We always hope the dream we make when we are asleep is a sweet dream. Because the sweet dream gives us a good night, we don't want to wake up in frighten. There is a cartoon that describes a person is caught in the dream and cannot leave the dream, because the dream is too sweet and beautiful, making he doesn't want to exit there. On the other hand, the person sleeps deeply in the real world, and cannot be waken by any method. Furthermore, Neverland in Peter Pan is like a wonderful place for the children. When Wendy and other children go to Neverland, the time in their real world is stop; when they come back from Neverland to their home in London, they discover that is still the night as they leaved. Similar situation also exist in the Chinese folktale: 黃粱一夢. Both of Gus and Hanna are caught in their past time which I consider as a type of dream.
After reading this play, I regard both of Gus and Hanna are death finally. Except for the beginning of the play they meet the mayor's secretary. When the mayor's secretary leaves them and forbids them to use the fire. Secretary: 「The rules governing the charitable functions of this village are formal: no matches, no lighters, nothing that might spark a flame and, therefore, a fire」 (Strange Encounters 53). What's more, the secretary also forbids them to ask other's help. 「And private initiative is strongly discouraged around here. Not only discouraged, but forbidden」 (54). Since the cold and starvation, both of them start to have the illusions, such as the bag which contains all things they want to eat and drink. They also face the past they own, although it's full of the guilt and shame. It seems they get the momentary recovery of consciousness just before death, their past is performed in front of them. Gus and Hanna are captured in different past, Gus always evades the sorrowful memories, and keeps the happy things in his mind; Hanna cannot forget those bad things she has done and sinks into the pessimistic mind. For example, as long as Hanna mentions their children, Gus shifts the focus of their conversation. On the other hand, when Hanna knows that her daughter Simplice did the same thing: 「murder」 towards Maria just like what she did towards Martha, she wants to bear all the guilt. 「I'm going to pay for myself and I want to pay for them」 (117). Through the performance of their past, they re-examine their life, and heal themselves during the process. They become more mature when they after face the past, it is a process of self-healing. Gus: 「With these bleeding feet, how agreeable it is going to be to walk!」 Hanna: 「We'll steady you, Gus. And if you're too tired, we'll carry you」 (119).
In addition to the memory and the bag they dream, I consider other two characters are created by them: Vagabond and George. Because Gus and Hanna don't know how Vagabond disappear, after the first time they meet with Vagabond. He just disappears in front of them. Vagabond says: 「I walk all night to keep warm. I rarely stop, you know… I go… where I must. I had nothing else to do in the icebox」 (111). I regard George as a person who is also dreamed by Gus and Hanna, because everything in the dream is possible to happen. They think their son George is still alive, that's the reason why the child appears in their dream is George, not Simplice. They know Simplice is gone, so they tie their hope into George. Wishing this family can be in the reunion again. Vagabond also says: 「There is the one you know, that you think you know, that each of you thinks he knows… Perhaps even you, vagabond(to George), you know or think your slice of the past?」 (113). At the end of the play, the secretary appears again and call Gus and Hanna, but they don't hear about his voice. I think it is the time for them to leave this world. The morning bells in the page 120 are not only the beautiful music but represents funeral bells, which declare Gus and Vagabond's death. Gus says: 「Let's leave before the bells stop ringing」 (121) means that they are going to be distant from the real world and walk into the death. Nevertheless, Vagabond doesn't leave with them. He says: 「You're leaving in that direction, are you? (They go out). Bon voyage. Me, I'm going in the other direction, a little later」 (121). This makes me imagine Vagabond is a deliver, showing to the deceased his/her whole life, and makes them become peaceful and satisfied.
It's difficult to define whether sinking into the dream is good or bad. Gus and Hanna leave the shelter and step forward the morning bells, we may consider that is the heaven's way easily. On the other hand, it also means that they are passing away. Isn't also a sorrowful thing?
After reading this play, I regard both of Gus and Hanna are death finally. Except for the beginning of the play they meet the mayor's secretary. When the mayor's secretary leaves them and forbids them to use the fire. Secretary: 「The rules governing the charitable functions of this village are formal: no matches, no lighters, nothing that might spark a flame and, therefore, a fire」 (Strange Encounters 53). What's more, the secretary also forbids them to ask other's help. 「And private initiative is strongly discouraged around here. Not only discouraged, but forbidden」 (54). Since the cold and starvation, both of them start to have the illusions, such as the bag which contains all things they want to eat and drink. They also face the past they own, although it's full of the guilt and shame. It seems they get the momentary recovery of consciousness just before death, their past is performed in front of them. Gus and Hanna are captured in different past, Gus always evades the sorrowful memories, and keeps the happy things in his mind; Hanna cannot forget those bad things she has done and sinks into the pessimistic mind. For example, as long as Hanna mentions their children, Gus shifts the focus of their conversation. On the other hand, when Hanna knows that her daughter Simplice did the same thing: 「murder」 towards Maria just like what she did towards Martha, she wants to bear all the guilt. 「I'm going to pay for myself and I want to pay for them」 (117). Through the performance of their past, they re-examine their life, and heal themselves during the process. They become more mature when they after face the past, it is a process of self-healing. Gus: 「With these bleeding feet, how agreeable it is going to be to walk!」 Hanna: 「We'll steady you, Gus. And if you're too tired, we'll carry you」 (119).
In addition to the memory and the bag they dream, I consider other two characters are created by them: Vagabond and George. Because Gus and Hanna don't know how Vagabond disappear, after the first time they meet with Vagabond. He just disappears in front of them. Vagabond says: 「I walk all night to keep warm. I rarely stop, you know… I go… where I must. I had nothing else to do in the icebox」 (111). I regard George as a person who is also dreamed by Gus and Hanna, because everything in the dream is possible to happen. They think their son George is still alive, that's the reason why the child appears in their dream is George, not Simplice. They know Simplice is gone, so they tie their hope into George. Wishing this family can be in the reunion again. Vagabond also says: 「There is the one you know, that you think you know, that each of you thinks he knows… Perhaps even you, vagabond(to George), you know or think your slice of the past?」 (113). At the end of the play, the secretary appears again and call Gus and Hanna, but they don't hear about his voice. I think it is the time for them to leave this world. The morning bells in the page 120 are not only the beautiful music but represents funeral bells, which declare Gus and Vagabond's death. Gus says: 「Let's leave before the bells stop ringing」 (121) means that they are going to be distant from the real world and walk into the death. Nevertheless, Vagabond doesn't leave with them. He says: 「You're leaving in that direction, are you? (They go out). Bon voyage. Me, I'm going in the other direction, a little later」 (121). This makes me imagine Vagabond is a deliver, showing to the deceased his/her whole life, and makes them become peaceful and satisfied.
It's difficult to define whether sinking into the dream is good or bad. Gus and Hanna leave the shelter and step forward the morning bells, we may consider that is the heaven's way easily. On the other hand, it also means that they are passing away. Isn't also a sorrowful thing?
Work Cited:
1. Desvignes, Lucette. Strange Encounters Trans. Jerry L. Curtis. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 2002.
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生活．小記(3)
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丟著case在桌上~反而把你這篇給看完了......這是讀後感嗎?~? 不對啦~我應該要去讀case才對~一不小心就被拉進來了......Comment Permissions: Allow commenting