March 14, 2003

"Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett: In this, his most famous play, Mr. Beckett uses two friends waiting for the arrival of a third to demonstrate 70 Proof's favorite philosophy, (all together now) Existentialism!

Vladimir and Estragon are the friends in waiting. They're positioned near a tree along a country road. It is evening. They are waiting for Godot to arrive. They pass the time in various ways, from trying to relieve the pain of constrictive boots to contemplating suicide by hanging. Their discussions are equal parts comedic and profound.

The two friends' shared vigil is interrupted by the arrival of two other men, Pozzo and Lucky, although Lucky is more packhorse than man. Lucky has been a faithful servant to Pozzo for years. He leads the way carrying all of Pozzo's bags while his master trails behind at his own pace, using a rope tied to Lucky's neck as rein. It is Lucky's job to do exactly what Pozzo says, even so far as to only speak or think upon command.

As soon as Pozzo and Lucky move on, a messenger boy arrives to inform Vladimir and Estragon that Godot will not be coming but to meet him back at the same spot the next evening. The friends are disgusted that they've wasted so much time waiting. They talk of leaving and never coming back. Yet there they are, the very next night, waiting for Godot.

The play is told in two acts. The first ends shortly after Vladimir and Estragon receive word that Godot will not come. Act Two begins the following evening as the two friends resume their wait. The second act is very similar to the first; a lot of the same topics are discussed, Pozzo and Lucky make another appearance, and there is even another messenger boy. But only Vladimir is aware of the repetition. Estragon, and everyone else, experiences each day anew with no recollection of the past. They only exist in the moment.

Mr. Beckett's simple plot is open to complex interpretations. Symbolism is free for the taking. I don't think I'm ruining anything to say that Godot is death. Vladimir and Estragon's pointless waiting represents the folly of life. There's plenty of other good stuff in there, too, that you can find for yourself.

"Waiting for Godot" proves once again that grand ideas are best expressed through simple means.

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"Ignorance" by Milan Kundera: It's rare that a living author will make the pages of 70 Proof, so enjoy.

Irena and Josef both left Prague to escape Communism. Now, 20 years later, they're both returning to their homeland under different circumstances.

Irena, a widowed mother of two, is visiting her lover Gustaf, who has taken a new position at work that has him being transferred from Paris to Prague. She has no desire to see the new Czech Republic. Her life, her home, is in France. She only agrees to go out of a fascination with the idea of a "great return."

Josef, who emigrated to Denmark, has also buried his spouse. He is returning to Prague in hopes of trying to rediscover himself through his past. A chance meeting at the Paris airport brings Irena and Josef together. They had actually met before, long ago in a Prague bar before either had left the country. Irena remembers Josef instantly. Josef has no idea who the woman is, but acts as though he does. He agrees to see her again before they leave Prague.

Then there's Milada, who used to be the secretary for Irena's dead husband. She has a past uniquely her own. Irena's mother also factors into the equation. Going into detail about either woman would only take away from the experience of reading the book.

"Ignorance" deals with the theme of nostalgia, a longing to recapture old feelings from the past. Memory can't always be trusted. And sometimes it's for the best. In certain instances, ignorance can be far superior to the truth.

The book comes dangerously close to feeling contrived. It walks a very fine line, succeeding in the end due to the skill of its author. Mr. Kundera does a superb job of handling his characters, bringing them together in an extraordinary way, yet falling just short of being hackneyed. While the book does start off very slowly, and is a touch overwritten early, a strong second half is enough to garner a positive review.

It's not on par with "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," but "Ignorance" is a decent mix of style, structure, and substance.

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