In Beckett's trilogy, the reader has discovered that one cannot always trust the claims made by the narrator/speaker. It was not until reading “The Unnamable” that I discovered that the stories told by the speakers came about as a way for the main characters to escape their depressing, tedious lives. “The Unnamable” was much clearer with the insanity of the narrator with his/her wide association with Beckett’s other crazy characters. In this regard, this narrator has proved that all of these nonlinear stories told by these wacky speakers are really just a way for a person to figure out and deal with the issues in his/her life.
Beckett has brought up in multiple works the importance of language and comprehension, yet he takes this a step further in “The Unnamable” thorough his excessive use of labeling. Certainly, some underlying worth exists in these labels and symbols, but ultimately I feel that the labeling of Beckett can be so difficult to understand since there exists no purpose in many instances. Beckett intends to show the reader how we tend to think some sort of label must be in the literature in order for appreciation. The unnamed head continues to label all of these things developing in his/her life, but this character strives for the grey area between despair and prosperity.
It is true that there are no symbols where none intended, but some reoccurring symbols/labels reflect back to the author’s personal life. The bicycle symbol occurs in many of Beckett’s works, yet it appears in the first two novels thou not this final installment. The bicycle was a way to symbolize unwavering happiness, so perhaps absence of labels speaks more than their existence. I have come to believe this since Beckett always seems to be looking for what is missing in a story instead of the material presented.
No comments:
Post a Comment