The central theme in 'Translations' is language, with associations between people who do not speak the same language or same objectives. It is a play about alienation, relationships and a small community and its limitations, it is about love and the political problems between the English and the Irish. The play has around ten characters. Many of which are minor characters but they all play different parts and have very different personalities. Each character contributes to the play and each of them has a different impact on rhe play, they all represent parts of what the play is about. The minor characters in the play includes of Sarah, Jimmy, Doalty, Bridget, and Lancey.
Sarah is described by Friel as a 'waiflike creature' who 'could be anything from seventeen to thirty-five years old'. Friel has made Sarah a very self conscious and insecure character that is supposedly mute. She accepts being mute because everyone made her believe that she has been mute all of her life; it is very easy to ignore Sarah's presence in the play.
Topographical map of Admiralty Island in Papua New...
English: Jimmy Mckenna, Hollyoaks' Jack Osborne
English: Jimmy Wyble, Jack, Sid Jacobs - Musician'...One of the main significance of Sarah's character being mute is that Friel tries to show different forms of communications as one of the main ideas of the play. Sarah being mute communicates by grunting and making sounds, she struggles to communicate in her own language but somehow still communicates, this shows how all other communication problems can be fixed if tried. Sarah communicates with Manus differently from the others, she communicates with him through speech. Manus encourages her to talk and, under his supervision, she learns how to express herself - 'Get your tongue and your lips working.' 'My name-', 'Come on. One more try', 'My name is..' ,'Good girl.' Sarah is finally able to say her name - 'my name is...