CLOSED Longman Group One – How is it diferent?

Sam B.- How is it different pt. 1

Time- The perception the characters have of time in the play is skewed. Often they mistake a passage of time to be much longer than it actually was, or much shorter. The audience, however, can only guess at these things however, because questions of time are never answered.

Repetition of spoken words- Very often the characters repeat lines or words over and over again. This is different from reality. It seems as though they are doing it to derive some reason out of what they are saying.

Motivation of those Waiting- As the watcher of the play observes, there is really no reason for the two men to keep coming back to the tree each day. The amount of time is insignificant, we are meant to understand that they will keep coming back forever.

Importance of Situations- The gravity of many situations is skewed. Why don't the two men help Pozzo up immediately? Their casual conversation as he is begging for help is definitely different from reality.

Food- All that remains for the men to eat are carrots, turnips, radishes, and bones. I fond it interesting that the first three are almost like what one would feed a horse, such as the one Lucky is trying to be.

Treatment of Servant- One of the most noticeable differences from reality is in the treatment of Lucky. What is the purpose of treating him like a beast of burden?

Circular Path of Reasoning- There are never conclusions in the play, only discussions. These discussions become arguments until Vladimir and Estragon get distracted or just drop the subject.

Longing for Death- Certainly in reality men do not seriously discuss how unhappy they are or how they would love to hang themselves if they only had the means.

Quickness of Changes that Normally take a Long Time

Tree- In one day has grown full leaves

Blindness- In one day Pozzo has gone blind

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.

More Differences from Reality

BY ALEJANDRO (I think this was written by me)

We do not experience the confusion about nature, time, and the seasons that Vladimir and Estragon have. At different points in the play they argue about when the tree did or did not have leaves, whether the sun is rising or setting, and the like.
We rarely casually contemplate suicide as an entertaining diversion or “something to do”.
We do not constantly repeat phrases physical acts/tics, e.g. Pozzo’s vaporizer, the fixing of hats, various points throughout the play in which Vladimir and Estragon repeat the same lines over and over, changing them slightly each time.
We certainly do not have as much free time to sit and wait for someone who will never come.

Different from actuality

Actuality

Better Memory

-We know what we did yesterday

-We know what day of the week it is

-We would know if we went to the same place two days in a row

-We don’t talk about hanging ourselves in a careless manner

-We don’t find people treated like a horse (Pozzo and Lucky) or have slaves.

-We don’t sell people at fairs (unlike Pozzo and Lucky)

-We would notice (unlike Estragon) if someone was being treated cruelly. Estragon prefers to chew his bones.

-We tend to speak with sentences that are more descriptive, pertinent, and meaningful.

-We don’t listen to people think for entertainment (I don’t at least…)

Waiting for Godot. PULLING ANSWERS OUT OF A HAT.

BY ALEJANDRO

Some ‘hows’ for the ‘whys’ in the character’s world.

Context determines action when words are superfluous

The characters look for answers in weird places. (delegation of responsibility)

In this play there is a reduced list of props and each of them has significance as it marks the action in counterpoint to dialogs. This, concords with the general thematics which serve as a critique to human hypocrisy.

—(characters might say what they mean but, inescapably, they do what they do)—

– boot:

Vladimir brings up the faults of man as he says to Estragon:

” There’s man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet.” his claim is not erred. Nevertheless, the stage directions consecutively following this quote denote a repetition of his action; as previously stated by Becket.

“(He takes of his hat again, peers inside it, feels about it inside it, knocks on the crown, blows into it, puts it on again)

– hat

His constant inspection of the hat reinforces the idea of unreal expectations.

From an example later on in the story we can see the importance attached to hollow objects.

The hat image is resourceful.

“Pozzo: He can’t think without his hat.” (about Lucky)
The characters are affected by these objects as denoted by Lucky’s example: He can only speak when he’s got the hat on, and stops when the object has been withdrawn. The hat as the think-machine example pertains to, and is one of the foremost examples of, the absurd which mocks the states of affairs in reality and actuality. The use of images and metaphors is extensive in this practice.

Becket takes a hat, a man, human expectations, all of them, and assigns them roles which would not, normally, be considered normal; part of reality.

THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM REALITY.

I will not spend more time identifying this elements because it’s not my task to do that. I know that to say “how this play is different from reality” is part of the first group’s task but i needed to state some hows’ in order to explain the whys.

1st group:

Thank you for indulging, and feel free to comment on this.