I accept the creativity used to create a hell that I believe no one had ever thought of before, but I do not like this version of hell. I just want to put it out there before i began that hell will not be as simple as just a hotel, where people bicker amongst themselves.
Anyway, Sartre's play rolls that which controls hell to be an all powerful being, who can ultimately predict exactly what people will do when put into a room together. This theory is mentioned throughout the play; the idea that the characters were put into this exact room with everything in it for the exact reason to torture each other. "I mean that each of us will act as torturer of the two others" (Sartre 17). Although this was obviously the truth, I did not wish to believe it to be so. I do not want hell to be a psychological game, and I do not see how it would always work. Unfortunately, the knife put my view on the main hook in the story to be this theory. "[he goes to the mantelpiece and picks up a paper-knife] What's this? Can't you see? An ordinary paper-knife...right! in that case, i'll stop her watching. [she picks up the paper-knife from the table, rushes at INEZ and stabs her several times]" (Sartre 7. 45). Although I do not like the idea of "NO EXIT" being a reality, I thought this connection was really intriguing. Everything that was in that room meant something. The beginning of the play I was confused about the paper knife, and in the last couple pages it happened; she stabbed Inez with the knife. That was cool.
1 comment:
I think that you can look even further into the significance of the knife. I saw it as temptation sitting on the table; Estelle wanting to keep Inez quiet the whole play. However, these characters cannot grasp hold of their temptations anymore because they are in hell. For humans, not being able to satisfy temptation is almost a hell in itself.
Post a Comment