Family In The Play example essay topic

Buried Child Sam Shepard has always written plays that have numerous illusions to frustrate the reader. Shepard has also been known for several twists in his plays, and also makes the reader believe in something that is not real. Born in 1943, Shepard always enjoyed Theatre and Playwriting. Now, nearly 60 years of age, Shepard is one of the most famous playwrights in America. In Shepard's Buried Child, there are many twists and turns that have the reader wondering and wanting more. Buried Child can be similar to classic plays such as Oedipus Rex, where Shepard includes the theme of incest.

He has also included many symbolic objects and Native American symbols of renewal with the large quantity of vegetables in the backyard of the family's house. There are seven main characters in this play, the majority belonging to one family. The first impression seems like the family in the play are a normal Middle American family. Dodges one-track alcoholic mind, Halie's irritating personality, and Tilden's distant relationship with his father seems fairly typical of an elderly family; however, this is far from the truth. The play begins with Dodge, who is in his seventies, may not have much longer to live.

He has an unhealthy cough, which gives the thought that he is extremely ill. In the play, Shepard is pointing out that Dodge is not only sick physically, but also mentally. His vicious cough seems to show the progression of his illness throughout the play. The introduction of Tilden, Dodge's son, is quite unusual; he enters the house with an armful of corn and drops it in front of his father.

The significance of this action will be noticed further into the play. When Tilden brings the corn in from the backyard, his father looks at him and tells him to give the corn back, thinking he has stolen it. Dodge snaps, 'I haven't planted corn back there since 1935, so take that damn corn back form where ever you got it". Yet, Tilden argues that the entire back yard is filled with tall stalks of corn, carrots and potatoes. Tilden is a young man living with his parents after getting in trouble in New Mexico. Halie, Tilden's mother and Dodge's wife, is abnormally protective of Tilden, which he is not allowed to do or say anything without the permission of Dodge or herself.

Halie is constantly worrying about Tilden, and appears that this is more than a mother being protective of her children. It seems she views him as being unable to take care of himself. In the next scene, Halie meets with the community minister to talk about a statue for her dead son Ansal, which is somewhat disturbing. She is dressed in a black vale, extended black gloves, and a long black dress. It seems that she is going to a funeral for her lost son, instead of going to lunch and chatting with the minister. In addition, the reader hears about the last son, Bradley, who has had a serious accident with a chain saw where he cuts his leg off.

Not much is know about Bradley in the beginning of the play except of his amputation, and also that he is the younger of the two sons who has a fake leg. Before the climax of this play, the reader should be able to see that something is wrong with this family. In this play, there is not one event that stands out as being completely peculiar, but there are clever hints that allow the reader to know that there is far more to this family. The turning point of this play suddenly happens without the reader knowing. It is when Tilden's Son, Vince, comes to visit the family. He appears at the house after six years with his girlfriend Shelly, which he is trying to secure his past problems with his family.

The problem however, is that none of his family members recognizes him. It is at the peak of the play when the reader is able to fully realize how deformed this family is. As Vince enters the house with Shelly, Dodge reacts to him and says, "Did you bring the Whiskey?" This question has Vince puzzled for he has just arrived at the house; he replies, "I just got here grandpa". It gets more confusing when Dodge starts to question Vince: "You left?

You went outside after we told you not to". This may be Dodge having a slight memory relapse, since Dodge may think Vince is actually his own son. Vince continues saying, "You remember me?" Dodge replies, "I have never seen you before until now". Tilden then enters the room with an armful of carrots and observes Vince. Like before, Vince is completely unrecognizable. Vince then looks at his father face-to-face and says, "Dad, it is me your son Vince".

Tilden responds with a calm tone, "I had a son once, but we buried him". This response indicates major events to come, which also serves as the play's most important incident because it connects back to the beginning and ending of the play. There are many major complications in this play, and each one has contributions to the value and effectiveness of the play. For example, the introduction of Bradley to the reader seemed to be the one person who is normal in the family, perhaps the person who is keeping the family together. Nevertheless, Shepard quickly ends that idea when Bradley reaches down Shelly's mouth to see what she is "hiding". This is a symbolic gesture where the reader is able to see that this is a dysfunctional family.

Soon after, Halie enters the family's house, but instead of being dressed in all black attire, she is wearing a bright yellow dress. She enters the room to see Shelly, Dodge, and Bradley all laying in the living room, which Vince or Tilden are not present. As the play advances, Shelly begins to learn more about the dysfunctional family. She learns that there was once a third child, but something happened to it.

After a detailed conversation with the family, she finds out that Tilden had slept with his mother and had a child by the name of Ansal. The child was later drowned by Dodge, and then buried in the backyard of their house. This deep secret between the family has been held for sixteen years. As the truth finally unfolds, there is a sign of relief between the family members, especially for Dodge. He is now able to rest peacefully knowing that he has told someone the family's awful secret. No one of the family members saw the crops outside because of the rain, which is a sign of this deep secret.

As much as this family knows, it may have been raining since the day Ansal was killed by Dodge. After the secret was revealed to Shelly, it stopped raining and everyone noticed the crops outside. The family understood that it is better to expose such an appalling secret. After Dodge reveals this secret to Shelly, the reader can begin to understand why Tilden has had mental problems. Tilden loved his first child, and it destroyed him when Dodge took Ansal and murdered him. At the end of the play, Tilden departs, where the reader makes the assumption that perhaps he has committed suicide, or has left to visit Ansal's grave.

Vince reappears inebriated to the house, where the family looks very unhealthy. Dodge is lying on the coach waiting to die, while Bradley is collapsed on the floor. Halie is in the living room and sees Vince. She is the only one who identifies him and says, "Vince it's you, I always said you were my guardian angel looking down upon me".

This may be a sign that Vince is going to take care of the family, and will hopefully lead them in a positive direction. The ending of this play comes to the conclusion that this family can never be a normal Middle American family. This family is at a loss, and will probably never see life the way that they have before. I believe the message Shepard is trying to reach out to the reader is that secrets and dishonesty can tear a family apart and make them go insane. Unfortunately for this play, the terrible secret was exposed too late. Shepard created an ending which the world could appreciate its simplicity yet complications.

Buried Child explores the inner tensions of a rural existence, father-son relationships, and the place women hold in an ambiguous domestic atmosphere. Simply poetic, humorous, and mysterious, Buried Child is a vision of a troublesome family transformed into a symbol of America's loss of innocence. This play made Shepard a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1979, and is very much earned.

Bibliography

Jacobus, Lee A. 1994. The Bedford Introduction to Drama -- Third edition. Micro phil Publications. American Repertory Theatre. "Past Productions: Buried Child". Dec. 96 web.