Thinking activity on "waiting for Godot"by Samuel Beckett

Thinking Activity on the Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett 

 This blog is my classroom activity. To show the worksheet of given task click here

Q – 1: What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree. Evening.”) Of the play and these paintings?

          We may find connection between these panting and the setting of the play is that one thing is that Beckett's is inspired from these painting and another is that the title itself, painting is“longing” that mean to longing for something or deeply craving or desire for something and Beckett's play is “Waiting” that also means to longing for something, another is that in one painting there are two male character same in the play Vladimir and Estragon. In painting there is a deciduous tree (Which has no leaves in a way it has not its primary essence of leave to become a tree), The morning time of rising sun, is also the similar in the both. Deciduous tree is may connect with two character lucky(he has no ability to think individually in spite of being submissive, in a way he has not quality of thinking to being as individual human being) and Estragon who is like deciduous and has no ability to think individually or remembering.

Q-2The tree is the only important ‘thing’ in the setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ?

              

       A tree is symbolically very significant in the play as well as the deciduousness and sprout of leaves is also very much important in both the act. A tree is completely bare of leaves at the beginning of the play. This tree portrays the world as barren and lifeless. A tree Is a symbol of both the end of life and hope. The lacks of leaves in first act signify that the character are lost and have no direction: they talking to hanging themselves, possibly to escape from the endless waiting. However, in the second the tree sprouts leaves in the second act there are four leave, which can symbolize new hope as Estragon and Vladimir continue to wait. The sprout of the leaves on the tree is also connected with the other question like evening falls into night and moon rises, It also symbolize the Indifferent of universe/ Nature, according to this “The show must go on”, Nature has its own cycle and its runs according to it, it has no any concern with human being or their exist or emotion like happiness or sadness, its constantly go on and on, 

   Q- 3 In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?

               

In both act ‘Coming of night and moon, this situation of evening falls into night and moon rises, can be interpret in many ways. If look it with in context of this play so we may say one thing that ‘There is nothing to be done, nothing can be happened yet something is happen’. One archetypal observation is that In Fray’s archetypal theory Night is symbol of darkness so here the Night is ending of the light and beginning of the darkness, Estragon and Vladimir goes into the darkness from the light. Which may symbolize that they have move toward in the hope for the another day, “Tomorrow will surely come” this sentence is used in visa versa in context to light from darkness and darkness from lightness. Another thing is this coming of night and moon is symbolize the Indifference of universe or nature, as we mention above is that Nature is without sentiment and without projecting human characteristics of love care and agency onto the natural world, it has no concern about humanly things or emotions, in play Vladimir and Estragon are in extreme pain of waiting and goes into the hopelessness at the end of the day, But “The show must go on and on…” Nature has its on way to live and its own design to live. Its goes according to its cycle… it cannot stop like humans endless desire. We may compare this with the very famous lines ofGulzar…

Aadmi bulbula hai pani ka,
Aur pani ki bahti satah par,
Tootta bhi hai, doobta bhi hai,
Phir ubharta hai, phir se behta hai,
Na samandar nigal saka isko,
Na tawareekh tod paaiee hai,
Waqt ki mauj par sada behta,
Aadmi bulbula hai pani ka!!!!!!!

Continuity of goin constantly on of( humans)Vladimir/estragon desires and hopefulness or hopelessness is both are juxtaposed by Samuel bucketts is here in this play. “Phir ubharta hai, phir se behta hai”, this can be perfectly match with the waiting situation and hope for tomorrow or for Godot by Vladimir and Estragon.

Q-4 The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

(Debris)

The setting of the play is very controversial topic to talk on. Well, The setting of the play is with some debris in the play its has also suggest some philosophical idea about life of humans and its roughness, like those trumps, its also suggest nothingness or meaninglessness or another thing is that its suggest the effect of second world war which symbolically captured by director. Debris means broken pieces of rock or scattered remains of something destroyed, After world war second people are not just economically broken down but mentally also get disappoint and disturb. Its symbolize absurdity of human being. Massiveness in human’ life. The setting of the play reminds us the post war condition of the world which brought about uncertainties, despair, and new challenges to the all of mankind.

Q-5 The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?

The play begins with the dialogue “nothing to be done .it is very well justify with the statement about the play is that Waiting for Godot does not tell a story; its explores a static situation. The theme of nothingness is sprout throughout the play, the theme is recurs time and again by characters as they are doing insignificant activities purposelessly. The theme of nothingness can be understood well by this characters dialogue..

Estragon: - “Nothing happens, nobody comes…nobody goes” it’s awful!

In ending of first act Estragon says; shell we go..!! Vladimir say: Yes go…!! But they do not move.so in a way It means nothing will happen, not Godot will come, not their hope for Godot will be end, or their pain of that awful waiting is not yet will going to end…so in a way they have to yet struggle but nothing to be done, though this play is like Nothingness is everything, which represents the meaningless or absurdity of human life through this characters.

   Q-6 Do you agree: “The play (Waiting for Godot), we agreed, was a positive play, not negative, not pessimistic

Yes, it is highly optimistic play. Though the first impression of the play may seems very pessimistic but after goes in too deep level of understanding it may consider as positive Whether someone died with the weapon of bomb or through any other weapon. The fact is that life never ends. It is goes on. No matters what’s happening,

Q-7 How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

                     

Props like hat and boots are used by character in the play, Hat is represent with all character, Vladimir is play with the hat and Estragon is play with boot. Hat is symbolize the intellectual thinking nature, practical thinking, Vladimir has ability to think, Boot is symbol of nothingness or rather estragon is doing some unnecessary activity which may have no meaning, its symbolize absurdity. Boot stand for Estragon. He has more irrational thinking ability, even the lucky is also can speak after not wearing the hat, so it’s symbolize illogical or absurd thing, while Vladimir and Estragon playing with the hats it’s also unnecessary thing totally time pass activity. Hat is also representation as protection, the characters Vladimir and Estragon are playing to take off and all its seems that they are also in search of protector in form of Godot..!! that once they come and protect us.

Q- 8 Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?

  

Yes, I think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic, Even when the master Pozzo is blind in the second act, though lucky obediently hands the whip in his hand. It was no need of that obedient cause master was unable to give command but there are two possibilities there one is that may be Samuel Beckett wants to symbolize or convey the colonized mindset through this submissive slave or second is as same way Beckett tries to show the power politics through this character, which also represent meaninglessness that there is no need then even he become like a puppet of rich man’s hand.

Q-9 “The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’” (Esslin, A Search for the Self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

“The subject of the play is not Godot but waiting”. EssIin says that, “The act of waiting as an essential aspect of the human condition. Throughout our lives we always waiting for someone, and Godot simply represents the objective of our waiting. In the act of waiting we experience the flow of time in its purest. Similarly in the play both the characters are waiting still at the end of the play. If the subject of the play is not waiting but Godot then they might turn up.”, They are waiting for one and don’t loose hope till last and do such many unnecessary activitis to passing the timeh we also do normaly, I do agree with the thought of Martin Esslin. Waiting is something we all do. We can see the flow of time while waiting. Whenever we are waiting for someone, we feel time is not passing and therefore we divert our mind in other things. Similarly, the characters are also waiting and at the end of the play they are still waiting. If the subject of the play was Godot then he might turn up.

Q - 10   The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy;s question, Vladimir says:  "BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?

         VLADIMIR:

        Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't   you?

     How does this conversation go in Act II? Is there any change in seeming similar situation and conversation? If so, what is it? What does it signify?

Act-1

BOY: - What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?
VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't you?

Act-2

BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?
VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw me and that . . (he hesitates) . . . that you saw me. (Pause. Vladimir advances, the Boy recoils. Vladimir halts, the Boy halts. With sudden violence.) You're sure you saw me; you won't come and tell me tomorrow that you never saw me!

The major change is that in first act Vladimir thinks of both rather then being self-centerd and in act two it was “Tell us” is covert in “Tell Me” that means the perspective is change of Vladimir and he becomes selfless to self-center.

The another major change is that in first act Vladimir is very excited or enthusiastic that one another person, Boy is come and give them company or he is enthusiastically asking the question and giving the answer that of his question but in Second act Vladimir seems not as much happy and all siuation or that conversation like boredom, the hole situation is turns into absurdity or in disappointment or meaningless of that conversation,

Then another major change is that in second act Lucky become dumb and Pozzo become blind.

 

 

 

Respons to Flip learning activity on " Existentialism"

 Hello readers,
  This blog is part of my Flip learning activity.
To see that context click here

Video-1

   First is about What is existentialism?
          Existentialism is a trilogy of mainly three things
            1) Individuality
            2)Passions
            3)Freedom
      Existentialism is given more focus in these things, another is Who do not believing in god is consider as existentialist.
    
     There are many things that had been said and written about existentialism, one of the Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre also written an essay on "Existentialism Is a Humanism" in which he gives idea of What is Existentialism in very simple way According to him..Existentialism is nothing else but an attempt to draw the full conclusions from a consistently atheistic position. Its intention is not in the least that of plunging men into despair.Existentialism is not atheist in the sense that it would exhaust itself in demonstrations of the non-existence of God. It declares, rather, that even if God existed that would make no difference from its point of view. Not that we believe God does exist, but we think that the real problem is not that of His existence; what man needs is to find himself again and to understand that nothing can save him from himself, not even a valid proof of the existence of God. In this sense existentialism is optimistic. It is a doctrine of action, and it is only by self-deception, by confining their own despair with ours that Christians can describe us as without hope.

Video 2-

    Talk about an absurd reasoning and Absurdity reflects in humans life.
 Absurdity is part of Humans life which they can found in their life, Absurdity means Anxiety, pain, despair,suicide.Mans life is like the absence of any profound reason to living in state of feeling absurdity, when we start to think about absurdity of life we feel like stranger. All healthy man is having think of suicide , there is direct connection between this feeling and death. Man feels like Death is my mistress. When we discover and face absurdity in our life we may  ask two question to our self Hope? Suicide? and death.

Video 3-

  Here is given the concept of Absurdity and Philosophical death. As we mention above that Absurdity is an essential part of humans life, In An Absurd mind reason is useless and nothing beyond it, there is no place for hope. So one of the way is taking leap from absurdity is an easy way to live healthy life.

Video 4-

    Recognizing three concept at the same time to get clear cut idea to understanding of Existentialism. Dadaism, Nihilism and Existentialism. All three has contain some common thing is "Absurdity" or concept of Absurd mind,Three are common in sense of spreading idea of "Freedom" or  asking question and individuality. These three movement is arises in to respond to world war first and second.

Video 5-

Existentialism holds some idea like Absurdity, Anxiety, despair, its seems gloomy and negativity, Existentialism is respond to second world war, where this all kinds of things like despair, Absurdity and all other things spread in all over world, which affects humans mind deeply, Existentialism is respond this emptiness. After world war people seems life as meaningless and field with despair. Existentialism come to people as to rescue and cure from that gloomy atmosphere.  

Video 7-
 Existentialism means that we are own responsible for creating meaning in our life. In another way Existentialism is tries to find some unresolved question or confusion of the human world. Existentialism means one has freedom to create their own personal subjective meaning.

Video 8-
 Existentialism means there is no universal morality which govern us we have to freedom of doing what we want to do.

Video 9-

 I  like existentialism because of two things, first is, its takes me as i am, and second is its give give freedom of thoughts.And second is Its way of questioning to absurdity and all other hmuman mind's condition which at some where touches my heart also (not video speaker).

Video 10-

 "Essence precedes existence"
  Everything has its essence. Our essence is exist in before our born. Our essence give us purpose to living.For example One two knife one is with wooden handle and second without handle. If we remove wooden handle then we it has not much more value cause and other has not handle it also has no much more value so wooden handle of knife is its primer essence for being exist and considering as knife

   Ans-1

 I like video 7 most cause its give much clear idea about existentialism, i also like no. 8  " Explain like i am five" cause it is in more simple way a teacher teach this concept to child so it is in more simple or comic way.

Ans-2

  I enjoy flip learning, its help me in to improving my listening skill as well writing, i learn to write in more speedy way. Though there are some troubling to listen non-Indian voice without subtitles. This technique is more remembering during exam cause we don't need to read this directly listen which will be more remember. The flipped learning is very helpful to understand the concept of Existentialism. It will also make the classroom discussion lively as we already come to know about the basics of this concept. I really enjoyed flipped learning.It also having like hectic pain to listen Ten videos thoroughly and then give only one short idea about. but over all enjoying.   

 

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Interpretation of the short play "Breath" by Samuel Beckett's

 Hello readers this  blog is part of my classroom activity.

Click here to see the context..

Samuel Beckett wrote a play titled “Breath” that from beginning to end lasts 35 seconds. The play begins with a child’s first breath while the stage is covered with trash. The play ends with a person’s final breath while the view of trash on the stage stays the main focus. The point of the play is that we come into a world of trash… live briefly… then die. Such is the world’s view of life.

Beckett was an was an Irish avant-Gard writer, poet, and dramatist. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1969 . As such he is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Yet he was a recluse… intensely private… and seems to be a person without much hope in his life… as his play “Breath” portrays.

While I would agree that we live in a world that is broken on virtually every level, I would not agree that it has to stay that way or that our life means nothing as the play seems to imply.
It is very strange to see that any play would have been written in such a short time and though it has deep significant meaning about existence of human life and and their way of living life. This is adopted by many other director to made visual play, after watching some of the adaption i found different interpretation from different video version,

1) by Damien hirst whose video is with the theme of medical west things which is present very messy may be its signify the idea of being existing of human being who born as well as die at the end but their lives are full with the vague or with very messy ideas one thing that an Ashtrey is seems arranged in between the garbage which also significance something.the question of existentialism would have been emerged after world war and this play is also very much influenced by world war so we can connect it the exhalation of breath or inexhaustibly of breath of child or a person who is passing through wars and witness of blood shades of the thousands of people during or after the war. And the messy things or garbage is also significance the human minds after the effect of war. They are just goes into the deep thoughts having in mind.

2) one of the video no 4 the modern interpretation is also interesting. Though it s sounds doesn't match properly with original written play but the interpretation is very much significant. There is one blue bowel like things in which first light is little bit through then it suddenly of and then its breaks down. It symbolize the human life or their thoughts they have first hope then slowly its goes down and ultimately it will broken down by society. Humans have many unnecessary things or thought in life or in their minds if they have look at one by one then they could do something creative otherwise its seems like mass or garbage of thoughts.

   This given image is i can found in context of the fourth video

And this hole play if we can see at the point of existentialism then this play or these vidieo are very much interpretative.

Work cited:

 https://pastorron7.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/the-worlds-shortest-play-beckett/



https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=breath+by+samual+buckett

Derrida deconstruction

Here is my view as a post structuralist critic



   Deconstruction is a theory which is given by Jacques Derrida. In the criticism of literature, Deconstruction is a theory and practice of reading which questions and claims to ‘subvert’ or ‘undermine’ the assumption that the system of language provides grounds that are adequate to establish the boundaries, the coherence or unity, and the determinate meaning of a literary text.It is not distructive activity but inquiry into the foundations of everything.There is something first crumble down and then something is new built.Derridean way of thinking is to qewstion "Origin of Origin". In derridean Deconstruction he tallks on some perticular points or theory's like Logocentricism and Phonocentricism,Binary appositions, Trace of Meaning, Free play of meaning, supplimentrarity, undecidability of meaning, decentering the center, Metaphysics of present. 

    There are numbers of example on which we can apply this theory. For example if if i were a post structuralist critic, i would like to apply this theory on Ekta kapoor's serial's in which Female are privilage over male, in serial like "Sath Nibhana sathiya" or "Sasural simer ka" . If we take another idea of 'Origion of origion" then we find that there is one bollywood movie; which is based on one historical story in which the origanal story is differant and movie makers are modifiying the history, so here derridean way of thinking is 'Question to 'Origin of Origin". so here is origanal myth is Deconstructed and then new story is built up.


   

if we take anotherkey point of Derrida which is about "Binari apposition",

In this vidieo we find Binary apposition of cold and fire, there is seting of this advertisemnt is cold place like kashmir, an then that girl bwant to drink cocokola, then at the end there is fire and Amir is movieng around and speek "Thanda matlab cocokola cokla" so that is how posibal, there were also cold ice.