How we cite our quotes: Cloud 9. Caryl Churchill. Routledge, 2000.
Quote #10
[While he is speaking Joshua raises his gun to shoot Clive] (1.4.303)
Here we have the final action of Act 1, which involves Joshua raising his gun at Clive. On the one hand, you can't be surprised. Clive is more or less responsible for turning Joshua into a servant, making him hate himself for being black, and killing his parents.
On the other hand, Joshua has been so careful at quietly undermining Clive and his family that this outright act of violence still strikes us as unexpected. And Churchill doesn't give us the satisfaction of knowing whether Joshua actually shoots the gun. Instead, the curtain falls and we have to wait until Act 2 to find out that Clive is still alive and well.