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Act Without Words Summary
Once again, he finds himself flung back from whence he came and
he repeats the same getting up, dusting off, reflection, hearing a
whistle, going to inspect, exiting and getting throw back onto the
stage.
The man fails to see a large cube falling from above. Until there is
a whistle. The sound of which sends him over for inspection of the
cube and then the carafe. Reflection results in cognitive
awareness and he grabs the cube, carries it to the spot beneath
the carafe, tests its ability to hold his weight, steps onto the it, fails
to reach the carafe, gives up and put the cube bac where it was.
A smaller cube lands and a whistle draws the man’s attention. He
goes to the second cube and puts it under the carafe and tests its
capacity to hold his weight and climbs it and fails to reach the
carafe. He takes the small cube back to where he found it but then
reconsider and sets it back down beneath the carafe. He gets the
bigger cube, place it atop the small cube, tries to get the carafe
and winds up falling to the ground. Upon reflection, he tries again
by putting the smaller cube atop the bigger cube.
The bough of the tree lifts back into place and the palms reopen as
the shadow returns. No movement from the man so the tree is
pulled up and disappears.
The man just sits there looking at his hands.
Act Without Words Symbols
Light
The opening words of the published play that situate the setting are “Desert. Dazzling
light.” The use of light as a symbol is a recurring motif throughout Beckett’s work.
Light and illumination are inherent symbols of the apprehension of consciousness in
man.
Whistle
The whistle that draws the man’s attention and seems to guide him toward action
represents some sort of external guiding force. The fact that the whistle generally has
the effect of tempting the man to do something which he will not be able to do
suggests it is a malevolent guide; the tempter as devil.
The Fling
The man seems to be flung onto the stage at various intervals as if against his will; as
if being tossed into an existence over which there is no control. This symbolic act
actually relates the play back to a concept established by the philosopher Martin
Heidegger: Geworfenheit which translates literally into “thrownness.” The symbolism
is here rather firmly firmly established as linking the man being flung onto the stage
as comparable to the act of birth; an act which is utterly absurd as no one asks for it,
but must deal with the consequences.
The Tree
The tree provides only physical comfort and thus becomes a representative symbol of
those elements of the word which we seek solely for the basic necessities. In this case,
shelter from the heat of the desert.
Scissors, Rope and Cubes
The scissors, the rope, and the cubes are symbols of reason. Thrust into existence
against his will, the man must evolve and adapt. Recognizing the value of water as not
just immediate gratification, but essential to long term existence, the tools which have
been made available only become useful through trial and error. Ultimately, of course,
they prove to be useless, but such is the path of rationality. One must comprehend
logic before it can be successfully applied.
Act Without Words Themes
Another important aspect of this story to consider is the fact that the
protagonist awakens upon a stage. He is trapped on a platform, denied exit by
an unknown force. Something else besides himself exists as evidenced by the
whistle, but for all he knows he may be the only being in existence. He's
completely alone. Despite appearances, he may in fact be under observation by
an audience as the stage seems to imply. This idea of endless, public
punishment is one alluded to in an episode of the British TV show Black
Mirror. Whether he knows it or not, the main character is potentially being
watched by any number of people laughing at his frustration and torment. In a
very real way, this is a commentary on human existence. We try and try at
things that will never result in anything worthwhile, all the while trapped in the
public eye as our brothers and sisters watch us fail. No matter what, we are
always utterly alone.