Monday, January 4, 2016

How is the theme of social/political change of the individual represented in "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett?

The main themes in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot circulate around the ideas of salvation, absurdism, the human condition, and waiting (as openly stated in the title of the play). That said, all of these themes also tie in to the ideas of social and political change.
Salvation is represented through Vladimir's (Didi) and Estragon's (Gogo) belief that Godot will be their salvation. Without Godot, both characters feel as though they have no purpose in life, outside of waiting for Godot. For them, presently, their only purpose is waiting for Godot to show up, telling them what they are to do from the point of the meeting on. Socially, for them both, they have no greater purpose than this. Their entire future lies in the meeting with Godot. Therefore, their social change will only come once the meeting has taken place. They are unable to leave their current place in life, both physical and figurative, until Godot appears:

Gogo: Let's go.
Didi: We can't.
Gogo: Why not?
Didi: We're waiting for Godot.

Both of their lives are at a standstill. They simply cannot move on until Godot presents himself. Therefore, social change, here, is impossible.
In regards to the theme of absurdism, this speaks to the ideas of both social and political change. Sometimes, the world as we know it, and the world that Gogo and Didi know, lies in the absurd. Absurdism is grounded in the ideology that human beings, essentially, have no purpose in the chaotic and meaningless world they live in. Therefore, the purpose of the play is to make readers think, using Didi's and Gogo's actions and dialogue, about the absurd world we live in. For the absurdist, social and political change is irrelevant because, in the end, the change will not matter. For some readers, this makes them focus on trying to take the absurdity out of life in order to make their own lives meaningful. Therefore, the play does not truly address social and political change openly, in regards to the absurdist nature of it all. Instead, the play makes the reader think about the greater picture in life, forcing readers to come to desire social and political change for themselves. They do not wish to end up like Gogo and Didi, waiting for the possibility of something happening. Many readers believe the author's purpose is to make them think about the importance of political and social change now.
The theme of the human condition is grounded in the idea of social and political change. The human condition tends to be a very complicated idea. Because of this, some people tend to stay away from examining the concept because it brings up the goods and evils in any and all individuals. The play suggests that the human condition is one where mankind has been left destitute (like Gogo and Didi), exiled by both God and society. Gogo and Didi do not seem to have much left to give to society. Their lack of substantial characteristics and abilities, which could benefit society as a whole, are gone. Society has no need for them any longer. This idea should also speak to the reader. They (readers) should not want to be in a place where their "human condition" is defined by worthlessness. Instead, they should want to find things in life where they feel needed and grow. Therefore, their human condition should be to ensure social and political change comes for both them and the society around them. The focus on the human condition, then, comes from bettering themselves (social change) and the world around them (political change)—when they deem the political change and social change is necessary.
Perhaps the strongest message in the play comes from the idea of waiting. If one waits, he or she fails to seek out both social and political change. The world around them, as seen in the play, stops, and growth (change) is impossible. When one waits, all else is put on hold. No change, neither social nor political, can happen. Instead, the world simply waits, like Didi and Gogo, for something to bring about the change first. This message, therefore, seems to be the strongest of the play, when examining political and social growth. It is only when we seek out the desire in ourselves to change that change actually comes.
In the end, although readers do not come to see any real change in Gogo or Didi, the play makes them (the readers) think about the necessity of change (both political and social) in their own lives. Readers should not wish to end up like the characters, waiting their lives away for no tangible or meaningful reason (other than something that they have no real idea about). Therefore, the play as a whole speaks to the importance of forging one's own path—a path which seeks out the desire and willingness to change both themselves and the world around them.

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