Themes Flashcards
Symbolism of blind mans bluff
Dictatorial regimes keeping people ignorant to control them , interrogation of Stanley , pauses , black out - ‘Mccaan switches out the light, comes back and shines a torch in Stanley’s face .’
What does the banality do
Reflects the state of the bystander , carrying on as normal after atrocities have been committed
Beginning - ‘was it dark? ‘ ‘no it was light’ return to banal conversation despite what has been done to Stanley , Petey ‘Reading.’ Meg - ‘Is it good’
Why do they avoid communication
Maintaining ignorance is a form of power
Why do Goldberg and McCann create disorder and chaos
In order to control everyone
Why does Pinter use pause
Lack of speech becomes speech meg - where’s Stan ?pause Is Stan down yet, Petey ?
Stanley - ‘I’ve … er …. I’ve been offered a job as a matter of fact’
Silence is used by Pinter to express heaistation meaningless of communication and is a better form of expression than words
What is the audience in
Ignorance characters are formulated by their past but we don’t know what their past is although Pinter wanted the director to know what their past was
What happens when Goldberg is called simey
Name change creates confusion audience unaware of Goldbergs true identity violent fit seizes Goldberg showing underlying violence of the dictator charm is a facade , ‘murderously. Don’t call me that!’
Pinter wanted to shock the audience
How does Pinter mix genres
Tragedy split by comic one liners , aspects of melodrama (drum) mixed with domestic realism
What does the erosion of Stanley’s indentity signify
Similar to the erosion of identity in a totalitarian state , bp is about the control of the individual and truth alllows the individual to stand against the state .
Goldberg’s boasting
Long monologues of nostalgia boasting and fantasy show the bravado of the dictator
- ‘culture ? Don’t talk me to about culture.’ Goldberg’s arrogance and impersonal language reflect the use of charisma to uphold tyranny . Exaggerates cliche - ‘good? Pure ? She wasn’t a Sunday school teacher for nothing ‘ - hyperbolic exaggeration to present himself as a positive member of society
Random victimisation of Stanley is similar to
Joseph K in ‘the Trial’ ‘accosted in his own home’
How is Goldberg a cliche of power and dominance and what is the significance of his background
Says ‘mention my name ‘, comes from strong cultural background as does McCann showing harmful impacts of orthodoxy and its destruction of identity and selfhood. Their backgrounds exert strict control over their followers reflected in Goldberg and McCaans desire to control Stanley
How does Pinter allude to news manipulation
High levels of espionage and and news manipulation when Pinter write the BP , Goldberg says ‘true ? It’s more than true . It’s a fact ‘ paradox shows absurdity of the post truth world where information is only validated through authority figures , lending them ultimate control of the world around them.
Change of tone
Sudden change of Goldberg’s tone from charming incinsere cliches to ‘quiet official tone ‘ calls Stanley ‘out subject ‘
How can Goldberg infiltrate Stanley’s privacy and indentity
Authoritative tone never challenged
‘We’re going to remind him. We’re going to give him a party ‘ demonstartes immorality of tyrannical regimes that seek to control individuals who have little say in the matter .
What does the drum do
Infantilises Stanley and pushes him into a primate infantile state allowing Goldberg and mccaan to break him down
‘His shoulders sag ‘
‘Beat becomes erratic, uncontrolled ‘ loss of senses builds pathos
Poor treatment of lulu
‘Who used who?’
Hipocicy of those in power
Interrogation of Stanley Forcing him to join the lunacy
‘How many fingers do you use ?’
‘No hands ‘
Language games use to divert attention
Meg patronising Stanley
‘You’re a liar, a little liar’
Keeps him under her control
How is Stanley a guilty victim
Anxious at the arrival of 2 men , ‘(pacing the room) Here? they wanted to come here ?’
Short sentences and idealism
‘A good one , too. A night club. In Berlin ‘
Inconsistencies
Surrounding Stanley’s background is his nostalgia fabricated - ‘ my farther nearly came down to see me ‘ , meg ‘his father brought him champagne ‘
Stanley already broken down
‘You could do with a shave , do you know that ?’
How does Pinter show Stanley desperate for freedom
‘rises and walks to the window ‘ entrapped by meg then entrapped by Goldberg
Control of information
McCann ‘tearing a sheet of newspaper into five equal strips ‘
Stanley feels he is innocent but coerced into feeling guilty
Victimised , Goldberg - ‘where was your wife ?’ Stanley ‘in-‘ then says ‘what wife ?’ McCann ‘you throttled her ‘ , stereotypical crime victimises Stanley
Meg’s suspicion
Bystander senses something wrong Stanley worms her of men and a wheelbarrow and then asks ‘is there a wheelabaroow in it’
Name changes
Petey says ‘your friend - dermot ‘ whereas god berg says ‘seamus who came before your father ?’ Name change audience in ignorance about the truth , Goldberg draws on ideas of a dynasty to evoke the sense of the dictators right to power .
Interrogation of Stanley
Tell him how to feel McCann ‘ you’re a dead duck ‘, Stanley no sense of truth allows him to be manipulated ‘but we can save you’ Goldberg , McCann ‘you’ll be rich ‘Stanley ‘attempts to speak, fails and emits sounds from his throat ‘ speech taken away play is about the power of language
Peteys behaviour
‘Moving downstage what about a doctor ?’ Attempts to save Stanley and stand up to authority figures , won’t except cliche of a ‘nervous breakdown ‘ but when his own personal security is threatened he stops standing up for Stanley , Goldberg - ‘inidisously why don’t you come with us , mr boles ?’
Petey joins Goldberg and McCann in concealing what has been done to Stanley ‘yes, he’s … still asleep ‘
