Part1:
Motivations of the character’s actions
A: The inadequacies of the
characters
Throughout this part we e are going to deal with psychological realities
of character’s life in Harold Pinter’s “the caretaker”, trying to look at how
Pinter’s characters are motivated as people in real life are motivated too.
Exactly our task is to show how
characters inadequacies affect their relationship and then we shall see how
character’s memories of infancy determine and shape their relationships
In the light of the insecurity and menace that surround character’s life
through “the caretaker” they persist trying to establish a positive relationships which would provide
them with the security they desperately need .therefore the nature of their
relationships presuppose some sense of care whereby they fell secured and
protected, however characters inability to recognize and transcend their
inadequacies deprive them from “developing
meaningful relationships because of innate pride and wickedness”[2]
Throughout the play we clearly notice that Davies has never made any
effort or even sacrifice to assume any responsibility towards Aston and Mick,
on the contrary he always shows his love to be protected and his hate to show
care to others. He accepts Aston’s care, trust and generosity but he mostly
appears reluctant and arrogant.
He never trust Aston back nevertheless he even betrays him when he
thinks of dispossessing him from his brother Mick .in the play, Davies seems to
be swaddled by an ambivalent nature for instance he accepts all the things
including the key that Aston gives him when the two brothers offer him the job,
as a caretaker Davies becomes confused and hesitant he first says “I never been
a caretaker before”1 nevertheless when he
realizes that caretaker involves a lot of tasks including
answering the front doorbell, Davies becomes panic-stricken and says “I ain’t never done no caretaking
before”
[3]
in this sense Davies pride is so serious that he becomes blind to the fact that
how this job is important for him to end his loneliness.
Equally important is Aston’s case. he is a caretaker, he understands
Davies’s arrogance and distrust, he therefore becomes protective towards
Davies; he gives him all what he needs: the bed, shoes, and the bag. he
even gives him the key to the room and
totally trust him, however towards the end Astons ‘s discomfort comes to the
force and overlaps his generosity he is no longer ready to give any care when
it is a question of his comfort therefore he admits that the window should be
opened because Davies stinks moreover Aston’s selfishness comes to the surface
when Davies assumes the role of Mick’s friend he can no longer forgive his
groaning in his sleep nor listen to his pleadings accordingly Aston’s weakness
is so great that he can’t control himself especially in intense moment like
that when Davies taunts Aston’s hallucinations.
Likewise Mick often appears protective towards his brother Aston he probably allows Aston to stay in the house to
renovate it .moreover by leading Davies to self-relation that brings about his
rejection he succeeds to take care of his brother nevertheless towards the end
of the play Mick turns out to be concerned with protecting his property by
smashing Aston’s Buddha Mick shows his inability to take care of his brother he
cannot cope with his brother’s inadequacies and his own at the same time .this
becomes clear when he says “I got plenty
of other things I can worry about I have got other things “[4]in
this vein Mick’s intense concern with himself becomes clear when he think of
ending his responsibility to his brother as a caretaker .
All this information show the caretaker’s insistence on outing their
self-care before others that is no one is much ready to forgive others’ faults
no one much interested in transcending his flaws and therefore get involved in
positive relationships however characters in the caretaker are doomed to be alone
and insecure .
Davies’ self-righteousness, Aston’s weakness and Mick’s “intense concern
with himself” are what really end their responsibilities toward each other .in
this way ,one can say that characters “are prevented from reaching rewarding
relationships wherein the truest security lies by their own selfishness pride
or weakness”[5]
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