Key Facts full title. The Dumb Waiter author. Harold Pinter type of work. Drama genre.

Drama/comedy language. English time and place written. 1960 in London, England date of first production. January 1960 publisher. Grove Press narrator. o narrator! drama climax. "he clima# occurs $hen %en &ulls his gun on Gus protagonist. %oth men share the role o' &rotagonist, although the audience may em&athi(e $ith Gus &rimarily antagonist. )ilson and, eventually, %en setting (time). *odern day setting (place). "he +asement o' a ca', falling action. Gus and %en stare at each other in silence tense. Play! &resent tense foreshadowing. "here are a 'e$ clues that %en $ill +etray Gus, such as his sli&-u& $hen giving directions to Gus! the messages 'rom the dum+ $aiter sho$ that the ca', is not de'unct, as %en says it is tone. .iolent, comic themes. "he /ilence and .iolence o' Language! 0n#iety 1ver /ocial 2lass motifs. 3e&etition symbols."he dum+ $aiter

Context Harold Pinter is one o' the most acclaimed contem&orary %ritish &lay$rights, noted &articularly 'or his early +ody o' $or45 He $as +orn in the $or4ing-class neigh+orhood o' East London6s Hac4ney 7an ironic name 'or such an original $riter8 in 1990, the son o' a Je$ish tailor5 He evacuated to 2orn$all, England, at the out+rea4 o' )orld )ar :: in 1999, and returned to London $hen he $as 1;5 He +egan acting in &lays at his grammar school, and later received a grant to study at London6s &restigious 3oyal 0cademy o' Dramatic 0rts5 He le't the school a'ter t$o years, and s&ent most o' the 19<0s $riting his &u+lished &oetry 7under the name Harold Pinter8 and acting in small theater &roductions 7o'ten under the &seudonym David %aron85 :n 19<=, he $rote his 'irst &lay in 'our days, The Room, a sign o' the &roli'ic out&ut to come5 His 'irst &roduced &lay>The Birthday Partycame a year later5 "he rece&tion $as un'avora+le>it closed $ithin a $ee4>+ut Pinter6s ne#t 'ull-length &lay, The Caretaker 719608, $on more accolades5 The Dumb Waiter, also staged in 1960, hel&ed cement Pinter6s status as a ma?or theatrical 'igure5 He 're@uently directed, and sometimes acted in, his gro$ing +ody o' $or4 in the 1960s and 19=0s, $hile disseminating his $or4 into radio, television, and 'ilm5 0'ter 19=A6s Betrayal, Pinter did not $rite another 'ull-length &lay until 199;, +ut he continued $riting shorter &lays and ada&ting the $or4 o' others 'or the stage and screen5 0 conscientious o+?ector o' $ar $hen he $as eighteen 7'or $hich he $as 'ined +y the

3oyal 0cademy8, Pinter $as motivated to +e more &olitical>+oth in his $or4s and in his &u+lic li'e5 He $as &articularly distressed +y the dictatorial cou& that overthre$ 2hilean President /alvador 0llende in 19=95 He has since +ecome an outs&o4en advocate o' human rights, and has critici(ed the Gul' )ar +om+ings and other military actions5 His actions are not $ithout controversy or contradiction>he attac4ed the 0"1 intervention in Bosovo in 1999, and in C001 ?oined "he :nternational 2ommittee to De'end /lo+odan *ilosevic, the 'ormer /er+ian &resident arrested +y the Dnited ations 'or crimes against humanity5 Pinter6s &lays generally ta4e &lace in a single, &rison-li4e room5 His $or4s, $hich +lend comedy and drama, o'ten 'ocus on ?ealousy, +etrayal, and se#ual &olitics, +ut it is his dialogue>and the lac4 o' dialogue>'or $hich he is 4no$n5 Pinter6s language, usually lo$er-class vernacular, has +een descri+ed as &oetic5 His com&ressed, rhythmic lines rely heavily on su+te#t and hint at dar4er meanings5 Just as im&ortant, ho$ever, are the silences in his &lays5 Pinter has s&o4en much on the su+?ect, and has categori(ed s&eech as that $hich attem&ts to cover the na4edness o' silence5 His most o+vious 'or+ear is :rish &lay$right /amuel %ec4ett, $ho too4 silences to a ne$ level, and other &lay$rights o' the "heatre o' the 0+surd 7a Erench dramatic movement in the 19<0s8, +ut $hereas %ec4ett6s silences hint at alienation, +oredom, and the slo$ a&&roach to death, Pinter6s are ominous and violent5 "he true natures and motivations o' his characters emerge in their silences5 Des&ite Pinter6s relative decrease in creative out&ut, academic attention on Pinter remains as heavy as ever5 "he Harold Pinter /ociety $as 'ounded in 19915 :t &u+lishes The Pinter Review and organi(es con'erences5 Plot O er iew :n a +asement $ith a 4itchen and +eds %en reads a ne$s&a&er $hile Gus ties his shoelaces5 Gus $al4s to the 4itchen door, then sto&s and ta4es a 'lattened match+o# out o' one shoe, and a 'lattened cigarette carton out o' the other5 He &uts +oth items in his &oc4et and leaves 'or the +athroom5 "here6s a sound o' the toilet chain +eing &ulled $ithout it 'lushing, and Gus returns5 %en re&orts to Gus a ne$s&a&er article a+out a truc4 running over an elderly man5 %en orders Gus to ma4e tea5 Gus ho&es, Fit $on6t +e a long ?o+5F %en re&orts on an article a+out a child $ho 4ills a cat5 Gus as4s i' %en has noticed ho$ long it ta4es 'or the toilet tan4 to 'ill5 Gus com&lains he didn6t slee& $ell on the +ed, and $ishes that there $ere a $indo$5 He laments that his li'e revolves around slee&ing all day in an un'amiliar, dar4 room, then &er'orming a ?o+, and then leaving at night5 %en tells him they are 'ortunate to +e em&loyed5 Gus as4s i' %en ever gets 'ed u&, +ut they soon 'all silent5 "he toilet 'inally 'lushes5 %en commands him to ma4e tea, as they $ill go to $or4 very soon5 Gus as4s %en $hy he sto&&ed the car that morning in the middle o' the road5 %en says they $ere early5 %en tells Gus they are in the city o' %irmingham5 Gus $ants to $atch the %irmingham soccer team tomorro$ 7/aturday8, +ut %en says that there is no time and that they have to get +ac45 Gus s&ea4s a+out a %irmingham game they once sa$ together, +ut %en denies it5 0n envelo&e slides under the door5 either one 4no$s $hat is in the envelo&e5 %en orders Gus to &ic4 it u& and o&en it5 He does, and em&ties out t$elve matches5 "hey are con'used, and %en commands Gus to o&en the door and see i' anyone is outside5 )ith a revolver 'or &rotection, Gus 'inds no one5 Gus says the matches $ill come in handy, as he al$ays runs out5 %en tells him to light the 4ettle instead5 "hey de+ate the &hrase Flight the 4ettle5F Gus 'eels one should say the Fgas,F since that is $hat is +eing lit, or F&ut on the 4ettle,F a &hrase his mother used5 %en denies this and challenges Gus to remem+er the last time he sa$ his mother5 0'ter 'urther arguments a+out the &hrase, in $hich %en reminds Gus that he has seniority, %en cho4es Gus and screams F"HE BE""LE, G1D E11LHF Gus ac@uiesces and tries to see i' the matches $ill light5 "hey don6t light on the 'lattened +o#, +ut they $or4 on his 'oot5 %en says, FPut on the +loody 4ettle,F then reali(es he has used Gus6s &hrase5 He then stares at Gus until he leaves5 Gus comes +ac4, having lit the 4ettle, and $onders, F$ho it6ll +e tonight5F He says he $ants to as4 %en something, and sits on %en6s +ed, $hich annoys him5 %en as4s Gus $hy he +arrages him $ith so many @uestions, and tells him to do his ?o+ and shut u&5 0'ter Gus re&eatedly as4s $ho it6s going to +e tonight and a moment o' silence, %en orders him to ma4e tea5 0'ter he leaves, %en chec4s his revolver under his &illo$ 'or ammunition5

Gus returns and says that the gas has gone out and the meter needs to +e re'illed $ith coins5 %en says they6ll have to $ait 'or )ilson5 Gus says that )ilson doesn6t al$ays come>he sometimes sends only a message5 Gus argues that since no one ever hears anything, )ilson must o$n all the &laces they go to! %en says )ilson rents them5 Gus also 'inds it hard to tal4 to )ilson, and says he6s +een thin4ing a+out the Flast oneF>a girl5 He remem+ers the ?o+ $as a Fmess5F He $onders $ho Fclears u&F a'ter they leave5 %en reminds him that there are many Fde&artmentsF in their Forgani(ationF that ta4e care o' other matters5 "hey are interru&ted +y a sound 'rom the $all5 "hey investigate and 'ind a +o# on a dum+ $aiter 7a small elevator used 'or conveying 'ood and dishes +et$een stories o' a +uilding85 Gus &ulls a &iece o' &a&er out, and reads out an order 'or 'ood5 "he dum+ $aiter ascends5 %en e#&lains that the u&stairs used to +e a ca',, the +asement $as the 4itchen, and that these &laces change o$nershi& @uic4ly5 "he dum+ $aiter descends again, and Gus &ulls out another order 'or 'ood5 Gus loo4s u& the hatch, +ut %en &ushes him a$ay5 %en decides they should send something u&, +ut they have only a little 'ood5 "hey &ut everything on a &late, +ut the dum+ $aiter ascends +e'ore they can &ut the &late on it5 "he +o# descends again $ith another order, this time 'or Fhigh classF e#otic 'ood5 "hey &ut the &late on and Gus calls u& the +rand names o' the 'ood5 %en tells him not to shout, as F:t isn6t done5F Gus then discusses, $ithout %en6s ans$ering, his 'eelings o' an#iety a+out the ?o+ and )ilson5 0nother order comes do$n the &assage 'or more 'ood $ith $hich they are un'amiliar5 "he &ac4et o' tea they sent u& has also returned5 %en decides they should $rite a note telling them they can6t 'ill the orders, +ut then they notice an intercom tu+e5 Gus yells into the tu+e that there is no 'ood5 %en gives Gus the instructions 'or the ?o+5 "hey must corner the target $ith guns $hen he or she enters the room5 Gus e#cuses himsel' to the +athroom, $here the toilet again does not 'lush, and returns5 He as4s %en $ho is u&stairs5 "hey argue, and Gus $ants to 4no$ $hy they have to &lay these Fgames5F %en hits him t$ice on the shoulder5 0nother order comes, they 'ight again, and then they retreat into silence, %en reading his ne$s&a&er, as the dum+ $aiter goes u& and comes do$n again5 Gus leaves to get a drin4 o' $ater, and the s&ea4ing tu+e $histle +lo$s5 %en listens through the tu+e and con'irms that it is time to do their ?o+5 He hangs u& and calls 'or Gus5 He levels his gun at the door and Gus stum+les in, vulnera+ly stri&&ed o' some o' his clothes and his gun5 He loo4s u& at %en, and they stare at each other through a long silence5 !nalysis of "a#or Characters $us "he audience is meant to sym&athi(e $ith Gus, the $ell-meaning, slightly slo$er ?unior &artner-in-crime to %en5 )e are in the same &osition as GusI li4e Gus, $e are not 'amiliar $ith the ?o+ they are going to &er'orm, $e don6t 4no$ $hat e#actly is ha&&ening u&stairs 'rom the +asement, and %en6s +etrayal should +e as much o' a shoc4 to us as it is to Gus5 Gus is some$hat child-li4e, &estering %en $ith numerous re@uests, com&laints a+out their environment, and @uestions5 He is generally su+missive to %en6s orders> everything 'rom ma4ing tea to investigating outside the door>though he stands u& 'or $hat he +elieves in, as $ith the FLight the 4ettleF argument5 Gus is more sensitive than %en to issues o' traditional human concern5 He o'ten touches u&on dee&er issues %en does not $ish to contem&late>a+out death, the dull routine o' li'e, and the nature o' the elusive em&loyer )ilson5 He is concerned $ith the conse@uences o' his ?o+5 He is haunted +y the image o' their messy murder o' their last victim, a girl, and is an#ious a+out this ne#t ?o+5 He is 'ed u& $ith the dull routine o' li'e, +ut can do nothing to get out o' it5 His recurring tri&s to the +athroom underscore his im&risonment to routine, es&ecially in contrast $ith %en, $ho never goes to the +athroom5 Dnli4e %en, he has no ho++ies, $hich accounts 'or his a$areness o' his static li'e5 :' one $ere to read The Dumb Waiter as an allegory o' ca&italist slavery, then Gus is the em&loyee $ho, +ecause li'e o''ers him so little, recogni(es something $rong $ith the class structure5 He sees crac4s in the 'aJade o' )ilson>he is una'raid to yell and &eer u& the serving hatch to $here the god-li4e 'igure re&oses >+ut still 'eels uneasy in his &resence, as most underlings do $ith their &o$er'ul +osses5 He also &laces accounta+ility on )ilson as the controller o' the means o' &roduction! although %en tells him other$ise, Gus +elieves that )ilson o$ns the ca', and should there'ore &ay 'or the gas meter 7he is also mi''ed that

)ilson, or the &erson u&stairs, $ants tea $hile they are hungry and thirsty85 Gus6s class-consciousness includes some shame a+out his &overty, +ut it is less than that e#hi+ited +y %en5 )hen they send their $or4ing-class 'ood u& the dum+ $aiter, Gus calls out the +rand names as i' announcing a 'ancy dinner menu5 *any &roductions o' The Dumb Waiter $ill give the actor &laying Gus a 2oc4ney accent to em&hasi(e his lo$er-class standing, +ut little else is 4no$n a+out his +ac4ground5 )e learn that he has not seen his mother in a long time, that he en?oys soccer, and is some$hat un'amiliar $ith the richer s&ort o' cric4et5 %y the end o' &lay, Gus +ecomes some$hat resigned to his li'e enslaved to routine5 He acce&ts %en6s instructions to 4ill +y mechanically re&eating them5 )hen he reali(es that %en is +etraying him, his silence does not seem li4e one o' shoc45 3ather, he has turned into a dum+ $aiter>mani&ulated +y others to carry out their directions, una+le to s&ea4 'or himsel'5 %en %en is the more dominant o' the t$o criminals5 0s such, they resem+le the various cou&les in /amuel %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot, $ho also com&lement each other $ith su+missive and dominant traits5 %en +roods and reads his ne$s&a&er, and his silences are as much a 'eature o' his character as his dialogue5 )hether Gus is as4ing him a+out the ?o+, )ilson, or i' he ever gets +ored $ith li'e, %en re'uses to enter into a meaning'ul discussion5 Part o' the reason, o' course, is that he does not $ant to reveal the &ur&ose o' the ?o+I to e#ecute Gus5 "he other reason is that %en6s chilling silences are laced $ith a de'ensive violence5 Harold Pinter has de'ined s&eech as a strategy designed to cover the na4edness o' silence, and %en is a &rime e#am&le5 He com&ensates 'or his na4ed silences $ith a constant aura o' violence and intimidation5 0nd ?ust as he 're@uently chec4s his gun to maintain his &otential 'or violence, his o'ten-venomous s&eech 'urther o+scures his na4ed vulnera+ility5 :n the argument over the &hrase FLight the 4ettle,F the marriage o' violent s&eech and violent action seems a&&ro&riate $hen %en cho4es Gus $hile screaming F"HE BE""LE, G1D E11LHF %en6s language denotes other &arts o' his &ersonality, es&ecially his shame over his lo$er class5 He 'eigns understanding the names o' the orders 'or e#otic dishes sent do$n via the dum+ $aiter 7$here u&stairs, &resuma+ly, someone o' higher standing, &hysically and socially, &resides85 )hen they run o' 'ood in the +asement, he tells Gus 7$ho yells u& the hatch8 to o+serve decorum, then strains to ma4e a 'ormal a&ology5 He is also immensely &leased $hen the &erson u&stairs uses %en6s &hrase FLight the 4ettle5F Li4e Gus, %en is a slave to the organi(ation 7one $ith several Fde&artmentsF8, +ut he does not have the same classconsciousness as Gus! his &artner is more a$are o' their un'ortunate lot in li'e, $hile %en considers themselves F'ortunateF and diverts himsel' $ith ho++ies5 He also acce&ts $hatever )ilson tells him to do, ma4ing him as much a mani&ulated mute carrier o' actions as Gus is to %en>a human Fdum+ $aiter5F His +etrayal o' Gus at )ilson6s +ehest is an unsettling reminder o' $hat $or4ers $ill do to gain the acce&tance o' their su&eriors5 &ilson )ilson never a&&ears in the &lay, +ut he is directly or indirectly +ehind the messages 'rom the dum+ $aiter and s&ea4ing tu+e5 His o+vious theatrical corollary is Godot in %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot. %oth are o''stage characters $ho e#ercise a &o$er'ul, god-li4e in'luence over the on-stage characters5 )hen Gus suggests that )ilson is &laying FgamesF $ith the men 7the orders 'or 'ood8, it raises the &ossi+ility o' )ilson6s having a sadistic &ersonality>a malevolent god5 ot only is he going to e#ecute Gus, 'or un4no$n reasons, +ut he $ill &ut him through an agoni(ing 'inal day5 Gus also mentions that )ilson &ut them through tests several years ago to &rove themselves, so $e 4no$ that )ilson may also +e &aranoid 7a reasona+le e#&ectation 'or the head o' a crime syndicate85

'hemes( "otifs( and )ymbols 'hemes 'he )ilence and *iolence of +anguage Pinter6s $or4 is heavily in'luenced +y /amuel %ec4ett, $ho used silence-'illed &auses 'or a revolutionary theatrical e''ect5 Pinter has s&o4en o' s&eech as a stratagem designed to cover the na4edness o' silence, and these aims are o'ten evident in the dialogue o' Gus and %en5 %en6s most &rominent res&onse to Gus6s constant @uestions a+out the nature o' their ?o+s is silence5 Lur4ing underneath this silence is al$ays the threat o' violence, the antici&ation o' something deathly>the &lay ends as %en trains his gun on Gus in silence5 Gus6s @uestions and lamentations are also de'lected, delayed, or interru&ted5 %en 're@uently changes the conversation and never re&lies $ith any emotional de&th to Gus6s more &ro+ing @uestions5 :n the same $ay, they +oth avoid discussing $ith any &ro'undity the ne$s&a&er articles a+out death, s4i&&ing &ast them to more trivial matters, such as the mal'unctioning toilet5 %en sometimes delays his res&onse until they are interru&ted>+y the sound o' an inanimate o+?ect, such as the toilet 7$hich 'lushes on a delay8 and the dum+ $aiter5 "he language itsel' is also tinged $ith violence, es&ecially $hen the to&ic is something seemingly trivial5 "he men6s argument over the &hrase FLight the 4ettleF is 'illed $ith %en6s +ar+s that intimidate and shame Gus5 *oreover, $hen %en screams F"HE BE""LE, G1D E11LHF and cho4es Gus, one gets the 'eeling that his $ords are intert$ined $ith the act o' &hysical violence5 :n a sense, the looming &resence o' )ilson is the most dominating silence in the &lay5 0ssuming )ilson is the one sending the men messages through the dum+ $aiter and the s&ea4ing tu+e 7and Gus does say at one &oint that sometimes )ilson only sends messages8, then the audience never gets a chance to hear him, +ut only hears him through a secondary mouth&iece as the men read or re&eat his orders5 His mysteriousness is one o' the more sinister com&onents o' the &lay, 'or )ilson seems to +e every$here through his multi- tiered organi(ation5 He &er'orms an o''-stage role similar to that o' Godot in %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot, +ut $hereas Godot sym+oli(es a neutral god-li4e 'igure 'or $hom the characters $ait, )ilson is a malevolent god $hom the characters $ait 'or in violent silence5 !nxiety O er )ocial Class Gus and %en are +oth lo$er-class criminals, and most &roductions o' the &lay em&hasi(e their social status $ith a&&ro&riate dialects and accents5 /ome &roductions may even o&t to give %en a slightly higher-ran4ing accent, as he is more concerned $ith his standing5 He re&eatedly admonishes Gus 'or his Fslac4F a&&earance and ha+its, urging him to ma4e himsel' more &resenta+le, +ut %en also seems more resigned to his lo$ly criminal li'e! he considers them 'ortunate 'or having ?o+s5 His &ro'ound shame over his class emerges in interactions $ith those u&stairs via the dum+ $aiter, and much o' this shame is tied to language5 "he 'ood orders 'rom the dum+ $aiter are 'or increasingly e#otic 'oods $ith un'amiliar names, and %en &retends to 4no$ ho$ to ma4e them only to a &oint5 )hen they decide to send u& their cache o' 'ood, even Gus 'eels he has to im&ress those u&stairs +y announcing the +rand names o' their &edestrian 'oodstu''s5 %en also ha&&ily re&orts that the man u&stairs, &resuma+ly o' higher social standing, uses the same de+ated &hrase>FLight the 4ettleF>as he does, and he $arns Gus to o+serve decorum $hen tal4ing to the u&stairs, as he demonstrates $ith his 'ormal a&ology5 %en is 'ar more reverent o' )ilson than the in@uiring Gus, and his de'erence is attri+uted less to 'eelings o' res&ect than to an overriding in'eriority com&le#! )ilson is their leader 'or a reason, and he must o+ey him at all costs, even i' it means +etraying his 'riend5 :n this light, The Dumb Waiter can +e read as an anti-cor&orate u&date o' %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot, an allegory o' in- 'ighting and $hat cor&orate $or4ers $ill do to &lease their su&eriors5

"otifs ,epetition 0t the &lay6s start and end, %en e#&resses outrage at an article in the ne$s&a&er $hile Gus sym&athi(es5 /imilar re&etitions mar4 the action throughout the &lay5 Early on, Gus +emoans the dull slee&-and-$or4 routine o' his li'e, and various re&etitive actions>'rom Gus6s tendency to run out matches to his recurring tri&s to the +athroom>emerge as the +asis o' this cyclical 'atigue5 Language, ho$ever, is $here Pinter6s use o' re&etition &oints to violence and the nearness o' death5 Gus almost al$ays has to re&eat and re&hrase his im&ortant @uestions to %en, @uestions that touch u&on dar4er issues %en does not $ish to reveal5 %en6s mechanical instructions to Gus on ho$ to e#ecute their murder are re&eated +y Gus $ith similar detachment, and $hen %en echoes through the s&ea4ing tu+e his o$n mission to 4ill Gus, it li4e$ise echoes the &revious interaction $ith Gus5 Pinter has com&ared echoes to silence, and i' one vie$s the silences in his &lays as indications o' violence, then linguistic echoes and re&etitive actions suggest violence as $ell5 )ymbols 'he dumb waiter "he dum+ $aiter serves as a sym+ol 'or the +ro4en, one-sided communication +et$een Gus and %en5 :' messages are to +e sent via the dum+ $aiter, then only one &erson at a time can send them, and one cannot simultaneously s&ea4 and listen through the dum+ $aiter6s s&ea4ing tu+e5 2orres&ondingly, Gus and %en never have a 'ully o&en dialogue>minimi(ed even more +y %en6s 4no$ledge o' his im&ending +etrayal o' Gus>and $henever Gus tries to +ring u& something emotional, %en re'uses to s&ea4 $ith him5 "his disconnection is the essence o' their relationshi&5 "hey do not s&ea4 with, +ut to each other5 "hey are li4e the dum+ $aiter>mute carriers o' in'ormation, not sharers o' it5 *oreover, %en, es&ecially, is mani&ulated +y )ilson in the same $ay that the dum+ $aiter is controlled +y its system o' &ulleys5 Part One- %eginning .ntil 'he /n elope )ummary "he setting is a +asement $ith t$o +eds, a serving hatch, a 4itchen and +athroom to the le't, and another &assage to the right5 :n silence, %en reads a ne$s&a&er on his +ed $hile Gus ties his shoelaces on his +ed5 Gus 'inishes and $al4s to the 4itchen door, then sto&s and sha4es his 'oot5 %en $atches as Gus ta4es a 'lattened match+o# out o' his shoe5 0'ter he and %en e#change a glance, Gus &uts it in his &oc4et5 Erom his other shoe, he ta4es out a 'lattened cigarette carton5 "hey e#change another loo4, and Gus &uts the carton in his &oc4et +e'ore he leaves 'or the +athroom5 "here6s a sound o' the toilet chain +eing &ulled $ithout it 'lushing, and Gus returns5 %en angrily relates to Gus a ne$s&a&er article, $hich re&orts on an elderly man $ho tried to cross a +usy street +y cra$ling under a truc4, $hich then ran over him5 Gus agrees that it is a+omina+le5 Gus again tries to 'lush the toilet, +ut it doesn6t $or45 )hen he returns, %en orders him to ma4e tea5 Gus admires the dish$are5 He as4s %en 'or a cigarette, and ho&es, Fit $on6t +e a long ?o+5F He remem+ers he $anted to as4 %en something, +ut is interru&ted +y %en $ho re&orts on an article a+out a child 4illing a cat5 Gus then as4s i' %en has noticed ho$ long it ta4es 'or the toilet tan4 to 'ill5 %en suggests that it is a Fde'icient +allcoc45F Gus com&lains that he didn6t slee& $ell on the +ed and then sees a &icture on the $all o' cric4et &layers entitled F"he Eirst Eleven5F either he nor %en 4no$s that the F'irst elevenF re'ers to a school6s to& cric4et &layers5 He $ishes 'or a $indo$ in the room and laments that his li'e revolves around entering a dar4 room he6s never seen +e'ore, slee&ing all day, doing a ?o+, and then leaving at night5 %en tells him that they are 'ortunate to +e em&loyed only once a $ee4 and tells Gus his &ro+lem is a lac4 o' interests5 %en, 'or e#am&le, has $ood$or4 and model +oats, and never stays idle5 Gus as4s i' %en ever gets 'ed u&, +ut they soon 'all silent5 "he toilet 'inally 'lushes, $hich Gus comments on +e'ore 'urther critici(ing the +asement5 %en commands him to ma4e tea, as they $ill +e Fon the ?o+F very soon5 0s Gus ta4es out a tea +ag and

e#amines it, he as4s Gus $hy he sto&&ed the car that morning in the middle o' the road5 %en says that they $ere early5 Gus as4s i' they $ere too early to move in, $hich e#&lains $hy the sheets seemed dirty to him5 Gus has 'orgotten $hat to$n they are in and %en tells him that they are in %irmingham5 Gus says that it is an industrial city, the second-+iggest city in Great %ritain5 Gus $ants to $atch the %irmingham soccer team tomorro$ 7/aturday8, +ut %en says that there is no time and that they have to get +ac4, even though they used to stay over a'ter a ?o+5 Gus s&ea4s a+out a %irmingham game they once sa$ together, +ut %en re'utes the details that Gus remem+ers5 0n envelo&e slides under the door5 !nalysis "he in'luence o' :rish &lay$right /amuel %ec4ett on Harold Pinter is a&&arent in this &lay, and numerous similarities and allusions to %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot cro& u& in this section5 0s $ith Godot, there are t$o characters, one dominant, one su+missive, $ho share the amount o' letters and sylla+les in their names 7although Pinter6s Gus and %en are sim&ler names>and sim&ler characters>than %ec4ett6s .ladimir and Estragon85 Gus6s di''iculty in &utting on his shoe corres&onds to a similar &ro+lem $ith a +oot in %ec4ett6s &lay5 :n +oth &lays, moreover, the characters have +een stranded in one &lace $ith an unclear &ur&ose, at least 'rom the audience6s &ers&ective5 "he single location is a sta&le o' Pinter6s other &lays, as $ell5 Pinter6s use o' re&etition and silence also har4ens +ac4 to %ec4ett6s $or45 %ec4ett6s &rimary use o' these is to suggest the ideas o' alienation and the a&&roach o' death, +ut Pinter 'ashions them $ith a more sinister, violent touch5 Pinter has said that silence is a 'orm o' na4edness, and that s&eech is an attem&t to cover this na4edness5 Gus 4ee&s $anting to as4 %en something +ut is interru&ted, an e#change that $ill re&eat throughout the &lay5 "he dialogue in +et$een is o'ten %en6s attem&t to delay ans$ering Gus6s @uestion> here, a trivial matter a+out the toilet5 %en also uses silence to de'lect the &otential 'or more intimate &ro+ing 'rom Gus5 ot only are %en6s delays and interru&tions a 'orm o' silence, +ut even they are interru&ted>%en6s re&orts o' the death o' the elderly man and the cat, serious matters o' mortality, are @uic4ly a+orted in 'avor o' more mundane concerns5 "he men do not +rea4 the silence themselves usually5 3ather, the sound o' an inanimate o+?ect>the toilet>?olts them +ac4 into discussion5 "he toilet serves as a +ase 'or Gus throughout the &lay5 :t re&resents re&etition, and the 'utility o' re&etition5 Li4e the cho&&y dialogue, the toilet $or4s on a delay>the 'lush is &receded +y a long &ause> solidi'ying the notion that re&etition e''ects little change5 Just as Gus trans'ers the 'lattened match+o# and carton 7+oth de'ective o+?ects8 'rom his shoes to his &oc4et>one rece&tacle to another>the rece&tacle o' the de'ective toilet trans'ers human $aste to the rece&tacle o' the se$ers5 "he $aste, ho$ever, does not disa&&ear! it $ill return in some 'orm, and is &art o' the cyclical nature o' li'e that +ores Gus, the dull re&etition o' $or4 and slee&5 "he characters6 com&lete se&aration 'rom the u&&er class is also introduced and $ill +e e#&lored in 'urther de&th later5 "heir un'amiliarity $ith the s&orting terms o' &osh cric4et and their a''ection 'or the more $or4ing-class game o' soccer immediately de'ines their social standing5 Part 'wo- From the /n elope to %en0s $un )ummary either %en nor Gus 4no$s $hat is in the envelo&e5 %en orders Gus to &ic4 it u& and o&en it5 He does, and em&ties out t$elve matches5 "hey are con'used, and %en commands Gus to o&en the door and see i' anyone6s outside5 )ith a revolver 'rom under his &illo$ 'or &rotection, Gus investigates +ut 'inds no one5 Gus says the matches $ill come in handy, as he al$ays runs out5 %en re&rimands him 'or &ro+ing his ear $ith a match, telling him not to $aste them and to light the 4ettle instead5 "hey de+ate the &hrase Flight the 4ettleF! Gus 'eels one should say the Fgas,F since that is $hat is +eing lit, or F&ut on the 4ettle,F a &hrase his mother used5 %en $ill have none o' this, and challenges Gus to remem+er the last time he sa$ his mother 7he can6t remem+er85 0'ter 'urther arguments a+out the &hrase, in $hich %en reminds Gus that he6s the senior &artner, %en cho4es Gus and screams F"HE BE""LE, G1D E11LHF Gus ac@uiesces and tries to see i' the matches light! they don6t on the 'lattened +o#, +ut they $or4 on his

'oot5 %en says, FPut on the +loody 4ettle,F then reali(es he6s used Gus6s &hrase, and loo4s at Gus until his &artner leaves5 Gus comes +ac4, having &ut on the 4ettle, and $onders, F$ho it6ll +e tonight5F He says he $ants to as4 %en something, and sits on %en6s +ed, $hich annoys him5 %en as4s Gus $hy he +arrages him $ith so many @uestions, and tells him to do his ?o+ and shut u&5 0'ter Gus re&eatedly as4s $ho it6s going to +e tonight and a moment o' silence, %en orders him to ma4e tea5 0'ter he leaves, %en chec4s his revolver under his &illo$ 'or ammunition5 !nalysis %en6s dominance and Gus6s su+mission intensi'y in this section5 %en continually +osses Gus around, and even &uts him in danger $hen he tells him to o&en the door5 :t is +ecoming clear that they are hit-men>the F$hoF in F$ho it6ll +e tonightF re'ers to their victim>and Pinter contrasts the violence o' their ?o+s $ith their common&lace language and concerns5 :n $ays, The Dumb Waiter is a &recursor to a ma?or conceit o' modern gangster 'ilms, such as those o' Kuentin "arantino, 'ilms that ?u#ta&ose, o'ten to comic e''ect, the violence o' the criminal6s ?o+ $ith his +anal, +ut revealing, small tal45 "he argument over Flight the 4ettleF is seemingly trivial +ut divulges 4ey in'ormation a+out the menI Gus no longer sees his mother, and %en is the senior &artner5 "he de+ate also &roduces the men6s 'irst &hysical con'rontation a'ter much ver+al +uild-u&5 :t is no accident that %en screams and cho4es Gus at the same time5 Pinter is 4no$n 'or the innate violence in his characters6 language, violence that lur4s +eneath the cli&&ed structure o' the language, and %en6s dialogue is a &art o', and nearly cau e , the &hysical violence5 "he violence is o''set +y the comic e''ect, $hich occurs a'ter the con'rontation, $hen %en unconsciously uses the same language as Gus5 *oreover, his comical use o' Gus6s &hrase a'ter dis&laying intense hostility to it im&lies that re&etition o' language can dull its e''ect, and that it can mechanically 'lo$ +et$een &eo&le as an unconscious transaction5 Pinter rein'orces the mechanical 'eeling $ith his use o' re&etition5 Gus t$ice says that he doesn6t 4no$ $hat the envelo&e is, and t$ice that Fno oneF and FnothingF $ere outside5 "hese last t$o statements +oth e#&ress an a+sence>+oth o' 4no$ledge and o' the &hysical &resence>that constitute a ty&e o' silence, and %en6s re&etitive @ueries try to cover this na4ed, 'ear'ul mystery $ith e#traneous s&eech5 He later de'lects Gus6s @uestion re'erring to $ho they $ill victimi(e, ans$ering $ith silence and then ordering Gus to ma4e tea5 "he other theme +ehind re&etitiveness in the &lay is ho$ it dulls li'e into a cyclical routine, and $e can vie$ Gus6s running out o' matches as a sym+ol o' ho$ li'e continually +urns do$n and then re'uels5 %en6s scolding Gus over not $asting the matches is almost &ointless5 /ooner or later, they $ill +e $asted, +ut their su&&ly $ill +e re&lenished5 Part 'hree- !fter %en Checks his $un )ummary Gus returns and says that the gas has gone out, as the meter needs to +e re'illed $ith coins5 %en says they6ll have to $ait 'or )ilson5 Gus says that )ilson doesn6t al$ays come>that he sometimes sends only a message>and com&lains a+out not having a cu& o' tea F+e'ore5F He +elieves that, as it6s his &lace, )ilson should &ay 'or the meter5 %en denies this, saying )ilson has only rented it5 Gus is insistent, arguing that since no one ever com&lains or hears anything, )ilson must o$n all the &laces they go to5 He also 'inds it hard to tal4 to )ilson, and says that he6s +een thin4ing a+out the Flast oneF>a girl5 )hen %en reads his ne$s&a&er instead o' ans$ering him, he and Gus get into an argument5 Gus continues tal4ing a+out the girl5 "he ?o+ $as a Fmess,F he recalls, as $omen don6t Fhold together li4e men5F He $onders $ho cleans u& 'or them a'ter they leave5 %en reminds him that other de&artments ta4e care o' those matters5 0 clattering sound 'rom the $all +et$een their +eds interru&ts them5 )ith guns in hand, they investigate and 'ind a +o# on a dum+ $aiter 7a small elevator controlled +y &ulleys that delivers 'ood or other goods +et$een 'loors, usually in restaurants or hotels85 Gus &ulls a &iece o' &a&er out, and %en tells him to read it5 :t lists an order 'or 'ood5 "he dum+ $aiter ascends5 %en e#&lains that the u&stairs used to +e a ca',, the +asement $as the 4itchen, and that these &laces change o$nershi& @uic4ly5 Gus loudly $onders $ho has

moved in5 "he dum+ $aiter descends again, and Gus &ulls out another order 'or 'ood5 Gus loo4s u& the hatch, +ut %en &ushes him a$ay5 %en decides that they should send something u&, +ut they have only a little 'ood5 Gus 4ee&s revealing more 'ood, ho$ever>a ca4e, and a +ag o' chi&s5 "hey &ut everything on a &late, +ut the dum+ $aiter ascends +e'ore they can &ut the &late on it5 "hey decide to $ait until the dum+ $aiter returns5 Gus $onders ho$ it could +e a ca', i' the gas stove is so ine''icient5 "he +o# descends again $ith another order, this time 'or Fhigh classF e#otic 'ood such as F1rmitha *acarounada5F %en &retends to 4no$ ho$ to ma4e the dish5 "hey &ut the &late on the dum+ $aiter and Gus yells u& the hatch, announcing the +rand names o' the 'ood5 %en tells him that he shouldn6t shout5 %en $arns Gus not to lose sight o' their ?o+ and tells him to get ready and &olish his gun5 Gus $onders a+out the &ossi+ility o' another near+y 4itchen, $hich %en su&&orts5 Gus then discusses, $ithout %en6s ans$ering, his 'eelings o' an#iety a+out the ?o+ and )ilson5 0nother order comes do$n the &assage 'or more 'ood $ith $hich they are un'amiliar5 *uch to %en6s chagrin, the &ac4et o' tea they sent u& has also returned, &erha&s +ecause, as Gus suggests, it isn6t teatime5 !nalysis "he in'luence o' %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot dee&ens in this section, in $hich it +ecomes clearer that %en is &erha&s not telling Gus the com&lete truth a+out their o&eration>they are certainly in the 4itchen o' a $or4ing ca',, not merely a +asement, and something is odd a+out their interaction $ith the &erson or &eo&le u&stairs5 :n Godot, the t$o men $ait around 'or a man named Godot $ho never arrives, yet $ho e#ercises great &o$er over them5 :n The Dumb Waiter, %en and Gus are at the +ec4 and call o' )ilson, a mysterious character $ho dominates the duo even $hen he6s not around>or &erha&s es&ecially $hen he6s not around5 %en is more reverent o' )ilson, $hile Gus is $ary o' their relationshi& to the mysterious 'igure5 :t is there'ore not sur&rising that Gus is the one $ho loo4s u& and $ants to shout u& the hatch> investigating the god u&stairs, so to s&ea4>and not %en, $ho seems 'ear'ul o' angering the gods and $ho is an#ious to &lease them5 He is noticea+ly em+arrassed $hen the tea is returned5 Gus also seems to hold a greater sensitivity to his ?o+5 He is not only distur+ed a+out their murder o' the girl, +ut he $onders $ho has the tas4 o' cleaning u& the remains5 "he characters6 an#iety over their lo$er-class status hangs over the 'ood se@uence5 :t +egins $ith their ina+ility to &ay 'or the meter, $hich inhi+its their a+ility to ma4e their o$n 'ood, or at least to +re$ their o$n tea5 "heir an#iety am&li'ies $hen they 'eel they need to send more 'ood +ac4 u& the hatch, and then $ith the orders 'or increasingly 'ancy 'ood $ith $hich they are not 'amiliar5 *uch o' this class tension is +ound u& in language5 Gus tries to dress u& their o$n standard 'ood +y announcing the +rand names associated $ith the items, names that &ale in com&arison to the e#otic names o' the ordered dishes, such as F1rmitha *acarounada5F %en noticea+ly tries to cover u& his lo$er-class status +y &retending that he 4no$s ho$ to ma4e the dish5 "he characters6 dialect is also distinctly lo$er class, a+ru&t sentences &e&&ered $ith idiomatic utterances li4e FBa$HF *any &roductions o' The Dumb Waiter em&hasi(e %en6s and Gus6s di''erent relationshi&s to class +y giving %en an accent o' a slightly +etter-o'' Englishman, $hile Gus o'ten s&ea4s in a lo$er-class 2oc4ney accent5 0merican audiences may not +e a+le to distinguish +et$een the &articular accents so readily5 :nterru&tions and a++reviations continue to &lay a signi'icant role in this section, as Gus6s continuing @uestions a+out the nature o' their ?o+ and the ca', are t$ice +ro4en +y the sounds o' the descending dum+ $aiter5 0s o' no$, %en and Gus6s communication $ith the u&stairs via the dum+ $aiter has +een +ased on $ritten notes $ith a++reviated sentences at that5 "his limited communication $ill assume a more sym+olic 'orm in the ne#t section5 Part Four- )peaking 'ube until /nd %en decides that they should $rite a note telling the &eo&le u&stairs that they can6t 'ill the orders and, $hile loo4ing 'or a &encil, he 'inds a s&ea4ing tu+e 7an intercom-li4e device 'or communicating u&stairs85 Gus $histles into the tu+e, to alert the &eo&le, and says, F"he larder6s +areHF %en ta4es the tu+e 'rom him and more 'ormally states that they are out o' 'ood5 He listens into the tu+e and re&orts to Gus that the 'ood they sent u& $as stale or $ent +ad, and a&ologi(es through the tu+e5 )hen he hangs u&, he in'orms Gus

that the &erson on the other end used the &hrase FLight the 4ettleF $hen he as4ed 'or a cu& o' tea5 "hey then reali(e that they can6t light the 4ettle, 'or there is no gas5 Gus is u&set +ecause he is thirsty and hungry, $hile the man u&stairs, $ho &ro+a+ly has 'ood, $ants tea 'rom them5 %en, @uietly and $ith 'atigue, gives Gus the instructions 'or the ?o+, instructions that Gus re&eats out loud5 %en instructs Gus to stand +ehind a door, +ut to not ans$er a 4noc4 on the door5 He must shut the door +ehind the man $ho comes in $ithout e#&osing himsel' 7Gus8, allo$ing the man to see and a&&roach %en5 )hen %en ta4es out his gun they $ill have cornered the man5 0t this &oint, Gus reminds %en that so 'ar he hasn6t ta4en hi o$n gun out, +ut %en then includes that Gus should have ta4en his gun out $hen he closed the door5 *oreover, %en states, the man>or girl>$ill loo4 at them in silence5 Gus e#cuses himsel' to the +athroom, $here the toilet again does not 'lush, and returns5 He &aces a+out, loo4ing trou+led, and as4s $hy they $ere sent matches i' the man u&stairs 4ne$ there $as no gas5 He re&eats the @uestion and then as4s %en i' he 4no$s $ho is u&stairs5 "hey argue, and Gus reminds %en that he told him $ho o$ned the &lace, and $ants to 4no$ $hy he6s &laying these games5 %en hits him t$ice on the shoulder5 Gus $ants to 4no$ $hy they6re +eing toyed $ith since they &assed their tests years ago and &roved themselves5 0nother order comes, accom&anied +y a $histle 'rom the s&ea4ing tu+e5 Gus reads the order and yells into the tu+e that they have nothing le't5 %en &ushes Gus a$ay and sla&s him, ordering him to sto&5 "hey retreat into silence>%en reading his ne$s&a&er>as the dum+ $aiter goes u& and comes do$n again5 %en e#&resses outraged ama(ement at a ne$s article, and Gus, in increasingly lo$er tones, concurs5 Gus leaves to get a drin4 o' $ater, and the s&ea4ing tu+e $histle +lo$s5 %en listens through the tu+e and re&eats out loud the order that the man has arrived and they $ill +e commencing their ?o+ shortly5 He hangs u& and calls 'or Gus, and shi'ts his ?ac4et to o+scure his gun5 He levels his gun at the door and Gus stum+les in, stri&&ed o' some o' his clothes and his gun5 He loo4s u& at %en, and they stare at each other through a long silence5 !nalysis "he dum+ $aiter, $ith its accom&anying s&ea4ing tu+e, +ecomes an agent 'or murder as the &lay ends, +ut the device is also a meta&hor 'or the ty&e o' communication that has already s&lit a&art %en and Gus5 )henever Gus +roaches an im&ortant to&ic>here, es&ecially, )ilson and his FgamesF>%en de'lects the @uestion or descends into silence5 "hey communicate as i' $ith a dum+ $aiter! one says something, it travels to and registers $ith the other, and then a re&ly is made 7i' at all85 :t is im&ossi+le 'or +oth men to s&ea4 their minds at once, ?ust as the dum+ $aiter restricts language 7either in the 'orm o' a note or the s&ea4ing tu+e8 to one &erson at a time! its very name indicates muteness5 "hey do not converse in true dialogue $ith one other5 3ather, they s&ea4 to each other, not with one another5 Eittingly, $hen he 'inds the s&ea4ing tu+e, Gus ironically says, FEunny : never noticed it +e'ore5F He and %en have had a +loc4 in their communication $ith each other that is highlighted +y his re'erence to the tu+e used 'or communication5 "his lac4 o' communication heightens the sense that %en has +een $ithholding in'ormation 'rom Gus and &erha&s even +etraying his &artner5 )henever Gus strays too close to the truth>a truth %en seems to +e more a$are o'>%en $ithholds and alters crucial in'ormation 7such as his lie a+out the ca',6s changing o$nershi&8, almost as i' he $ere retracting the evidence on a dum+ $aiter and ad?usting it 'or the return tri&5 His language throughout the &lay, then, stands on its o$n as a +etrayal, a closely monitored transaction o' in'ormation that ta4es &ains not to give too much a$ay5 %etrayal is a constant theme in Pinter6s $or4>he has a &lay titled Betrayal>and here $e must ta4e %en6s $ord that the ?o+ is a+out to commence, +ut $e do not 4no$ i' it $ill +e carried out the $ay he originally indicated or $hether he $ill end u& actually shooting Gus5 %ut the re&etitive, mechanical @uality o' language is the ultimate murderer here5 "he characters6 re&etition o' their ne$s&a&er routine>an act that surely occurs every day>is &art o' the slo$ a&&roach to death that Gus s&o4e o' at the start o' the &lay $hen he +emoaned his dull, cyclical li'e5 %en6s instructions, $hich Gus re&eats, similarly drain the li'e out o' an act that itsel' see4s to end li'e5 Gus6s toneless echo is actually a 'orm o' silence that see4s to avoid having to &er'orm the horri'ying act5

1mportant 2uotations /xplained FHe might not come5 He might ?ust send a message5 He doesn6t al$ays come5F E#&lanation 'or Kuotation 1 LL Gus says this in Part three in re'erence to )ilson, 'or $hom %en says they must $ait5 )ilson is similar to the god-li4e Godot in /amuel %ec4ett6s Waiting for Godot, $ho also 4ee&s t$o characters in sus&ense as they $ait 'or his arrival5 )ilson6s &o$er is greatly derived 'rom his very a+sence, similar to the $ay silence 'unctions in the $or4 in terms o' the a+sence o' language5 )ilson is a mystery to +oth o' them, and Gus, &articularly, 'eels uncom'orta+le around him5 "he 'act that )ilson sometimes sends messages indicates that the later messages through the dum+ $aiter and the s&ea4ing tu+e may +e 'rom him, or at least through one o' his henchmen5 2lose FMyou come into a &lace $hen it6s still dar4, you come into a room you6ve never seen +e'ore, you slee& all day, you do your ?o+, and then you go a$ay in the night again5F E#&lanation 'or Kuotation C LL Gus laments the +oring re&etition o' li'e in Part 15 Eor him, li'e is a dead-end o' routine5 He recogni(es that he and %en $ill never esca&e 'rom their lo$er-class roles, yet he cannot hel& +ut +e a creature o' ha+it>he constantly goes to the +athroom, and he al$ays needs to re&lenish his d$indling su&&ly o' matches5 %en, on the other hand, thin4s they are F'ortunateF to have their ?o+s, $hich only re@uires them to $or4 once a $ee4 7though they have to +e ready at all times85 He em+races routine and li4es nothing +etter than to read the ne$s&a&er and sco'' at the same outrageous stories each day 7an action that o&ens and closes the &lay85 "o +rea4 u& his routine, he diverts himsel' $ith ho++ies, $hich he urges Gus to ta4e u&, +ut these are only tem&orary methods to distract himsel' 'rom his static &osition in li'e5 2lose F"HE BE""LE, G1D E11LHF E#&lanation 'or Kuotation 9 LL %en screams this as he cho4es Gus in Part C5 :t is the culmination o' their de+ate over the &hrase FLight the 4ettle5F *ore im&ortant than the actual de+ate is the $ay %en6s language gradually +ecomes more menacing as he insults and intimidates Gus, challenging him to remem+er $hen he last sa$ his mother and calling attention to his o$n seniority5 "he act o' cho4ing &hysically cuts o'' Gus6s a+ility to s&ea4, ma4ing %en dou+ly &o$er'ul, as his voice gro$s in &o$er and Gus6s diminishes5 %en may also har+or some resentment a+out Gus6s lo$er- class &hrase, and &erha&s his hostility s&rings 'orth 'rom this5 %en later e#&resses delight $hen the more so&histicated man u&stairs uses the &hrase, FLight the 4ettle,F ?ust as he does5 2lose FDo you 4no$ $hat it ta4es to ma4e an 1rmitha *acaroundaNF E#&lanation 'or Kuotation ; LL %en says this in Part three during the dum+ $aiter se@uence, $hen the men receive several orders 'or increasingly 'ancy 'ood 'rom u&stairs5 0shamed o' his o$n &overty and his lac4 o' re'inement, %en &retends he 4no$s ho$ to ma4e the 'oreign dish to save 'ace in 'ront o' Gus, even though he later concedes ignorance 'or even the sim&le &re&aration o' +ean s&routs5 Gus, too, 'eels he has to &rove some$hat his so&histication 'or the u&stairs &eo&le, announcing the +rand names o' the $or4ing-class 'ood they send u&5 :n +oth cases, language is tied to class, and most &roductions o' the &lay augment the characters6 $or4ingclass dialect $ith a&&ro&riate accents, such as 2oc4ney, $hich a %ritish audience $ould identi'y as lo$er class5

2lose F%E I :' there6s a 4noc4 on the door you don6t ans$er it5 GD/I :' there6s a 4noc4 on the door : don6t ans$er it5F E#&lanation 'or Kuotation < LL "his e#change occurs near the end o' the &lay, in Part 'our5 %en states a series o' instructions to Gus 7$ho re&eats each line8 as to ho$ they $ill carry out their ?o+, $hich ends $ith their cornering the target $ith their guns, +e it a male or 'emale victim5 Pinter directs the actors &laying %en and Gus to deliver their lines $ith a mechanical detachment, and the e''ect is that the ghastly deed o' murder +ecomes drained o' human emotion and sym&athy5 Gus is merely an echo, and the echo is much li4e silence, rein'orcing Gus6s status as a human Fdum+ $aiter,F mani&ulated and $ithout any voice o' his o$n5 :n the directions, %en also has a la&se $hen he 'orgets to tell Gus to have his gun ready5 Gus reminds him o' this and he corrects himsel', +ut it is a clue that %en, or )ilson, intends the instructions to mislead Gus5 2ui3

How does Ben communicate with the person upstairs, other than through the dumb waiter? (A) By yelling (B) Through the speaking tube (C) By running upstairs (D) ia telephone !ho is the men"s boss? (A) #ohnson (B) $palding (C) !ilson (D) Dennis the %enace !hat town are the men in? (A) Birmingham (B) &ottingham (C) 'ondon (D) (stanbul Harold )inter is hea*ily in+luenced by which (rish playwright? (A) $ean ,"Casey (B) #ames #oyce (C) ,scar !ilde (D) $amuel Beckett !hat, according to )inter, is designed to co*er silences? (A) &oises (B) $peech (C) Actions (D) -choes

!hich o+ the characters has not seen his mother in a long time? (A) Ben (B) .us (C) !ilson (D) All o+ the abo*e !hat does .us say he always runs out o+? (A) /nderwear (B) 0ood (C) %atches (D) !ater !hat pre*ents Ben and .us +rom making tea? (A) They ha*e no tea packets (B) They ha*e no water (C) They decide it"s 1too British1 (D) They don"t ha*e money +or the gas meter !hat is 1The 0irst -le*en1? (A) A British con*enience store (B) A school"s top cricket players (C) The *olume control +or hea*y2metal bands (D) Ben"s +a*orite book !hat dish does Ben pretend to know how to make? (A) ,rmitha %acarounda (B) Bean sprouts (C) )heasant under glass (D) %acaroni and cheese !hat sport does .us like to watch? (A) Cricket (B) 0ootball (American soccer) (C) $occer (British +ootball) (D) 0oot (-nglish sock)