The Caretaker (1960) by Harold Pinter, as a successful play in the twentieth century, reflects the incommunicability of language. In fact, Pinter has depicted the failure of communication, implying that language is at the verge of crisis.
In order to analyze the elements that play role in revealing the non-essential quality of language, Jan Blommaert’s Critical Discourse Analysis that describes the mechanism through which language and linguistic patterns act in social system can be helpful and efficient. This efficiency lies in investigating the common grounds of language and social studies. In the play, the incommunicability of language is drawn by the inequality the characters are involved with, the choice they have in using the language, the archive they use when choosing their language as the representative of determination. Furthermore, the personages have different voices in the work. The function of voice is controlling discourse. The voices that the characters employ in the play are directly related to their inequality formed in social system and to their identity constructed in it.
Speaking of identity, it is accounted the major concept for which the figures, consciously or unconsciously, struggle. Identities are formed through interactions and can be subjected to change by switching from one discourse to another. Generally speaking, the present paper intends to unveil the incommunicability of language in The Caretaker by Harold Pinter through studying some of the devices of the CDA as explained by Jan Blommaert.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Methodology
III. Discussion
IV. Result
Research Objectives and Topics
The research investigates the incommunicability of language in Harold Pinter's play "The Caretaker" through the lens of Jan Blommaert’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). It aims to uncover how linguistic patterns, social inequality, and the construction of identity shape the characters' interactions and their failure to achieve meaningful communication.
- Analysis of language as a social mechanism within Pinter’s dramatic framework.
- Exploration of "inequality," "choice," and "determination" as core elements of CDA.
- Examination of how "voice" serves to control discourse and reflect power dynamics.
- Investigation into the construction and manipulation of identity through conversational performance.
Excerpt from the Book
II. Methodology
That “discourse” is accounted a general, critical, and essential concept in the realm of human sciences including sociology, history, literature, and politics and so on is an undeniable reality. Additionally, literature can be taken into account as a discourse, and subjected to “discourse analysis.” There have been numerous definitions concerning “discourse.” Jan Blommaert in his “Discourse” states “there is a long tradition of treating discourse in linguistic terms, either as a complex linguistic forms larger than the single sentence (a ‘text’) or as language-in-use … the conception of discourse, broadly speaking, underlies the development of contemporary linguistic pragmatics” (2).
Along with the emphasis on the social and communicative nature of language, Blommaert stresses the process in which the construction of meaning takes place. This process is provided under both linguistic and socio-cultural conditions. Additionally, “Critical Discourse Analysis” or CDA studies socio-cultural elements which are embodied in shaping the process of discourse analysis. According to Blommaert, “CDA is part of a wider landscape of critical approaches to language and society, and will thus make our view of the contribution of CDA sharper and clearer” (6).
One key element discussed in CDA is “language.” Any account of language in CDA may follow the items “inequality,” “choice” and “determination.” Referring to the discussion of “indexical meaning”, any difference in language is related to different social values rested on “orders of indexicality.” Also, no equal access to orders of indexicality for all members of society leads to difference in language. So, it is obvious that any difference in language is directly related to one’s social position (Ibid 69). Blommaert maintains that people have to choose verbal elements, select their discourse and plan their sequential moves in communication (98). He asserts that, according to Michel Foucault, there is an archive within which the orders of indexicality act. This limitation encompasses the creative quality of communication or speaking, resulting in determination (105).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces Harold Pinter’s play and highlights the core theme of linguistic failure, establishing the research premise that communication in the play is in a state of crisis.
II. Methodology: This section defines the theoretical framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as proposed by Jan Blommaert, focusing on how language interacts with social structures, inequality, and power.
III. Discussion: This chapter applies the selected CDA devices—inequality, choice, determination, voice, and identity—to analyze the specific interactions and communicative struggles between the characters Davies, Mick, and Aston.
IV. Result: The final section synthesizes the findings, concluding that the characters' attempts to control social systems through language ultimately reveal the play's fundamental challenge regarding the fluidity and social construction of identity.
Keywords
Harold Pinter, The Caretaker, Jan Blommaert, Critical Discourse Analysis, inequality, choice, determination, voice, identity, social system, language, communication, discourse, power, social realism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research examines the "incommunicability of language" in Harold Pinter's play "The Caretaker" by exploring the gap between what characters say and what they intend to communicate.
Which theoretical framework is applied in this study?
The study utilizes Jan Blommaert’s theories on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to interpret the linguistic and social dynamics of the play.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to unveil how the author uses verbal devices to portray the complexities of human communication within a social context.
What scientific methods are employed?
The author performs a qualitative analysis of the play's dialogue and character interactions, specifically focusing on the CDA components of inequality, choice, and determination.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section discusses the social nature of language, the roles of voice and silence, and the way character identities are constructed and contested through discourse.
Which keywords best describe the paper?
Key terms include Harold Pinter, Critical Discourse Analysis, identity, inequality, voice, and social systems.
How does Davies's social status influence his use of language?
Davies, perceiving himself in an inferior position, often misuses words and relies on lying or begging to rebuild his shattered identity and interact with the brothers.
What role does Mick play in the discourse of the play?
Mick utilizes an aggressive "archive" of language to dominate Davies, using interrogation and verbal attacks to maintain his status and power in the household.
How is the concept of "voice" used to control the discourse?
Voice is treated as a social tool that assigns position; Aston, for instance, is more effective than Davies because his shorter, more purposeful speech establishes higher social dominance.
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- Amir Hossein Yasini Visti (Autor:in), 2014, The Incommunicability of Language in Harold Pinter's "The Caretaker", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/384245
