Month: December 2008

Why is it different: Curt Conversations

by Paul Kappel

The play’s major characters Estragon and Vladmir are certainly not characters renowned for their lengthy and wordy conversations, a number of their discussions spanning less than just a few lines:

VLADIMIR:

Did you ever read the Bible?

ESTRAGON:

The Bible . . . (He reflects.) I must have taken a look at it.

VLADIMIR:

Do you remember the Gospels?

ESTRAGON:

I remember the maps of the Holy Land. Coloured they were. Very pretty. The Dead Sea was pale blue. The very look of it made me thirsty. That’s where we’ll go, I used to say, that’s where we’ll go for our honeymoon. We’ll swim. We’ll be happy.

A major reason for this is Becketts clear disregard for the details of life. Our two men are in a state of purgatory while waiting for Godot, being forced to make small talk in order to pass the endless amount of time which is passing. Conversations which are described as being “curt” are generally a good symbol of people who might not be the greatest of friends or who are simply bored with eachother’s company. All that needs to be said has been said.

-GODOT IN WONDERLAND

BY ALEJANDRO

Anything can gain meaning in a place where things are not clearly defined and superficiality, slave to perception, reigns. When superficiality is not only upfront but is the core of everything…

Thus, a projection of someone becomes the dominant force. ‘God-ot’, through a perspective from inside the play , seems to be pulling the strings. This is different from reality in the sense that, normally, people would not be dependent of another person. Specially, this does not happen in a circumstance where the person awaited is a total stranger.

The clockwork of this play makes the audience ask itself what has Godot promised. Since this character is absent the entire time, but his omnipresence manifests through every action, or the lack of them there of, it acquires a God-like importance.

Deliberately, Becket’s minimalistic construct allows the different concepts -like time, space, setting, characters, the moon, twilight- to gain evocative and interpretative dimension; a tangible one as denoted by the reach of this piece.

Universality bursts out through imagery with the potential to extend as far as the audience capabilities to contrast, or relate to the concept, permit it.

Why is it Different From Reality- Concept of Time is Skewed, Day is Repeated Over Again,Short Term Memory Lapses By The Characters

By Eric Houdek

As Erica has stated, Waiting for Godot is different from reality due to short term memory lapses by the characters, the concept that time is skewed, and the day is repeated.  I think all of these propsitions tie together.  By presenting the concept that time is skewed by presenting repeating days and unreliable memories, Beckett makes it clear that the specifics of the play are not important.  If they were, the audience would have a clear understanding of exactly when and where the play takes place.  However, by making time and events unreliable, it becomes apparent that this play is universal.  It can be occurring anywhere and at anytime, and it applies to all of mankind. 

Why is it Different From Reality?-Pozzo becomes blind in one night and helpless in one night.

By Eric Houdek

As Erica had mentioned, in Waiting For Godot, Pozzo becomes blind in one night and helpless in one night.  Because Waiting for Godot does not operate on a linear time scale, the one night is irrelevant.  Although it may attract the audience because it has happened so “suddenly,” one night could be as little as one night or as long as one’s lifetime.  As Pozzo enters the play, he is indeed somewhat of a powerful man, construed to be much more well off than Lucky.  However, regardless of his fortune and power, Pozzo eventually ends up helpless and blind.  Perhaps Pozzo’s helpless condition represents man’s mortality.  Man eventually will die, whether it be at an old or young age.  Pozzo’s blindness could very well represent man’s inability to comprehend life.  Maybe Beckett is suggesting that regardless of one’s life experience, man will never truly understand what life is about. 

Why is it Different From Reality?…Short Term Memory Lapses

By Eric Houdek

As Erica had stated, Waiting for Godot is different from reality because the characters from within have short term memory lapses.  Thus, the characters are not the most reliable and do not really have an idea about what is going on.  Through using short term memory, the whole premise of the stoy becomes ambiguous, perhaps extending the story to all of mankind.  While the short term memory displayed by the characters leaves the characters as appearing feeble minded and having no chance of understanding of the things going on around them, perhaps Beckett is suggesting that mankind is too feeble minded to understand the reasons for its own existence.

Why is it Different From Reality?-Names-Godot

By Eric Houdek 

Perhaps Beckett presents such the unique name of Godot to help make symbolism within the play clear.  If the last two letters are taken away from the word Godot, the word God is formed.  There are also biblical references made throughout the play.  A unique name grabs the attention of the audience, perhaps making it easier to be drawn to this symbolism.

How is it Different From Reality-Names

By Eric Houdek

 The whole establishment of names and naming in Waiting For Godot is very different from reality.  While this play was written and translated to English in the 50s, all of the names present in the play are not common names found today, nor were they common in America in the 50s.  These unique names include Pozzo, Godot, Vladamir, Estragon, and Lucky.  In addition, names within the play do not hold as the ultimate form of identifying somebody.  Lucky is constantly reffered to as “pig” while Estragon is called “Mr. Albert” by the messenger who is called “boy.”

Erica — How is it different from our reality?

This play is different from reality in the following ways:

(1) unusual names

(2)  random tree on a hill as meeting place

(3) Lucky treated as a dog/slave on a leash.

(4) Curt conversations

(5) Short term memory lapses by the characters

(6) Pozzo becomes blind in one night and helpless in one night.

(8) Concept of time is skewed

(9) The day is repeated over again.

How is it different from reality-setting?

By Eric Houdek 

The setting within Waiting For Godot greatly differs from reality.  Throughout the whole period of the play, whose exact lapse of time is unknown to the audience, the characters stay within a small area, never leaving the same spot.  The characters all of opportunities to leave, if even for just a little while, but they still stay in the same place.