Buried Child

I don’t feel that The Buried Child is in black and white or clear cut, as far as what is being conveyed. In this play, nothing is what it seems. For example, the play starts off with two spouses that appear to be relatively, sane. However, we, the readers, become aware that there is a secret. In this instance, The Buried Child starts off just as a well-made play is supposed to, but there are mass amounts of irony as the story goes on. For instance, Vince came across as sane as his grandparents, at first, but drank himself into a crazed state. He later appeared as a psychotic family member searching for power and a reason to be remembered. I say this because he was heavily disheartened when he realized his family did not recognize him. So, it is plausible that he, now, wants to gain recognition from them by stooping to their crazy level. Another instance that played a part in this compilation of irony was when it appeared that Vince may had been the “buried child” that was spoken about in spurts of the play. However, things take a drastic turn when Tilden comes into the house literally carrying the decayed body of an infant.

Some possible elements that counter the conventions of illusionistic realism could be the fact that Shepard’s created illusions were, more so, unrealistic. I say unrealistic because the madness that was created within the world of the play as not normal, even in the world of the play. For instance, within the family, everything that goes on seems relatively normal. Dodge, his wife, his children, and his grandchild make everything appear usual. However, Shepard has Pastor Dewis in that one scene to draw attention to the fact that the behavior in which the family exhibits, is not actually normal. He shows this by expressing his discomfort when things become tenser as the seconds go by.