Sarah Has a High Dependence on Manus,

¶ … Sarah has a high dependence on Manus, because she speaks only at his prompting (Friel 387). Other than his prompting, she only mimes to communicate. This raises the question as to why she feels uncomfortable in speaking. Has she been abused? Was there something with the culture that she was not allowed to speak? Does she only speak at Manus' prompting because she views him as a big brother and he is the only one she has found that she feels comfortable enough to speak? Why does she only speak at Manus' prompting? And, does Manus view Sarah as a little sister since he changed the subject with Marie when he realized Sarah was listening (B. Friel 394). Or, does he just feel compassion for her and does not want to hurt her feelings by going on in life?

Owen's actions also raise questions by not translating exactly what Lancey was saying (B. Friel, Translations 406). Why did he not translate the truth? Did he fear for the villagers in the respect that the military was evicting them and eroding the land? Why did he tell the students that the maps were being designed to reduce tax instead of create equal taxation? Why would he not want to tell them the truth? What was he hiding? What were his motivations in trying to help the military change the landmark names (B. Friel, Translations 410)? Was he really unhappy with the culture in the land, or did he fear for his life or livelihood? Why was he trying to change the land from what it had been for all the centuries?

It is possible that Manus and Maire had plans to marry later on after he had gone on with life and a new job. Maire was upset with him when he explained his father had applied at the new school and he did not want to stand in his father's way of receiving the position (B. Friel, Translations 394). Was Maire only upset because she planned to marry to have someone take care of her? How did she really feel toward Manus?

When Maire and Yolland ran from the dance, it appears that Maire was looking for a way out of the village or even a new life (B. Friel, Translations 426). Did she see the new life with Yolland because of attraction to him, because he had a job with the military, or because he could possibly help her get away from the village? What attracted her to Yolland or Yolland to her? Was Yolland looking for a new life in Maire because he was concerned about his part in the making of the map (B. Friel, Translations 419)? Was the attraction a cover up for the fear he felt with the eviction and erosion the map was intended to do? Did he feel she could help him escape from Lancey because he felt Lancey was too much like his father (B. Friel, Translations 415)?