Scene Questions for Godot

The scene I'm using to derive questions from is one of the first scenes involving Vladimir, Estragon, and a new character named Pozzo. In this scene, Pozzo starts questioning Didi and Gogo as to why they referred to Pozzo as another person named Godot. I've pasted it below: 

POZZO:

(peremptory). Who is Godot?

ESTRAGON:

Godot?

POZZO:

You took me for Godot.

VLADIMIR:

Oh no, Sir, not for an instant, Sir.

POZZO:

Who is he?

VLADIMIR:

Oh he's a . . . he's a kind of acquaintance.

ESTRAGON:

Nothing of the kind, we hardly know him.

VLADIMIR:

True . . . we don't know him very well . . . but all the same . . .

ESTRAGON:

Personally, I wouldn't even know him if I saw him.

POZZO:

You took me for him.

ESTRAGON:

(recoiling before Pozzo). That's to say . . . you understand . . . the dusk . . . the strain . . . waiting . . . I confess . . . I imagined . . . for a second . . .

POZZO:

Waiting? So you were waiting for him?

VLADIMIR:

Well you see—

POZZO:

Here? On my land?

VLADIMIR:

We didn't intend any harm.

ESTRAGON:

We meant well.

POZZO:

The road is free to all.

VLADIMIR:

That's how we looked at it.

POZZO:

It's a disgrace. But there you are.

ESTRAGON:

Nothing we can do about it. 

15 Questions:

1. Why does Estragon still think that Pozzo is Godot? (meaning/knowing)

2.  How could Didi and Gogo arrange a meeting with Godot if they don't know him very well? (patience/promises)

3. If Didi and Gogo have been waiting for Godot at this same location, wouldn't they have already met Pozzo since he does rule the land? (confusion)

4. If Estragon was involved with arranging the meeting with Godot, wouldn't he know what he looks like? (Deceiving, Uncertainty)

5. Why is Gogo rather apologetic towards Pozzo after mixing up Pozzo with Godot? (Confusion, Hardship)

6. If Pozzo owns the land, how could it be free to all? Wouldn't he want to charge people for use of his land? (Confusion, Poverty)

7. Does Vladimir seem to remember what Godot looks like? (Deceiving, Uncertainty)

8. Because Vladimir seems to be quite hesitant in saying his words towards Pozzo, does Didi know more about the situation than Gogo? (Mental Hardship, Language and How it's used)

9. Even though Pozzo mentions that the road is free, why is he upset at Didi believing that it was free? (self-interest, uncertainty) 

10. Is it possible that Didi actually knows Godot, and instead, he is waiting to get rid of Gogo to go towards Godot? (Deceiving, self-interest)

11. Why does Estragon seem quite lost in this scene? (mental hardship, confusion) 

12. Why does Pozzo seem upset at Didi and Gogo just waiting on his land? (self-interest, deceiving) 

13. Was Estragon someone involved in arranging the meeting with Godot, or was it all of Didi's ideas? (self-interest, mental hardship, adulthood) 

14. How could Didi and Gogo mean well, by just waiting by a willow tree? (uncertainty, suffering)

15. Could Pozzo be their Godot? (meaning/knowing, uncertainty, redemption/salvation) 

Estragon Questions (10/23/14)

BOLD= Chlyde's updates to group notes. 

1. what is your character like?

1. hard headed
2. distrustworthy with everyone except Didi
3. Childish
4. Unintelligent

  b.how does he not act?

1. mature
2. smart
3. adult

2. objects your character interacts with?

• boot
• tries to remove it, does so in the end of act 1. (pg. 7, 34 <- old edition of book)
• chicken bone
• sees Lucky with it, and wants to eat it. (pg. 18 <- old edition of book)
• carrot
• would like to eat it, eventually gets one. (pg. 14 <- old edition of book)
• turnip
• was about to be eaten, until a carrot was found. (pg. 14 <- old edition of book)
• willow tree
• considers hanging himself in act 2
• it is the meet up spot
• belt
• how he would hang himself
• holds his pants up in act 2
• 
  
• bag
• he wonders why Lucky continues to hold it. (pg. 27 <- old edition of book)

3. describe how your character interacts with other characters. use examples.

• repetitive in words (pg. 26,52-53)
• "like leave...like leaves.."
• goes off topic, on a tangent. (pg. 23 <- old edition of book)
• "the circus, the music-hall, the circus"

4. How does your character change? how do they act in scene 1? act in scene 2?

• physically
• moves spots
• takes off trousers
• mentally
• doesn't change (stays childish in both acts)
• emotionally
• he retains a somber tone for the majority of both acts, but there are a few instances where he is happy. 

5. How does your character make sense of his world? what does he think? and how does he think?

Estragon sees the world like a playground, where he can do what he wants, because this area is for him to mess around in. One example of this idea is represented through the situation that Estragon describes about "throwing himself into the Rhone" (pg. 35 <- old version page number)

He thinks more about himself, or the situations that seem to grab his attention more, because they do not require too much thinking compared to worrying about others or considering if an action is "right" or "wrong".

He thinks like a child because he values human interaction and materialistic ideas more than anything. His mannerisms and lack of adult behavior apparently give this idea that he might look like an adult, but he does not seem like an adult. 

Waiting For Godot Character Analysis

Character Focus: Estragon

How do we get to know Estragon?

We are able to gain information from Estragon in many ways. The easiest way to find out about Estragon is through the lines that he says in the play "Waiting For Godot." One example of knowing his character through his words is the lines where he mentions a God or more specifically, Jesus. Because he continuously compares himself to being God, with specific instances including "Christ [went barefoot]" and "All my life I've compared myself to him" (Beckett, 34), showcasing this type of depth for Estragon's thinking, where he feels more than just a typical guy. While it does seem a bit out of this world, it provides some clues as to how Estragon is as a person, besides being a friend of Vladimir. 

How are they like?

Estragon is like a young and innocent child, or a person that does not know much about life, since he seems to act quite childish. Various examples in the play support this idea, such as the arguments that he has with Vladimir, sounding like a bratty child that cannot have what he wants. 

How are they not like?

Estragon is definitely not like a grown man or a mature person. Estragon does not seem mature, let alone being able to focus on a conversation for a long period of time. When it comes to his scenes or moments involving Pozzo or Lucky, he does not appear to be focused on the people, but instead, the inanimate objects that the two secondary characters are involved with, such as a bag or a bone of a chicken.

Any other information?

Estragon is an impatient person, due to the fact that he does not enjoy waiting for Godot, nor does he like being rather stationary in one location, nearby a tree that is probably a willow tree. Estragon is also quite rash, never thinking too clearly before going through with situations. 

Waiting For Godot HW

1.
-Godot is someone that Didi and Gogo seem to be familiar with, but they don't know all about him. (like how we know we live on a planet, but we don't really know all about the planet.)
-Didi and Gogo might look like the typical person, but there seems to be more than what meets the eye. (with the Power of 10, we might be seeing a couple having a picnic, but there are little molecules involved in their time together).
-Just like the Power of 10 video, it is taking a long time to figure out who Didi and Gogo really are as people, just like how it took a long time to figure out that our planet is more than just a planet. 
-With the Power of 10 video, we needed additional materials such as technology in order to see beyond the surface, and we need more than just our eyes reading pages in order to understand this play that we are studying. 
-The Power of 10 video seems to mention that it is difficult to actually know what is in front of you, just like how Estragon starts to question the location of where he is actually dwelling at the very moment. 
-When it comes to the Power of 10 video, everything appears to look the same, but in actuality, everything undergoes small changes, just like how Act 1 and Act 2 seemed similar, but actually had a few differences. 
-In relation to the Power of 10 video, the couple is enjoying a lazy day and lounging around, which is implied in this play, that Didi and Gogo are grazing around, waiting for Godot. 
-A particular moment in Waiting For Godot relates to the Power of 10 video, which is the fact that the two main characters in both articles are sharing in food, with the couple enjoying food from a lovely picnic basket, and Didi and Gogo partaking in some veggies from Didi's bag. 
-In the Power of 10 video, the solar system looks like empty space, but looking deeply into it results in something more, just like how Waiting For Godot might seem like a story with no sense, but there is some deep stuff happening within it. 
-Relating to the Power of 10 video, there seems to be no end to this waiting for Didi and Gogo, just like how there seems to be no end to how small the universe actually is. 

2. I think that Pozzo and Lucky are good characters to have in this play. These two secondary characters add some information about how Didi and Gogo are as people, which is good. I doubt that we would be able to know more about Didi and Gogo if not for the Pozzo and Lucky interaction that occurred during both acts. Some of my favorite moments involving Pozzo and Lucky include the "keeping the dog around" scene during the first act. Even though Lucky might not seem like the best assistant that Pozzo has ever had, Pozzo is still willing to keep Lucky around because Lucky is actually dependent on Pozzo. Something noteworthy that I noticed within this play is that Lucky does not necessarily have to be Pozzo's servant. Pozzo actually learned about some "beautiful things" (Beckett, 22) from Lucky, implying that Lucky does have a brain despite the brawn that he has only been able to showcase. If he actually has some intelligence, there must be a reason as to why Lucky has resorted to belittling himself as Pozzo's servant. 

3. Didi is different from Gogo because Didi seems to be better at memorizing what goes on in his daily life compared to Gogo, because Gogo cannot even seem to recall the events that went on in Act 1. Didi is also different from Gogo because Didi is very focused on his promises and goals that he has made, compared to Gogo, who does not even recall setting an arrangement with Godot and also constantly brings up wanting to leave the meetup location. Another example that showcases how Didi is different from Gogo is the way that they think, specifically with Gogo thinking about being God-like, whereas Didi thinks about himself more realistically. 

4. Didi and Gogo are discussing if they should wait to meet up with this Godot person, because they apparently scheduled to meet with Godot at a certain location at a certain time, but this person has yet to show up at the respective time or location. For whatever reason, these two guys arranged to meet up with someone, yet they have a very little recollection of setting up the meeting or even of who this person actually is. They continue to discuss this Godot person because a meetup with him was "planned" to occur, but the plan is not coming to fruition. 

5. My life is like Didi or Gogo for various reasons. Sometimes my life goes like Didi's, where I lead someone else into doing something, convincing them to partake in a certain action. Sometimes my life can be like Gogo's, which is following someone else, listening to what they have to say instead of my own words, because that person's ideas make more sense than mine. Other times where my life can be similar to Didi or Gogo include wanting to eat other people's food (Gogo), wearing ill-fitted attire (Gogo), worrying about people I know very little about (Didi), or not being picky with what food I have available (Didi). 

6. This play demonstrates the social differences between people with and without a good memory. Based on what this play does, it showcases that people with a good memory seem to be more intelligent and attentive, while people lacking a good memory seem be to be not that smart and unfocused. Another idea that the play seems to showcase is that true friendship occurs despite the trials and tribulations that can occur between two people. Even though Didi and Gogo had a number of confrontations in the play, ranging from not listening to each other to arguing about Godot or some other factor, the end of each act was the same: Didi and Gogo waiting for Godot and still being friends. Besides the two other messages previously mentioned, this play also raises to attention that humans just want other humans around, no matter if that other person might upset you sometimes. An example that comes to mind is the four main characters that are brought up in the play. Vladimir and Estragon constantly argue with each other, with each conflict getting more and more heated, yet at the end of each act, they leave on good terms. Pozzo is also upset at Lucky a number of times during the first act, but when Pozzo begins to leave, he does not seem to treat Lucky in a terrible manner, compared to the beginning of their scenes during the first act. 

7. This play is not cynical, although you could argue that some of the characters can have tendencies to act cynical. Didi does seem a little bit cynical, due to the fact that he ignores some demands that Gogo makes, and instead, focuses on himself and waiting for Godot. Pozzo also has some cynical tendencies, because he does not care much for Lucky's well-being, but maybe he indirectly cares or just does not show his worry that much. People are insecure because they worry about how they look towards other people. They want to showcase their perfect self, and any shortage of that perfection results in them worrying that they do not seem "ideal" or "cool" for others to be around. If someone happens to be insecure, they tend to act out A LOT from their insecurity. For example, if someone is insecure about their acne, they can either treat it like a joke or get overly emotional about their acne insecurities. It is just a way to take the shame out of your faults and turn it into something else. The opposite of insecurity would probably be confidence, because an antonym for someone unsure about themselves would be someone sure about themselves.