8—there were 8—a woman crawled off under the bed—[…]—I'll not submit whatever more than—I'll not submit—I'll not submit.
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Explanation and Analysis:
She comes into the low-cal. She wears a white chemise that might be the tunic of a dancer, and as she comes into the light she fastens about her waist a piddling brim. She really wears almost exactly the apparel that women article of clothing now, but the finesse of their cut, and the grace and ease with which she puts them on, must turn this episode of her dressing into a personification, an idealization of a woman clothing herself. All her gestures must be unconscious, innocent, relaxed, sure and full of natural grace. Equally she sits facing the window pulling on a stocking.
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Young WOMAN (reading). Sale of jewels and precious stones.
Young WOMAN puts her hand to pharynx.
Hubby. What's the matter?
YOUNG WOMAN. I feel equally though I were drowning.
Married man. Drowning?
YOUNG WOMAN. With stones effectually my neck.
HUSBAND. You merely imagine that.
Immature WOMAN. Stifling.
Hubby. Yous don't exhale deep enough—breathe now—look at me. (He breathes.) Breath is life. Life is breath.
YOUNG WOMAN (suddenly). And what is death?
HUSBAND (smartly). Just—no breath!
Young WOMAN (to herself). Simply no breath.
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The BARBERS take her by the arms.
YOUNG Woman. No! No! Don't affect me—bear upon me!
They take her and put her down in the chair, cut a patch from her pilus.
I will not be submitted—this indignity! No! I will not be submitted!—Leave me lone! Oh my God am I never to be let alone! Always to have to submit—to submit! No more—not now—I'm going to die—I won't submit! Non now!
BARBER (finishing cut a patch from her hair). Yous'll submit, my lady. Right to the end, you'll submit! At that place, and a neat chore also.
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Helen Jones Character Timeline in Machinal
The timeline below shows where the character Helen Jones appears in Machinal. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
...and the telephone daughter answers phones, the workers intermittently talk virtually i of their colleagues, Helen, a immature adult female who'due south belatedly still again. When the boss, George H. Jones, calls, he... (full context)
Mr. Jones arrives and asks subsequently Helen once again, but the phone girl informs him that she yet hasn't come in. "I but... (full context)
The telephone girl tells Helen that Mr. Jones wants her, saying, "He's bellowing for you!" When Helen goes into George's... (full context)
Just equally Helen'south coworkers get-go request her almost Mr. Jones's proposal, he enters and goes to her desk-bound,... (full context)
Amidst the office chaos—the sounds of typewriters and telephones and the murmurs of her colleagues—Helen thinks aloud to herself, considering Mr. Jones's proposal while also assuasive her mind to wander,... (total context)
When the lights smooth once more on the stage, Helen sits at a kitchen table with her mother while the sounds of flat buzzers, radios,... (full context)
"How soon you going to marry him?" Helen's mother asks, merely Helen declares that she has no plans to accept George's proposal. To... (full context)
Returning to their conversation, Helen's mother says that George must be a "decent man" because he'southward a vice-president. Helen argues... (full context)
Relentless, Helen's mother says, "Yous're crazy!" again, and Helen admits this is perhaps true. She then verbally... (full context)
Faint jazz plays every bit the lights turn on for Episode 3, showing George and Helen inbound a hotel room on their honeymoon. George is in high spirits, urging Helen to... (full context)
George takes Helen in his lap and kisses her neck while placing his hand on her human knee. "Say—stay... (full context)
The sound of riveting comes through an open window of Helen's hospital room, where she lies in recovery later having given birth. A nurse enters and... (full context)
George enters with flowers and starts giving Helen a pep-talk, maxim, "I know all you've been through," to which she shakes her caput.... (full context)
In response to George's encouragements, Helen starts choking and pointing to the door. "She's got that gagging over again—similar she had the... (full context)
When the two doctors and the nurse leave, Helen finally speaks. Her words are dissociative and strange, including the following fragmented phrases: "Allow me... (full context)
...Mr. Smith and Mr. Roe, and the audition recognizes them as the telephone daughter and Helen. Apparently, Mr. Smith has been having an affair with the telephone daughter, who introduces Helen... (full context)
...Haven't you lot?" This convinces the woman, and they leave to go make arrangements. Back at Helen's table, Mr. Roe keeps talking about his escape from the Mexican bandits. At one point... (total context)
...apartment, the sound of a paw organ in the streets drifts through an open window. Helen and Mr. Roe lounge together and speak intimately. Helen's voice is at-home equally she talks... (full context)
"I'll never become—below the Rio Grande—I'll never exit of hither," Helen says. "Quien sabe," Roe replies, and Helen's mood lifts. Mr. Roe and then tells her that... (full context)
When the lights turn on for Episode Vii, Helen and George sit down silently in their home reading newspapers. When they see headlines that interest... (full context)
...upward, he says, "They signed!—aren't you lot interested? Aren't you going to ask me?" Indulging him, Helen asks him a series of questions that give him the opportunity to deliver a cliché—"Did... (full context)
...gets off the phone, some other telephone call comes in, and he repeats himself yet once again. Meanwhile, Helen distractedly reads the newspaper, clearly restless and uncomfortable about something. "My, y'all're nervous tonight," George... (full context)
Helen gets up and says she's going to bed, but George reminds her that it's all the same... (full context)
...Roe'due south voice over again. As these words swirl along with the music of the hand organ, Helen leaps to her anxiety, crying "Oh! Oh!," and the phase goes nighttime. "Stones—stones—stones," the voices... (total context)
...brightens on a courtroom where a judge finishes a case and turns his attention to Helen and her attorney, the Lawyer for Defense. As Helen takes the stand, two reporters write... (total context)
Continuing with his questions, the Lawyer for Defense eventually asks Helen if she killed George. She insists that she did non, telling him that on the... (total context)
At this point, Helen explains, the 2 men fled the room. Quickly, she tried to end the bleeding from... (total context)
The Lawyer for Prosecution begins past confirming that Helen did nothing when she saw the two intruders appear over George's side of the bed.... (full context)
The Lawyer for Prosecution hounds Helen with questions, request why she didn't telephone call a doctor. Producing a broken clogging, he asks... (full context)
Helen refutes the notion that she started caring well-nigh her hands once again last bound, saying she... (full context)
...filled with small stones and some water and a lily," the Lawyer for Prosecution asks Helen. He and then tells a story about Helen taking habitation this lily and caring for it... (full context)
...Lawyer for Prosecution reads information technology aloud. In the affidavit, Mr. Roe upholds that he met Helen in a speakeasy a year before George's death and that she visited his apartment almost... (full context)
Suddenly, Helen breaks into a yell, pleading, "No! No!" When the Lawyer for Prosecution asks her what'southward... (total context)
...the swell of telegraph machines and reporters' voices, the lights come on for Episode Ix. Helen is behind bars in a prison, a priest sitting next to her. As he reads... (total context)
"No!" Helen screams equally the barbers approach. Trying to calm her downwardly, the priest says, "Girl, yous're... (full context)
Turning to the priest, Helen asks why she was born, but he only quotes scripture in response. She asks if... (full context)
The priest launches into a long prayer. Helen'southward mother appears, only Helen calls her a stranger who has "never known" her. Just equally... (full context)
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Source: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/machinal/characters/helen-jones
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