Harold Pinters The Caretaker

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Harold PintersThe Caretaker

• Lecture 6 Pinters use of language silence

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Pinter Test!!!

• Date 15th May 2002 (Wednesday)
• Time 2.00 3.00 p.m.
• Venue LT1
• Scope up to the end of Act 1 all lecture
  topics covered.
• Format 1 essay 1 context.

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Overview

• Characteristics of Pinters use of language.
• Methods/Techniques Pinter employs
• Pinters use of Silence
• Types of Silence.
• Examples of the use of Silence (to be performed)
• Tutorial

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Characteristics of Pinters use of language

• I can take nothing you say at face value. Every
  word you speak is open to any number of different
  interpretations. (pg. ?)
• Words in Pinters plays are ways in which
  characters wield as weapons of domination
  subservience during exchanges.

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• Pinters use of dialogue
• Extremely realistic, accurate observations of
  the essence of everyday language used, with all
  its mannerisms, repetitions nonsensicalities.
  (i.e. characters speak the same way audience
  does.)
• Doesnt force characters to divulge information
  not normally divulged in conversations.
• Doesnt follow conventional stage commentary
  within dialogues.
• Expression under emotional stress tends to be
  illogical unintelligible.
• For e.g. Davies speech when under duress

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• But his dialogue is also very stylized absurd
  at the same time
• The flow of realistic dialogue contrasts with the
  unrealistic context in which it is uttered,
  emphasizing the absurdity of events.
• Characters speak in everyday conversation in the
  midst of non-normal events heightens the dramatic
  effect of their outrageousness.
• Dramatic nature of Pinters language
• Gestural the syntax rhythm of each sentence
  should force the actor into making the
  appropriate movements

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• Davies speech rhythms cry out for the impotent
  stabbing movement of his gesture. ()
• Astons implies slowness of movements stillness
  while endlessly trying to fix an electric plug.
  ()
• Language is also used as a weapon for characters
• Mick who is more articulate in expression
  establishes dominance over Davies. ()

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Methods/Techniques Pinter employs

• Examine Pinters use of language within the
  characters speeches and as a strategy within the
  dialogue.
• Within speeches
• Malapropisms
• Words that are not suitable, ill fitting or used
  wrongly

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• Non-sequiturs (I, 2 5)
• Literally means, not in sequence. An inference
  which doesnt follow from the preceding premise.
• Pinters characters avoid communication, skirt
  around the subject.
• Mirrors normal speech patterns
• Humorous
• Conveys information about the speakers.
• Clichés (I, 4 -5)
• Pinter uses clichés to reinforce the familiar.
• Often related to home/family or doing a good job.
• Familiarity of the cliché gives it a whole
  different meaning because of its context.
• Jargon (I, 34)
• The use of technical words.
• Attempt to cover up inability to communicate.

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• Repetition (I, 2/13/31)
• As a means of conveying information.
• Characters struggle to find a specific word.
• A form of hysteria
• Indicates the process of absorbing a fact.
• Refrain to show preoccupation with an idea
• Indicates lack of emotion

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• Dialogue strategy
• Undercutting (ii, 43 44)
• After a series of exchanges, a character produces
  a short line to which theres no immediate reply.
• The other characters have to stop reassess
  their techniques.
• Line often followed by a pause or silence.

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• Oblique/pointless monologue (I, 14 15)
• Monologue that doesnt seem to correspond to any
  immediate part of the dialogue.
• Characters way of not giving away anything about
  himself.
• A concealed revelation/ oblique threat.
• Piss-taking (game) (II, 81 82)
• Verbal dueling, also called taking the Mickey of
  (source of Micks name?)
• The gaining of advantage over someone by
  identifying a blind spot, usually vanity/egotism,
  and then building the person up to a point of
  vulnerability in order to make the person look
  ridiculous.
• Setting them up to be punctured at will.

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• Inappropriate words
• Lower class characters use words that are more
  appropriate to those of other class.
• A tactic to establish dominance over characters
  with poorer vocabulary.
• Micks use of the word penchant
• Language used to deflate itself
• through the use of empty hyperinflated language
  of modern advertising.
• Empty meaningless claims covering the absence
  of any true substance.

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Pinters use of Silence

• life is more mysterious than plays make it out
  to be and it is this mystery that fascinates me
  what happens between words, what happens when no
  words are said at all?
• Pinters 1hr TV special
• Took only 28mins 34secs to read.

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• When the structure of language becomes more
  important than the language itself, then silence
  becomes an integral part of language.
• what do they do when they come to a line with no
  words at all? (The Dwarfs)
• Silence pauses lines with no words.
• Pauses silences can be used for
• Communication
• Non-communication
• More powerful than language because of its many
  potential meanings
• It creates a space which resists definitions yet
  open to many possibilities of meanings.
• The famous Pinter pause.

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Types of Silence

• 3 main kinds of Silences found in Pinters use of
  language
• Ellipsis
• Pause
• Silence

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• Ellipsis
• Smallest break in the flow of speech
• i.e. a small hesitation, an uncertainty or
  groping for the right meaning.
• Suggests a character not in emotional control of
  the situation.
• A recapitulation of um er
• Pinter replaced these interjections with small
  silences that hints at concealment of some kind
  that speech is not communicating the whole truth.
• Leads to speculation

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• Pause
• Longer than an ellipsis.
• A tactical regrouping in the rhythmical patterns
  of verbal competitions.
• i.e. a character waiting to see how the last
  point has been received.
• Battle for domination is contained in who will
  have to speak next.
• Threatening one doesnt know what will happen
  next.
• Language a way to represent/conceal ourselves

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• Silence
• Least used longest of the quietus.
• Denotes end of a verbal skirmish (as in the
  silence between movements of a symphony)
• Denotes a balance of power
• A particular situation fought over no
  particular side has won.
• Filled with resonances of what has been said,
  usually a set of conflicting possibilities which
  give no basis for definition leaves future
  meaning open.
• Audience left to fill void onstage with its own
  interpretation
• Therefore audience forced to confront won
  vulnerabilities in the face of great
  uncertainties of life in the silence that fills
  the theatre

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Examples of Silence used

• Let us welcome our student performers

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Tutorial

• Groups to finish up presentation on Pinters use
  of language.