In seven of the 10 textual segments, Jessie's preferred focus is the first person. This usage signals that Jessie is the focus of the majority of her own statements. Only in segment 1.10, where Jessie is preparing Mama for what will happen after the shot and instructing her on how to act at the funeral, does Jessie employ more second person pronouns than first person pronouns. Even so, her use of the second person is only 1.2 times that of the first person. Jessie's ratio of preferred use is especially notable in segment 1.07 as it contains her highest ratio of first person pronouns to second person pronouns, 3.2. In this segment, Jessie is discussing her relationships with Cecil and Ricky and asserting her identity.

Mama's usage does not reveal such a strongly marked tendency. She shifts her focus periodically, yet shows a preference for second person pronouns. Mama speaks of herself less frequently and, as she uses more second person pronouns in five of the segments, her tone is generally blaming-she points her finger at Jessie through keeping her focus on "you-you-you."

Nevertheless, in three segments, 1.02, 1.03, and 1.06, she uses twice the number of the second person pronouns. In segment 1.02, Mama is reacting to Jessie's suicide. In segment 1.03, she is trying to ascertain Jessie's reasons for the suicide by asking numerous questions. And in segment 1.06, Mama is trying to find out who or what is to blame for Jessie's state of mind, again by asking many questions.

Mama prefers "I"-statements in the final segment, where her turn lengths are relatively brief, 16.0 words, which is perplexing as she also focuses on herself rather narrowly in segment 1.06, where her turn lengths are also relatively brief. I had originally thought that segment 1.09, where Mama's turn length is the greatest, 43.8 words, would show Mama using her preferred form, second person pronouns, heavily. However the data reveal that she has a rather balanced focus between her use of first and second person pronouns in that segment. My examination of Mama's speech in segments 1.06 and 1.10 points to Mama's discomfort with her own identity. She is used to pointing her finger at Jessie and defining her (i.e., through "you are" definition statements), but she seems out of touch with herself and her reality.

In segment 1.10, Mama's use of "I'll" changes. At the beginning of the play Mama uses "I'll" to say what she will do to prevent Jessie from committing suicide, for example, "I'll leave the TV off all night" (18) in segment 1.02, or "I'll pay more attention to you" (75) in segment 1.09. Early in the play, when discussing what Mama will do after Jessie has died, she also uses "I'll" to make some ridiculous assertions, such as "I'll eat tuna, thank you" (51) in segment 1.05, which again are intended to prevent Jessie's suicide. In segment 1.10, however, "I'll" serves a much different purpose. All of these references deal with the acceptance of Jessie's suicide. In this segment Mama uses "I'll" nine times. Three of those times she states with what she will do at Jessie's funeral, three others deal with what she will do once she has heard the shot, and the final three are threats made in desperation because Jessie has disappeared behind her bedroom door. At this point in the play, then, Mama appears to realize that Jessie is serious and will not be deterred. Thus, Mama basically stops pleading until the final, desperate moments. Mama's change in the usage of "I'll" and address terms correlates with her drastically decreased turn length, which drops from 43.6 to 16.0 words within these final two segments. It appears that Norman reinforces Mama's ineffectual position through Mama's speech.