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this conversation is about caning, but I have a problem with the meaning of this line:

"Take this firmly in both hands and bend and you could snap it in two."

the context is about "snap" the meaning is breaking cane or is about beating with the cane?

Here is the context from The Cane by Mark Ravenhill:

Maureen: It’s actually really rather puny.
Edward: I suppose when it was first fashioned everyone was very much smaller. Both teacher and child. Everyone in the past was shorter. Without the nutrition. Even thirty years ago, the children were by and large scrawny. The children now are great big tall fat. And to the child at the time – you’ve got to imagine from a child’s perspective at the time it wasn’t so tiny.
Maureen: Did a cane never snap?
Edward: Never.
Maureen: I would have thought such a puny
Edward: The strength lies in the flexibility.
Maureen: But even so it must be very easy to break
Edward: It’s a lot stronger than it looks.
Maureen: Take this firmly in both hands and bend and you could snap it in two.
Edward: No, actually no.
Maureen: How do you know? Have you tried? Do it now. Take it and snap it in two.

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4
  • What is your question? What problem do you have with that line?
    – James K
    Apr 14, 2019 at 7:19
  • @JamesK the context is about "snap" the meaning is breaking cane or is about beating with the cane?
    – user90219
    Apr 14, 2019 at 7:49
  • Thank you. What is the source of this text please.
    – James K
    Apr 14, 2019 at 8:03
  • @JamesK The Cane by Mark Ravenhill
    – user90219
    Apr 14, 2019 at 8:10

1 Answer 1

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They are talking about breaking the cane. When a stick breaks we say it "snaps" This is the usual dictionary meaning of "snap". To "snap in two" is to break it and make two pieces.

Maureen says that if you bend the cane strongly, it would break.

Edward says it is both strong and flexible and so doesn't break.

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