Geof is perhaps the most sympathetic character in the play: he is caring, concerned and gentle; he has
interests traditionally seen as feminine, especially in the 1950s – making baby clothes, keeping the flat tidy,
cooking, looking forward to caring for the baby. As a result, he is assumed to be gay by all the other
characters but he never admits to it himself. In fact, he has sexual feelings for Jo, forcing a kiss on her, is
this because he is confused about his sexuality? He offers to marry her but seems to accept her rejection
quite calmly. He accepts the role that Jo invents for him – an old woman, sexless, old-fashioned, trustworthy.
His decision to leave at the end of the play hurts him deeply but he knows that Helen will not go away and he
realises that the three of them living together would create tensions that would be bad for Jo. He is giving up
everything he longs for – the pseudo- marriage, the baby, the comfortable relationship, the opportunity to
care for Jo
Top Quotes ‘I can’t stand people who laugh at other people’ ‘Your mother should know’ ‘Someone’s
got to look after you. You can’t look after yourself’ ‘What would you say if I started something?’ ‘Am I
repulsive to you?’ ‘You do need me Jo, don’t you?’ ‘I’d sooner be dead than away from you’ ‘ Oh well,
you need someone to love you while you’re looking for someone to love’ ‘If you don’t watch it, you’ll turn
out exactly like her.’ ‘Can you see Helen going out with a real loony!’ ‘It’s alright Jo. I don’t mind moving
out’ ‘ Would you not frighten Jo’