Arrested and Waiting

There once aired a comedy television series featuring the recurring motifs of a manchild with an Oedipus complex and not so implicit “cousincest.” Ridiculously funny, or perhaps largely ridiculous, apparently when it was initially on television, the show did not quite resonate with American audiences — it was cancelled after three critically successful seasons. If you do not recognize the infamous phrase “There’s always money in the banana stand!” then you probably have never seen Arrested Development.

Please experience it for yourself:

Despite the show’s untimely demise, it was a critic’s darling; they practically worshipped at the series’ altar. Additionally, it gained admiration amongst a certain sector of society. The fervor from the fans has catapulted a fourth season on Netflix for the coming year. Unlike contemporaries of Arrested Development, rarely was there a television show that was able to subtly meld both the tragedy and absurdity that is human life. The Bluths are a modern family in a post-modern medium. We might even go so far as to say that Arrested Development has redefined what we expect from television. Perhaps a similar revolutionary vehicle in its medium, Waiting for Godot, spoke to the rejected vagabonds of the 1950s. One of the early, and now quintessential, absurdist plays was a hit amongst the intellectuals, just as Arrested Development was and is. Still, more surprisingly it gained a large following among prison inmates who found meaning in the utter meaningless of it all.

Wait, Man. You mean to tell me that Godot never came? Did Godot ever even exist? Like, woah…

Just as the American audience has found value in the acceptance of the chaos and utter nonsensical nature of the modern-day family, Waiting for Godot too found its niche.  It was famously performed by inmates at the San Quentin State Prison, leading to a long-lasting arts project at the prison. Its popularity in prisons might have been because of Beckett’s willingness to address the notion of time and existence as seemingly futile, something of which prisoners could recognize the value because all of their time behind bars was spent doing just that. Although this was likely not the direct intention, by performing Waiting for Godot, the prisoners were allowed some form of diversion from their own “waiting” – like that of Estragon and Vladimir, but more concrete. This brings a whole other meaning to the phrase “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” 

Speaking of prisons, this is the exact location where George Bluth Sr. finds himself at the start of Arrested Development. The deterioration of a wealthy, extravagant and essentially dysfunctional family lies founded in the main plotline of a fraudulent and self-serving CEO who becomes incarcerated. What’s a family to do when their source of income goes down the tube? Of course the most reasonable option is to live in one of George Bluth Sr.’s company’s model home and work several odd jobs such as the family’s banana stand. What emerges is a wacky family full of nonsensical stories in the vein of Seinfeld. Like Waiting for Godot, Arrested Development has its fair share of repeating motifs and phrases. For example, instead of the enigmatic Godot figure, there is Ann.   

Who is Ann? 

This is the question commonly on Michael Bluth’s mind. He should know Ann. She is a constant presence, especially in his son’s life and she is also periodically mentioned throughout the show. Yet, he never seems to figure out (or remember) who she is. Ann’s character provides one of the several absurdist elements of the program, and Michael Bluth’s interaction with her also draws a parallel to Estragon’s poor memory in Waiting for Godot, like the several junctures in which he forgets if they are where he and Vladimir are supposed to wait (9).

Also, this chicken... dance?:

Beyond the silly, flamboyant and nonsensical actions that take place in both works, there is a sense of heart. In Waiting for Godot, Estragon and Vladimir are fairly dependent on each other. They count on each other for comfort and company while they are waiting for the mysterious Godot even though they argue at times for no apparent reason — the moment in which the two argue about a carrot and radish, inevitably making no significant difference either way (16). Such is also the case with the Bluths. They have seemingly inane and useless arguments, yet still care about each other and rely on each other for support. This reliance provides a means for living on; it’s a reason to care in spite of all the meaningless.  

The Tell-Tale Opera

For sale: A charming town house available to own. The dim lighting makes this small space romantic and cozy. Low cost with newly re-done floors! We also have for sale, a charming country manor home. This one is a bit of a fixer upper. This giant estate on lots of land was a prior residence of the esteemed Usher family. With a little bit of TLC this one will be a great get away for the whole family.  The last item that will be for sale is the building that housed The Opera Populare. This opera house was once a fully functioning opera house for all the latest and greatest to be debuted. This one comes complete with an auction of all the artifacts left from its heyday as a music hall in a grand estate sale. Though these abandoned properties may seem shrouded in mystery, it is this fascinating mystique that gives these properties such an eccentric charm!

Wouldn't this be a fantastic add? Oh the subtle details that are left out of descriptions sometimes. You know things like former mayhem, subterfuge, and a murder most foul. Well, as you may have guessed I’m hinting at, the horror stories of Poe and the tale of The Phantom of the Opera have a lot in common. First is the modernist Gothic element that is apparent in the two. With the stories of Poe there are the elements of light and dark, murder, deformity, decay, obsession and a hint of the unhinged. In Phantom there is … all of the exact same elements. Fancy that! For these comparisons I’m going to focus mainly on The Tell-tale heart when it comes to Poe, firstly because we discussed it in class, and secondly because I’m incredibly fond of it. The Fall of the House of Usher would be sufficiently mysterious and dreary for our purposes, but I find it a bit dull.

So, about The Tell-tale heart... One of the first characteristics that is featured in this work is that of shadows and light. The dark house with only a dimly lit lantern for illumination sets the scene for the narrative. Enter the Opera Populare that is all bright and showy, but only lit by candle. Then once you descend to the subterranean lair of our eponymous Phantom and you are enshrouded by a word of darkness with yes, only some dimly lit candles to illuminate the shadows. In the house of The Tell-tale Heart the light is brightened to illuminate the horror, the terror, and the ever repulsive eye of the old man. This deformity that is enough to drive a man mad is what is revealed with the light. Eyes are a powerful symbol in literature. While being slightly macabre as a symbol (especially disfigured ones) they are considered to be a window to the soul. If one has a gnarled eye, does that equate that one has a twisted soul? So it is interesting then that when we are introduced to The Phantom (Erik by name if you really must know) that he too has a deformity that centers around one of his eyes. In fact it is this distorted eye that is the only feature that is visible on the masked side of his face. This is especially peculiar because while The Phantom may not be the protagonist per say he is one that we are supposed to feel at least a modicum of pity for, unlike the old man of Tell-tale fame who is only met with revulsion by narrator and reader both. Oddly enough however we know nothing about the ever hated old man. For all that the reader is aware, he could be a good person and yet there is still the loathing. The Phantom on the other hand is a known murderer and kidnapper, and yet there is no hatred, only pity (from Christine) and fondness (from me.) Could it be because his eye is covered and not on display for the whole world to see then that we are given this contrast?             

The next phenomenon that connects these two cryptic tales is obsession. Both The Phantom and The Narrator have obsessive personalities. They both have that one thing that they think they need more than anything else. The reason for this of course, is because they are both off their rockers. I’m sorry, I love both of these characters but they are both mildly unhinged if not full blown crazy. The narrator of The Tell-tale Heart is obsessed with the eye of the old man and this causes him to become paranoid. Here we are let into his mind. So much worry and careful plotting devoted to one little act of murder. The Phantom on the other hand is obsessed with a woman, Christine. Here too we get the same feelings of obsession and fixation, but also paranoia. The Phantom is paranoid that the world hates him and that he is not worthy. He also however, does not let this hinder his ultimate plot.

Tragically both of these characters are foiled in their endeavors. Though they both accomplish what they want, i.e. a murder and a kidnapping, neither gets away with their scheming. The Narrator commits his murder, and then focuses on slyly getting away with his cunning homicide. He however is gotten the better of by his paranoia. The Phantom gets the girl, just like he wants. However, he is worried that she doesn't actually love him and he too lets his paranoia foil all his plans (though I admit this one may be more justified, whatever, he just needs a hug.) So, in the end both plots are vanquished through a little insecurity… and just maybe a dash of lunacy. 

In the end, these stories have a scary amount of similarity. Who would have thought that two stories considered so different would have so much in common. I think the only real thing keeping this comparison from going all the way is the fact that The Phantom of the Opera is ensconced in music. However, I imagine that it would be really awesome if The Tell-tale Heart had its own musical soundtrack (done by Danny Elfman of course {he writes really creepy and awesome music just f.y.i.}.) Also, tell-tale heart is also missing the element of a jealous boyfriend that Phantom has going. That would add quite the monkey-wrench into this classic tale of horror. Could you imagine?

Apathy in Godot and Se7en

Why were we humans put on this earth? Are our lives just a show for some greater power? Beckett explores these ideas in his tragicomedy, Waiting for Godot. The play follows two characters, Vladimir and Estragon while they wait for a man who told them to wait for him at a spot under a tree. Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett is a portrayal of humanity as a play. The play represents the never-ending wait for God and how God told us to wait on this spot of the universe, called Earth. Throughout the play we see Vladimir and Estragon go about doing random things just to keep themselves from getting bored while waiting for a man named Godot to meet them at their spot under a tree. While reading this play, the reader may think, "What is the point of all of this?" Well the answer to this question, even though it is rather cynical, is that the play is trying to show that our lives are just a gigantic play on God's stage in which we are puppets made for God's entertainment.

Vladimir and Estragon bring up the theme of apathy in the play in Act II when they see Pozzo, blind at this point, fall and do nothing to help him up until he calls for help multiple times. From this example, we can see that Beckett is trying to present society as the reason for this apathy. The theme of apathy can also be found in David Fincher's movie Se7en.

For those of you who have not yet seen this movie, it is about two homicide detectives that are hunting a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his method of operation.

In the movie, the serial killer who is known as John Doe brings the idea forth when he writes this quote,

“What sick, ridiculous, puppets we are. What a gross little stage we dance on. What fun we have dancing, fucking, not a care in the world, not knowing that we are nothing. We are not what was intended."

Doe also believes that everyone in society has become so apathetic to everything around him or her that if you want people to listen, “you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.” Even though Doe is psycho, he has a point, people today have gotten so apathetic to the world around them that it is hard to just grab people’s attention or to get people to listen to you.

One of the detectives in the movie, Detective Somerset, believes in this apathy. He says that people would much rather “eat cheeseburgers, play the lotto, or watch television.” This is true because I sympathize with what Detective Somerset is saying. I would much rather eat a cheeseburger or play videogames than do schoolwork. I would much rather play basketball, tennis, or soccer than study for a midterm or final.  The funny thing about this is that I know I am not the only one who would do this. I know that I am not the only procrastinator here. Perhaps a reason as to why we have become so apathetic is our technology. Our technology has advanced to the point of where it has overlapped our humanity and there is no need for so much human interaction. People can be entertained endlessly through the Internet and social networking that there is no need to leave the house and have actual face-to-face conversations. Another reason for this could be our society. Our society is built upon what is easier. Apathy is the easier route. Caring for others takes time and is more difficult than just caring for yourself. We always decide to pick the easier route because, well, it’s easier. Even though the ending to the movie is pretty depressing, there is still a lesson to be learned here. The lesson is that we should not be apathetic; we should be open-minded and listen to the thoughts of others, but if we care too much, we might end up destroying ourselves in a blind fury.  

Girl crush

            On the subject of love, Clarissa Dalloway thinks about her past, introducing us to her friend, Sally Seton. We discover that Clarissa, during her youthful days, was deeply fascinated by Sally’s striking qualities and her free-spirited nature; Sally was essentially everything Clarissa was not, which explains Clarissa’s automatic attraction towards Sally. Clarissa continues to think about the history of her friendship with Sally, and Sally’s impulsive and rebellious acts, which all add onto Sally’s charm. Clarissa’s great admiration for Sally came from the fact that Sally was knowledgeable and liberated in all the ways Clarissa was not. Sally was not afraid to say what she wanted to say, and was able to confidently act out in ways that drew attention from others. Sally was the one who brought light onto topics and ideas that Clarissa was clueless on or had never thought of before, emphasizing Clarissa’s sheltered life. Throughout the course of Clarissa’s memories of Sally, we learn the extent of their relationship. Although some people may think that Clarissa only admires Sally in an innocent way, “not like one’s feeling for a man”, some people may also believe that Clarissa, at one point in her life, did love Sally in a more passionate form outside of her conscious.

          Clarissa recalls the memory of the intimacy shared by her and Sally, one in which the two of them share a kiss, a moment which was then interrupted by the entrance of Peter Walsh. This experience, for Clarissa, was overwhelmingly magical, and it was an experience that Clarissa cherished in her memory and never had a hint of regret for. Clarissa thought of it as the “most exquisite moment of her whole life” (Woolf, 35) This memory of Clarissa’s can be used to interpret the relationship that Clarissa and Sally shared in many different ways. However the author, Virginia Woolf left their relationship in very vague ends. I personally believe that Clarissa held feelings for Sally, which were on the borderline of the love felt in friendship and in the love felt by lovers.  The intimacy sparked by this kiss, I believe, was from the fact that these two girls understood each other so well, that Clarissa was able to attach such passionate feelings and meanings to the kiss. They were lovers in the sense that they connected in ways that were different from friendship and were able to communicate with one another on an emotional level. Rather, an acknowledgement of appreciation and admiration for one another is displayed through their kiss. The love they have for each other is hard to define, but there is no actual point in simplifying their love into words, because love is after all, still just love. Some things are better kept lost in translation. 

The Walking Dalloway

*Please note that this post does contain spoilers!*

            Can one retain their character and moral values when faced with the loss of civilization? Are there some tragedies which are impossible cope with? These questions are explored in Mrs. Dalloway and in the AMC TV series, “The Walking Dead”. For those who have not yet seen “The Walking Dead”, I’ll give you a brief synopsis. The show is set in Atlanta, Georgia, and centers on a man named Rick Grimes who must try and survive in a world devastated by a zombie apocalypse. Rick, his family, and a group of other survivors, who he discovers and eventually leads, must work together to stay alive in a world where civilization has been all but destroyed and where one is never safe from a zombie attack. Both “The Walking Dead” and Mrs. Dalloway deal with the themes of keeping one’s morals and character in the face of the loss of civilization and with endurance.

            

          Both works concern themselves over whether a man’s character changes when they are put in a situation where the traditional security afforded to them by civilization is gone. Civilization’s duty is keep man safe, to protect him not only from the dangers of nature, but also from the dangers of other men. But what happens when civilization is not there to protect man? Does his character change at all? Does he lose his morality? The makers of “The Walking Dead” seem to answer these last two questions with a resounding yes. They portray nearly all of the characters as having to change and/or comprise their moral values in order to survive. The best of example of this idea is probably shown in Rick. Before the zombie outbreak, Rick is a police officer who has impeccable moral values. He is a man who, in the second season, spent a good couple weeks on an exhaustive and seemingly futile search for the young daughter of one of his group mates. Rick has no special attachment to this girl and wants to help solely because he thinks it is the right thing to do. Shane, Rick’s best friend, questions Rick on this plan and states that Rick is always doing moral things, but that is not good enough anymore, for he says, “Rick, you can’t always be the good guy and expect to live. Not anymore” (Season Two, episode 10).  However, as the series progresses, Rick becomes more and more cynical and cold. He ends up killing Shane to protect the group and in the most recent episode ignores the pleas of help by a young hitchhiker. Rick lives in a world fraught with danger, not only from zombies, but also from other human survivors. He lives in a world where society can no longer protect him. He does try to hold on to his moral compass for a while, eventually he finds doing so only hinders his, and his group’s chance of survival and so he discards it. Without the security of civilization, Rick is changed from a caring police officer to a cold and harsh survivalist. This same idea of the loss of security changing a person can be seen in a character from Mrs. Dalloway. Before Septimus goes to war, he is a Romantic who loves Shakespeare and a woman named Miss Isabel Pole. But when Septimus descends into the trenches, he realizes that he the security he was provided while in England is gone and that he must change himself to survive. He “develops manliness” and learns to repress his emotions (Woolf 53).  When faced with the death of his close friend Evans in the war, Septimus says he “congratulated himself on feeling very little…The War had taught him [to do so]” (Woolf 53). War, and the loss of security that goes with it, has changed Septimus, it transforms him from a Romantic lover into a cold hard manly man. Both Rick and Septimus’s characters change when they are put in extreme situations where the security that they are used to is gone.

           

(Pictured is Rick. Note, Sophia is the name of the little girl who Rick spent so long trying to find and Andrea is another member of Rick’s group who the group sort of ditched when they lost her.)

            Though this a bit of a side note, I think one could draw an even closer parallel between Rick and Septimus. Besides them both going through great character changes and growing cold to the needs of others, they also both go a bit crazy. Septimus sees hallucinations of Evans and Rick sees his dead wife, Laura. But anyway, back to the topic at hand.

       

            The theme of endurance is also present in both works. Mrs. Dalloway is littered with references to two phrases. The first is seen whenever Big Ben strikes. Whenever this occurs Woolf states, “leaden circles dissolve in air”. I took this to mean that time is heavy, oppressive, and inescapable. The term leaden makes time seem heavy and the idea of being trapped in an endless cycle/circle, which goes on and on and on, makes time seem inescapable. The characters in the novel fear death for they see that it, like time, is inevitable. The second phrase is a couple lines from the Shakespearean play, “Cymbeline”. The basic line goes “Fear no more the heat of the sun”. This statement appears often when a character is going through some sort of crisis. For instance, on page 112, Clarissa says that line as she is dealing with the news of Septimus’s suicide. As stated in class, this line is read often as statement of endurance. Personally, I agree with that assessment. The characters in the novel deal with a lot of pain. They are unsure of themselves and their live choices. They fear their own mortality. They see that time and the march toward death is inescapable. But despite their insecurity they continue to push onwards and these lines from “Cymbeline” are a symbol of their fortitude and endurance. The characters in “The Walking Dead” also show great endurance. They are faced on a daily basis with threats to their and their loved one’s lives. In spite of making seemingly impossible life choices they continue to push on. Why, Carl, Rick’s 12 year old son, must shoot his own mother in head to prevent her from turning into a zombie. But despite this awful and painful action, Carl does not to give up on life. He continues to trek onwards. He continues to survive. Although Woolf’s characters and the characters from “The Walking Dead” may not go through the same sort of troubles they both are able to push and endure them.

            

(Carl!)

          The show, “The Walking Dead” and the novel, Mrs. Dalloway each share the similar themes of endurance and a change in character when civilization and the security it brings is lost. These works do hold many lessons for us. One is that humans are naturally selfish and that emotion is a luxury afforded to us by civilization. When people are placed outside of civilization we cannot expect them to act altruistically, we must expect people to act as they are inside, as animals. Another lesson is that although we may face what seem to impossible challenges, we should not give up and surrender to them, but should try to push on through and endure them. Also, if you are ever unsure whether you can confront a certain challenge, just think of poor Carl and what he had to do to survive. Oy vey! 

Downton Abbey, The Hours, and Mrs. Dalloway

****PLEASE NOTE: This entry DOES have spoilers for the entire series of“Downton Abbey,” so if you plan to watch it/haven't finished it and don’t wish to know the plot twists, character deaths, and other such drama, I suggest you not read this.****

Downton Abbey depicts the life of a manor in the English countryside in the early 20^th century, where the upper class family and the lower class staff live and work together. Mrs. Dalloway, “The Hours,” and Downton Abbey all contain similar themes and are reminiscent of one another, and not simply because all three depict British life in the country around the same time. The three explore themes such as gender roles, characterization, love, and death, focusing on the lead female characters of each book/movie/show, Clarissa Dalloway, Clarissa Vaughan, and Mary Crawley.




Matthew and Mary Crawley on their wedding day

Mary Crawley is the eldest daughter in Downton Abbey, and arguably the main character of the show. At one point in the show, Mary has decided to marry Richard Carlisle, a journalist who made his fortune from yellow journalism. But Mary is still in love with Matthew Crawley, a distant cousin of hers who is set to inherit Downton Abbey, who is also engaged to the so-called love of his life, Lavinia. Lavinia ends up dying, and Mary calls off her engagement with Richard Carlisle, so Mary and Matthew can marry.

I see the character of Mrs. Dalloway as an older Mary Crawley who took her life in a different direction – the woman who married Richard Carlisle instead of Matthew, like how Mrs. Dalloway married Richard Dalloway instead of Peter Walsh. This sentiment echoes one of the underlying themes of the book – regret over actions not taken. Both Mrs. Dalloway and Peter Walsh wonder over the course of the book if the decisions they made were the right ones, and if they ended up where they ought to be.

In “The Hours,” Meryl Streep’s Clarissa correlates with Mary Crawley as well. Clarissa Vaughan has chosen to be with Sally. In relation to Downton Abbey, I see this path as one Mary could have taken if the daring, dashing Turkish Ambassador, Kemal Pamuk, hadn’t died of a heart attack in bed with Mary. Pamuk offered Mary a life of adventure, a departure from the life that she was forced into living. Sally offered the same sense of adventure in Mrs. Dalloway and in “The Hours.” For both pairs, scandal would have arisen.

Mary (and her child, George) in her mourning attire

Mary’s life offers an insight into what could have happened if either Clarissa Dalloway or Vaughan had married a different person.

And what happens? Matthew dies in a car accident less than a day after his and Mary’s first child is born.

Pain happens. Hurt happens. Tragedy happens. And something like this could have been precisely the thing to happen to Clarissa Dalloway or Clarissa Vaughan if they had chosen a different path.

Regrets in life happen. They’re inevitable. People regret what they did and what they didn’t do, because they recognize the possibility of what could have been. People always question the paths they didn’t take, rather than recognizing that the path they are on now might be exactly where they’re needed the most. If Clarissa Dalloway, Clarissa Vaughan, and Mary Crawley had chosen different paths, they still would have regretted some aspect of their lives.

The point is that life didn’t happen that way. There is no use dwelling on the past if there is no possible way it can be changed. I’m such a strong believer in everything happening for a reason, whether we can see the reason at the moment or not. It’s sort of living life to its fullest, and not ignoring the blessing that come your way, be they blessings in disguise or obvious miracles. Downton Abbey, Mrs. Dalloway, and most especially The Hours preach the lesson that life is fleeting. Hold onto what life gives you, cherish every minute, and never let it go.

Because giving up is what you’ll regret the most.