EDWARD ALBEE’S THE SANDBOX: A REFLECTION OF REALISM AND SURREALISM

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

TYAS PURBASARI

Student Number: 034214026

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2007

EDWARD ALBEE’S THE SANDBOX: A REFLECTION OF REALISM AND SURREALISM

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

TYAS PURBASARI

Student Number: 034214026

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2007

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Taruhlah keinginanmu 5 cm,

menggantung di depan keningmu and all you have to do are:

#1 Kaki yang melangkah lebih jauh dari biasanya

#2 Tangan yang berbuat lebih banyak dari biasanya #3 Mata yang menatap lebih lama dari biasanya

#4 Lapisan tekad yang 1000 kali lebih keras dari baja #5 Hati yang bekerja lebih keras dari biasanya

Dan #6 Mulut yang selalu berdoa

(Dirgantara Doni, ‘5 cm’)

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For my beloved Father Jesus Christ

For Maria Sri Sulastri

For the Strict Rules that keep me walking in the line

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to God, finally I could finish this thesis. First of all, I would like to

give my deepest gratitude to my beloved Father, Jesus Christ who has enriched

me in every second of life. He has been there to give me His best smile when I am

lost.

Second, I would like to thank my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka,

M. Hum. who has guided and helped me during this thesis writing process. I

would like you to know that you always enlighten me every time I meet you in the

common room and also thank you very much, Sir, for the book you lent me, it

really helps me. I would like also to thank my co-advisor, Modesta Luluk Artika

Windrasti, S.S. for checking this thesis and giving me her suggestion.

My deepest gratitude also goes to my beloved parents, ‘Babe’ Bondan

Nusantara and ‘Ibu Suri’ Maria Sri Sulastri. Thank you for believing and

supporting me during my study at Sanata Dharma University. Thank you for your

love, prayer, strict rules, and patience that have been given to me mom. I’m sorry

for letting you down sometimes.

Thanks to my big brother Arcaya Manikotama for his future chit-chat, it

really persuades me. My special thanks are for Supri for her grammar lessons,

Widhy for the support, Cindy for the sharing time, and J.K Rowling for the

amazing and stunning books you wrote, it encourages me to finish my thesis

earlier. Thanks also go to all my friends Vallone, Ronald, Yayak, Ella, Renzie

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for the fun time at GembiroLoka Zoo. Thanks to Frida, Ajeng, Mami Hana and

all English Letters students of 2003. Thanks also to Citra, for his support.

I also give my profound thanks to Dwi, Tatho, Karla, and Tetez for the

strong ties of friendship that never ends. My appreciation also goes to all the staff

in English Letters Department and staff in the library, especially to Mas Drajat

for not fining me whenever I am late to return the books.

Finally, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to Yabes Elia Suryanto

for his the four-clock room, magnificent compy, and especially for the sundae-

strawberry time. Thank you for laughing, crying, singing, debating, and,

processing with me. Thanks for always being by my side, though you stink

sometimes☺.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE............................................................................................ i APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ............................................................................ iii MOTTO PAGE......................................................................................... iv DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................... viii ABSTRACT .............................................................................................. x ABSTRAK ................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study ............................................................. 1 B. Problem Formulation ................................................................... 3 C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................ 3 D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................... 3

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ........................................... 5

A. Review of Related Studies........................................................... 5 B. Review of Related Theories......................................................... 7

1. Realism in Literature ………………………......................... 7 2. Surrealism in Literature……………………………………. 9 3. Elements of Drama …............................................................ 11

a. Theory on Character.......................................................... 11 b. Theory on Setting ………………………………………. 13 c. Theory on Stage Direction ……………………………… 14 d. Theory on Plot ………………………………………….. 14 e. Theory on Theme ………………………………………... 17

C. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………… 17 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………. 20

A. Object of the Study....................................................................... 20 B. Approach of the Study................................................................. 23 C. Method of the Study ..................................................................... 24

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ……………………………………………. 27

A. Intrinsic Elements of The Sandbox .............................................. 27 1. Character …………………………………………………… 27

a. MOMMY ………………………………………………. 28 b. DADDY ……………..…………………………………. 31 c. GRANDMA ……………………………………………. 32 d. The YOUNGMAN ……………………………………... 35 e. The MUSICIAN ………………………………………... 37

2. Setting ………………………………………………….…… 37

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3. Stage Direction ………………………………………….. 39 4. Plot………………………………………………………. 41

a. Point of Attack.………………………………………. 41 b. Exposition…………………………………………… 42 c. Rising Action……………………………………….. 43 d. Climax………………………………………………. 44 e. Resolution…………………………………………… 44

5. Theme …………………………………………………… 45 B. Realism in The Sandbox ….………………………………… 46

a. Character ……………………………………….……. 47 b. Setting ……………………………………………….. 50 c. Stage Direction ……………………………………… 50 d. Theme ………………………………………………. 51

C. Surrealism in The Sandbox…………………………………..... 51 a. Character ……………………………………………. 52 b. Setting ………………………………………………. 54 c. Stage Direction………………………………………. 55 d. Theme ………………………………………………. 55

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …........................................................... 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY ….................................................................................. 62 APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………. 65

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ABSTRACT

TYAS PURBASARI. Edward Albee’s The Sandbox: A Reflection of Realism and Surrealism. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.

Drama, as an art expression and communication, gives moral enrichment such as self-consciousness, satisfaction, deeper and broader understanding of life. As time goes by, drama develops its form and tries to expose new ideas of life in experimental way. Among some great numbers of American dramas, the writer chooses Edward Albee’s The Sandbox. Through this play the writer wants to analyze characteristics of the realism and surrealism reflected in the intrinsic elements of the play. Even though realism and surrealism oppose each other in the concept of presentation, it is not impossible to be found in one-act play. Realist tries to present life as it really is while surrealist presents life in irrational and incongruous way.

The problems to be answered in this thesis are: (1) what are the intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox?, (2) how do the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristic of realism?, and (3) how do the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristic of surrealism?

This thesis is a library research. It takes most of the information and references from books. The study applies the philosophical approach since the aim is to find the essence characteristics of realism and surrealism. In finding the characteristics of the play, the writer has to analyze the intrinsic elements such as characters, setting, stage direction, plot, and theme.

Through this study, the writer discovers that the intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox are character, setting, stage direction, plot, and theme. The first intrinsic element is character. The characters in this play besides reflect a picture of American people in twentieth century; they also have a double casting, as a character and a back stage crew. There is a dislocation of the setting since the property and the setting are altered by the character. The ‘bare stage’ stage direction reflects an open invitation to the audience to explore their mind in imagining the stage. The theme of this play is the gap between two generations creates misunderstanding idea about death. Death in this play is not presented in dark, sad, and frightening way but it is presented in incongruous way by using object like sandbox, beach, musician, and handsome Angel of Death.

The general conclusion drawn from this study is that though The Sandbox reveals most of the surrealism’s characteristic but there still realism characteristic reflected by intrinsic elements of in this play. The play is no longer a depiction of life presented on stage but rather a rehearsal of play presented on stage where a stage manager, director, and music arranger perform on stage rather than on back stage. The function of using realism and surrealism characteristic is to give audience a better understanding in viewing life, deeper than their senses.

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ABSTRAK

TYAS PURBASARI. Edward Albee’s The Sandbox: A Reflection of Realism and Surrealism. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.

Drama sebagai ungkapan seni and komunikasi dapat memberikan pesan moral. Misalnya, mengungkapkan kesadaran diri, kepuasan, dan pemahaman yang mendalam mengenai nilai-nilai kehidupan. Drama kemudian mengembangkan format dan berusaha mengemukakan ide-ide baru dengan cara yang eksperimental. Dari sekian banyak drama Amerika, penulis memilih drama karya Edward Albee yang berjudul The Sandbox. Melalui karya ini, penulis ingin menganalisa karakteristik realisme dan surrealisme berdasarkan unsur-unsur intrinsic yang terdapat di drama ini. sekalipun realisme dan surrealisme saling bertolak belakang tetapi bukanlah tidak mungkin untuk menemukannya dalam drama satu babak. Realis berusaha memaparkan gambaran senyata-nyatanya tentang kehidupan sedangkan surrealis berusaha memaparkan kehidupan secara tidak logis dan tidak lazim.

Permasalahan-permasalahan yang harus dijawab di studi ini adalah: (1) apa saja kah unsur-unsur intrinsik yang ditemukan di The Sandbox?, (2) bagaimana cara unsur-unsur intrinsik tersebut mengungkapkan karakteristik realisme?, dan (3) bagaimana cara unsur-unsur intrinsik tersebut mengungkapkan karakteristik surrealisme?

Studi ini merupakan studi pustaka, artinya mayoritas informasi dan referensi bersumber pada buku. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan filsafat karena tujuan utama dari studi ini adalah menemukan intisari karakteristik-karakteristik realisme dan surrealisme. Dalam mencari karakteristik- karakteristiknya, penulis harus menganalisa unsur-unsur intrinsik seperti tokoh, setting, petunjuk laku, alur, dan temanya.

Melalui studi ini, penulis menemukan bahwa unsur-unsur intrinsic elemen yang ditemukan di The Sandbox adalah karakter, setting, petunjuk laku, plot, dan tema. Ternyata hampir semua unsur-unsur intrinsik dalam The Sandbox ini menggambarkan karakteristik realisme dan surrealisme. Unsur intrinsik yang pertama adalah tokoh. Tokoh-tokoh di drama ini selain merupakan gambaran masyarakat Amerika abad dua puluh, mereka juga mempunyai peran ganda, yaitu sebagai seorang tokoh dan juga sebagai orang di belakang layar. Terdapat juga ketidaksinambungan setting karena property dan setting yang ada di panggung dapat di putar-balikkan oleh tokoh. ‘Panggung kosong’ di penunjuk laku mengundang penonton untuk membayangkan gambaran panggung tersebut. Tema dari drama ini adalah kesenjangan antara dua generasi yang akhirnya menimbulkan kesalahpahaman penafsiran akan kematian. Kematian di drama ini tidak digambarkan dengan berbagai hal yang tidak sinergi dengan menggunakan obyek-obyek seperti kotak pasir, pantai, pemain musik, dan malaikat kematian yang tampan.

Kesimpulan dari analisa ini adalah meskipun The Sandbox lebih merefleksikan karakteristik drama surrealisme tetapi masih terdapat jejak-jejak

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realisme di drama ini. Sebuah drama tidak lagi merupakan sebuah kehidupan yang dipentaskan di atas panggung tapi lebih kepada sebuah latihan yang dipentaskan di atas panggung karena sutradara, penata panggung, dan penata musik ikut bermain di atas panggung. Fungsi dari penggunaan unsur realisme dan surrealisme adalah memberikan penonton pemahaman yang lebih baik dalam memandang kehidupan, lebih dalam dari apa yang ditangkap oleh indera mereka.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

As one of the products of literature, drama reveals many aspects of human

life, since drama communicates the experience that people have in the course of

daily life. Drama, as an art expression and communication, gives moral

enrichment such as self-consciousness, satisfaction, deeper and broader

understanding of life.

As time goes by, drama develops its form and tries to expose new ideas.

David Thompson’s in Theatre Today (1969: vii) says, “Drama has its

experimental or avant-garde side, and all experiment in the arts, precisely because

it tries to express something new.” It means that drama can reflects human life in

experimental way. Playwrights may give their judgment or opinion to the object

of their observation as their contribution in showing the fact and revealing human

problems.

Among the great number of American dramas, the writer has chosen to

discuss Edward Albee’s play The Sandbox. The reason why the writer chooses

this play is because the writer feels curious about this play because it carries

unstated points to convey. Points here mean characteristics of realistic and

surrealistic play. The characters in this play are unique especially because of the

double casting and also the setting, which can be altered by the character. Ronald

Hayman (1971: 20) states in his book Contemporary Playwrights Edward Albee

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that The sandbox represents Albee’s most extreme departure from realism.

Starting from this point, the writer wants to analyze The Sandbox.

Edward Albee is an American dramatist, born in March 12, 1928, in

Washington. He has published more than twenty five plays including The Zoo

Story, The Sandbox, The American Dream, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

His works are considered crafty and often unsympathetic examinations of the

modern condition. His early works reflect a mastery and American absurdist that

found its peak in works by European playwrights such as Jean Genet, Samuel

Beckett, and Eugene Ionesco (Wager, 1967: 23).

When first reading the play, the writer was already excited since this is a

very short play that reveals new ideas in performing the play. Reading Albee’s

work makes the writer wonders about the meaning of his writing and what may be

revealed from his writing.

The topic that the writer selects is Edward Albee’s The Sandbox: A

Reflection of Realism and Surrealism. Though realism and surrealism are two

things that oppose each other, these two opposing things are found in one-act play.

It is a very interesting phenomenon since realism and surrealism are two things

that contradict each other. They bring their distinctive idealism. Realism refers to

reality or condition as it really is while surrealism refers on the representation of

unconscious processes, the irrational, and combination of absurd following logic

of free association. The stage direction, setting, theme, and what the characters do

in this play are unique. In the writer’s opinion, Albee is trying to tell something to

the audience as we know that his works usually reveal many noteworthy symbols.

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Hence, this fact challenged the writer to study and skim out the intrinsic

elements of the play that reveals the characteristic of realism and surrealism. In

this thesis, the writer wants to find out the answer of the formulated problems.

The purpose is to point out the significance of a literary work, in this case is a play,

so that it could enrich our knowledge and be beneficial to the writer’s life in

finding the meaning of life itself.

B. Problem Formulation

1. What are the intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox?

2. How do the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristics of realism?

3. How do the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristic of surrealism?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to find out the answer of the formulated

problems. Considering those three problems, firstly, the writer wants to reveal the

intrinsic elements of character, setting, stage direction, plot, and theme found in

The Sandbox. Secondly, the writer wants to convey in what way the intrinsic

elements reflect the characteristic of realism. The last, the writer wants to convey

in what way the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristic surrealism.

D. Definition of Terms

There are two terms to be defined in this part to avoid misunderstanding.

The first is Realism. It is the movement occurred in 19th C to oppose idealism and

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romanticism. According to Abrams, realism is a way of thought, and the main

idea is to represent life as it really is (1971: 174). The main concept of realism

itself is to “give a comprehensive picture of modern life” by presenting many

aspects of life (Elliot, 1988: 502). If it is applied in drama it means that all the

elements of drama such as setting, characters, stage directions, decorations,

lighting, etc must be presented as real as it should be. In short, realism drama tries

to capture every single movement, phenomenon and picture of real life as it really

is.

The second term is Surrealism. If realism focused on conscious imagery,

surrealism focuses on the representation of unconscious processes, the irrational,

and bizarre juxtaposition of seemingly incongruous following logic of free

association (Robert Harris, A Glossary of Literary

Terms, http://www.virtualsalt.com). According to Styan in Modern Drama Theory

and Practice vol.2 (1992: 52), surrealist tries to bring some order and reason into

their idiom performance which means to perform what is considered as the reality

and what is important about it. Surrealism uses elements of surprise, the

involuntary, and the unconscious. It wants to arrange the derangement of the

senses. The key word to sum up surrealism, according to Andre Breton, is

freedom (2001: 488-490). Surrealist precisely emphasizes the freedom of mind.

Mind is free to explore and invent something new.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

The writer puts the review because she wants to give a clear picture if the

play is performed. A review by Justin Olynyk on www.newwinnipeg.com

Monday, January 26, 2004 said that The Sandbox, Edward Albee's short 12-

minute play, is about misguided values and how our society treats the elderly.

According to Olynyk, The Sandbox is one of Albee's earliest plays and it is

awkward in a couple of spots, especially where the cast unnecessarily asks for

lights. The characters should have been contained in their own world and breaking

the illusion of theatre didn't add anything to the play.

It is said that the characters in this play are very unique: Mommy and

Daddy are middle-aged couples who bring Mommy's eighty six year old Grandma

to the beach to die. In fact, they dump her in the sandbox while they suntan and

drink martinis. Grandma is naturally angry at this treatment, plus the way Mommy

and Daddy have treated her for years while they pursue their riches. Mommy

harshly tells Grandma to "stop it" and tells Daddy "don't look at her." In fact,

Mommy and Daddy smile when Grandma dies.

Olynyk states that the interesting thing about this production is that

Grandma does not look - or act - like an eighty six year old; she looks like she's

half her stated age, and she shovels sand with the strength of a young child.

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Obviously, the implied message is that Grandma still has a lot of life in her, but

the young people want her to die so they can move on with their lives.

A lot of critics consider Albee as a leading dramatist and successor to

American playwrights, such as Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neil. Albee is

also considered having influenced by European playwrights like Samuel Beckett

and Harold Pinter. It is demonstrated in his ability to make a direct connection

with the disaffected and deprived, as what has been stated by Joshua Jacobson in

Julliard online Journal. (http://www.julliard.edu/update/jornal 10/18/04 10:34

AM).

Albee has said that The Sandbox is his favorite play.

Sandbox is a perfect play. Fortunately it’s short enough so that I can’t make any mistakes in it. It’s…a very good play…a damn good play. It’s a good fourteen minutes (Walter Wager, The Playwrights Speak. 1967: 160). In this research, the writer agrees with the opinion of Justin Olynyk that

The Sandbox is about misguided values and how nowadays society especially

treats elder people. It is true that this play is very unique in its packaging. For

example are the characters, Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, the Youngman, and the

Musician who are very varying in the qualities of personality and roles. However,

the setting and the stage direction imply an unusual vision than the other plays do

since the setting and the stage directions, which was seen by audience as a

backyard of someone’s house, are being opposed by MOMMY’s dialogue “here

we are in the beach.” What the writer can figure out after read it several times is

that the play is, indeed, criticizing American life especially how American people

treats elderly. However, as a student of English Letters Department, the writer

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should find something mentioned on the text itself without precisely being out

from the text. Starting from this point, then the writer exposes the topic on

reflection of realism and surrealism found in The Sandbox.

B. Review on Related Theories

To support this research, the writer uses some theories. Those theories are:

realism in literature, surrealism in literature, and theory of elements of drama such

as characters, setting, stage directions, plot, and theme.

The theory of realism and surrealism in literature help the writer to

understand the typical realistic and surrealistic writing. Realistic and surrealistic

fiction has its own characteristic and style. The writer needs to know them in

order to analyze the play. Moreover, the writer would like to find out the theory

of character, setting, stage directions, plot, and the theme of the play.

1. Realism in Literature

The term realism comes out particularly in medieval thought. The term

was used to oppose idealism and romanticism. In modern philosophy it is

primarily an attitude toward knowledge. Realism is used to view that material

objects exist eternally to us and independently for our sense experience. Realism

believes the ideas in the mind represent real objects. (Edward, 1967: 77)

Realism defends the independence of knowing things. The content of

knowledge that lies in or before the mind where knowledge takes place is

numerically identical with the things known (Daume & Watson, 1977: 535).

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According to the realist, something cannot be beautified or pictured worse than

the reality. The realist has to see it objectively and report it accurately.

Based on McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama 5, 2nd Edition

(1972: 249-250), realism is the mode in drama that attempts to place on the stage

a convincing replica of real-life situations and engage its audience by creating an

allusion of reality. The Playwright’s aim is to replace the superhuman heroes of

the romantic melodrama with ordinary, recognizable characters.

Realists attempt to “give a comprehensive picture of modern life” (Elliott,

1988: 502) by presenting many aspects of life. They do not try to give one view of

life but instead attempt to show the different classes, manners, and stratification of

life in America. Realists create this picture of America by combining a wide

variety of “details derived from observation and documentation” to “approach the

norm of experience” (Elliot, 1988: 503). Along with this technique, realists

compared the “objective or absolute existence” in America to that of the

“universal truths, or observed facts of life” (Hart: 1995). In other words, realists

objectively look at American society and point out the aspects that have in

common with the general truths of existence. According to Abrams (1994: 174),

realist is a way of thought and the main idea is to represent life as it really is.

The characteristic of realist drama according to Hendrik Ibsen (1979: 541)

deals with it tenets of new writing of a stage. First: the new subject deals with

corrupt business, social repression, exploitation, conditioned mores, neurotic

behaviors, and outdated beliefs. Second, the new subject spawns a new kind of

tragedy and tragic hero. Modern tragedy engages heredity, i.e. the past in the

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present while the environment, i.e. the present as shapers of conflict, choice, and

destiny. In realist drama, the text or dialogue expresses everyday conversation.

And the text’s signs and symbols are taken directly from the play environment. In

short, realism drama tries to capture every single movement, phenomenon and

picture of real life as it really is.

2. Surrealism in Literature

According to Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature page 1080,

the word sur- above + realism- realism, it means the principles, ideas, or practice

of producing fantastic/incongruous imagery in art or literature by means of

unnatural juxtapositions and combination. It is a reaction against rationalism that

had guided European culture and politics in the past and that had culminated in

the horrors of World War I. It was flourished in the 1920s and 1930s; principally

in Europe is surrealist drama.

In McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama 5, 2nd Edition (1972: 257)

it is mentioned that surrealist drama defines the form as “pure physic automatism”,

by which is intended to express, verbally, in writing, or by other means, the real

process of thought. Surrealism draws upon the subconscious mind and dreamlike

physic states so that the viewer could look upon some inner site of the mind.

J.L. Styan in Modern Drama Theory and Practice vol.2 (1992: 52) defines

the connection between surrealism and the stages are uncertain, illogic, static, and

can play no final part. The surrealist plays are made up many quick scenes and

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they try to bring some order and reason into their idiom performance which means

to perform what is considered as the reality and what is important about it.

The surrealist movement was short-lived, although it did contribute toward

the general trend away from realism. In Glossary of Literary Terms (1971: 205-

206) Abram defines the influence of surrealism innovations can be found in many

modern writers of prose and verse who have broken the conventional modes of

artistic organization to experiment with free association, a broken syntax, non-

logical and non-chronological order, dreamlike and nightmarish sequences, and

juxtaposition of bizarre, shocking, or seemingly unrelated images. In drama,

familiar characters are placed in unusual surrounding or in unrelated scenes which

are juxtaposed.

According to A Glossary of Literary Terms, surrealism is a movement in

art that emphasizes imaginative expression as realization in dreams and is

presented without conscious control. Its focus is on the representation of

unconscious processes, the irrational, and bizarre juxtaposition of seemingly

incongruous images following logic of free association.

<http://www.virtualsalt.com>

Andre Breton in Surrealist Manifesto (2001: 488-490) states that

surrealism is a combination of romanticism and Freudian theory about dreams.

According to Freud theory, fantasy that is out of control and association represent

the realist side from everyday life. That is why the characters in surrealist drama

always try to give a picture of a dream but the interpretation is left open toward

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the audience and the reader. The key word to sum up surrealism according to

Breton is freedom.

In short surrealist was a means of reuniting conscious and unconscious

realm of experience so completely that the world of dreams and fantasy would be

joined to the everyday rational world in an ‘absolute reality, a surrealist.’

Surrealism uses elements of surprise, the involuntary, and the unconscious. It is

more purposeful and it wants to arrange the derangement of the senses.

3. Elements of Drama

Drama is an old-age form of shared experience. Through centuries

audiences have watched live actors act out events on a stage. Talking about drama

means talking about intrinsic elements of drama such as character, setting, stage

direction, plot, and theme.

a. Character

Character is one of the most important elements of a play. Usually the

strength of a play depends on how the characters are presented. Characters has

two meanings: (1) a figure of literary work, and (2) personality, that is the mental

and the moral qualities of the figure, as when we may say that X’s character is

strong, or weak, or immoral, or whatever. (Barnet, Berman, and Burto, 1988: 71).

In Glossary of Literary Terms (1971: 20-21), Abram defines character as

the person presented by the author as being endowed with moral and disposition

qualities that can be evaluated from the dialogue and the action.

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In the book entitled Approach to Literature, Little gives explanation of

how to study a character. According to him, a character can be studied from: first,

his or her basic characteristics. This can be seen from:

i. The physical condition of the characters, including his or her age.

ii. The social relationship, which mean the personal relationship with other

characters or wider social relationship, such as social class and occupation.

iii. The mental qualities, this is typical ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Second, from his or her appearance from various points of view. This includes:

i. How the character sees himself or herself

ii. How other characters see him or her

iii. How he or she develops or fails to develop during the course of the story

Third, is from his or her place in the work. It means:

i. The treatment of the author (sketched of fully rounded portrayed

descriptively or dramatically treatment sympatically or unsympathetically)

ii. His or her place in the story (leading character or a minor one)

iii. His or her relation to the theme. For example; whether the character

embodies something important that the author has to say.

Holman and Harman define characters as the creation of imaginary person.

Although they are only imaginative characters, the characters must be real. Real

here means that the reader must accept them as believable person who have the

same characteristic as people in real life. The characters in a story should be

created and attributed by the feature of lifelikeness in order to be accepted as an

‘imitation’ of human being.

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In order to be believable or convincing, the characterization must observe

at least 3 principles. (Perrine, 1969: 69). Firstly, the character must be consistent

in their behavior. They must have strong and appropriate reason if they are change.

In other words, a character may remain stable or unchanged or she/he may

undergo a radical change in her/his outlook and deposition from the beginning to

the end of the story, but she/he must be consistent with her/his behavior traits.

b. Theory on Setting

Setting is an important intrinsic element. It is always to the way a piece of

literature work affects the readers and, thus, it is important element to be consider

in reading. Based on The Literary Heritage by Hans P Guth, setting is the time

and the place of the events of the play. (1981:729). Setting sometimes helps shape

the characters and the event. Setting is also used to enrich the meaning of the story.

In a limited sense, setting refers to “the general locale and historical time”

(Abrams 1971:175). In a large sense, setting refers to “the social circumstances in

which the action occurs” (Abrams 1971:175). It takes the social or environment in

which the characters live.

Based on A Glossary of Literary Terms by Robert Harris, the setting

includes time period, the place, the historical milieu, as well as the social, political,

and perhaps even spiritual realities. The setting is usually established primarily

through description, though narration is used also. <http://www.virtualsalt.com>.

There is also a close relationship between the setting and the central idea

of the story. Setting might influence the action and the characters as Murphy

14

wrote “setting of the novel has a great effect upon the personalities, actions, and

the way of thinking of the characters” (1972:41).

c. Theory of Stage Direction

In The Literary Heritage (1981: 738) Hans identifies that stage direction is

used to give detail instructions about scenery. The scenery sometimes re-creates a

place with realistic details to make it look likes an actual room, street or

everything that pictures where the action takes place. Sometimes the stage is

almost bare, with many details of setting left vague. The stage direction is used to

describe the appearance and the use of important objects, or called prop (read:

property). Properties play an important role in the events: a painting, a vase, a

pistol, a bunch of flower, etc. often, the stage directions give many details

instruction for the entrance and exit of the actors. There may be much guidance as

to the actors’ use of gestures, which are an important part of the language of the

theatre.

d. Plot

A plot is another intrinsic element which directly influences the character

in the play. According to Abrams (1971: 159), plot is constituted by events and

actions which directly order the achieving of particular emotional and artistic

effects. He also suggests that plot is a bare synopsis of the temporal order of what

happens in a literary work.

The plot must have some sort of unity and clarity by setting up a pattern

by which each action initiates the next rather than stands alone without connection

to what came before it or what follows. In the plot of a play, characters are

15

involved in conflict that has a pattern of movement. The action and movement in

the play begin from the initial entanglement, through rising action, climax, and

falling action to resolution.

In other word plot means an arrangement of events. According

to http://drama.eserver.org/plays/ there are five elements of plot. The first is point

of attack, this is the moment of the play at which the main action of the plot

begins. This may occur in the first scene, or it may occur after several scenes of

exposition. The point of attack is the main action by which all others will arise. It

is the point at which the main complication is introduced. Point of attack can

sometimes work hand in hand with a play’s inciting incident, which is the first

incident leads to the rising action of the play. Sometimes the inciting incident is

an event that occurs somewhere in the character’s past and is revealed to the

audience through exposition.

The second is exposition. Exposition is at which important information is

needed in order to follow the main story line of the play. It is the aspects of the

story that the audience may hear what he or she is not witnessed in actual scenes.

It covers the past actions of the characters before the play’s opening scenes

progress.

The third element is rising action. Rising action is the section of the plot

begins with the point of attack and/or inciting incident and proceeds forward to

the crisis onto the climax. The action of the play will rise as it sets up a situation

of increasing intensity and anticipation. This scene creates the body of the play

and usually creates a sense of continuous mounting suspense in the audience.

16

The next element is climax/crisis. All of the earlier scenes and actions in a

play will build technically to the highest level of dramatic intensity. This section

generally refers to the climax. This is the moment where the major dramatic

questions rise to the highest level, the mystery hits the unraveling point, and the

culprits are revealed. This should be the highest level of dramatic intensity in the

action of the play. In this level, the whole actions of the play generally lead up to

this moment.

Resolution/Obligatory scene is the last element of the plot. Resolution is

the moment in which the conflicts are resolved. It is the solution to the conflict in

the play, the answer of the mystery, and the clearing up of the final details. This is

the scene that answers the questions raised earlier in the play. In this scene the

methods and motives are revealed to the audience.

According to www.cocc.edu/lisal/literaryterms/elementsofliterature.htm

plot is divided in two categories. The first is climatic structure. The plot begins

late in story, closer to the very end or climax. It covers a short space of time,

perhaps a few hours, or at most a few days. This plot contains a few solid,

extended scenes, such as three acts with each act comprising one long scene. It

only occurs in a restricted locale, one room or one house. And also the number of

characters is severely limited, usually not more than six or eight. The

plot is linear and moves in a single line with few subplots or counter plots only. In

this plot, the line of action proceeds in a cause and effect chain. The characters

and events are closely linked in a sequence of logical, almost inevitable

development.

17

The second plot structure is episodic structure. Here the plot begins

relatively early in the story and moves through a series of episodes. It

covers a longer period of time: weeks, months, and sometimes years. There are

many short, fragmented scenes; sometimes an alternation of short and long scenes.

It may range over an entire city or even several countries. There are also loads of

characters, sometimes several dozen. Frequently, this plot is marked by several

threads of action, such as two parallel plots, or scenes of comic relief in a serous

play. The scenes are juxtaposed tone to one another. An event may result from

several causes, or no apparent cause, but arises in a network or web of

circumstances.

e. Theme

Theme is the main idea within the play. According to Appendix H:

Elements of Drama - A Brief Introduction by Paul Ruben (2005), theme must be

expressible in the form of a statement. He defines theme as a central and unifying

concept of the story. It must adhere to the following requirements: first, it must

account for all the major details of the story. Second, it must not be contradicted

by any detail of the story. And the last, it must not rely on supposed facts since

facts are sometimes not clearly stated or implied in the story.

C. Theoretical Framework

The theories that are provided in the previous sub-chapter will

approximately cover all aspects of the discussion. Concerning the problem of this

18

analysis, the writer will apply the theories provided by selecting the necessity of

the theories needed.

The first problem of this analysis will mainly analyze the intrinsic

elements found in The Sandbox. The second problem is to find out in what way

the intrinsic elements reflect the characteristic of realism. The third problem is to

find out in what way the intrinsic elements reflect characteristic of surrealism.

In finding the intrinsic elements and relating the intrinsic elements with

the characteristic of realism and surrealism the writer uses three theories. The first

theory is the theory of realism in literature. This theory is relevant with this study

since this study is asking about the existence of realism seen in this play, as

realism is one of literary works mode. That is why the writer uses this theory in

order to understand the work.

Second theory is the theory of surrealism in literature. The first and the

second theory are significant since the writer wants to find the aspects of realism

and surrealism stated in the play.

The next theory is theory of elements of drama. Since the writer’s problem

formulations are asking the intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox, the theory of

elements of drama are also important. There are theory of character, theory of

setting, theory of stage direction, theory of plot, and theory of theme. These

elements are the intrinsic elements which are going to be analyzed by the writer.

After the writer understands the characteristic of realism and surrealism,

the theory of characters, setting, stage directions, plot, and theory of theme the

writer then would seek how those characteristic appears through the elements of

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the play such as characters, setting, stage directions, plot, and theme. If after

analyzing the play there is some elements which do not represent the

characteristic of realism and surrealism, the writer will not discuss that further.

After finding the prominent intrinsic elements, the writer can conclude whether

those elements would be categorized as realistic or surrealistic.

CHAPTER III

METHODHOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

This play, The Sandbox, is written by Edward Albee, an American

playwright, in 1959. The play was first published by Longmans, Green & Co Ltd

in 1965. This one act play is published together with eight other plays in a book

titled Theatre Today edited by David Thompson, and only consists of nine pages

of The Sandbox and 190 pages of other plays. The book also added with some

description about Edward Albee and some critics on his play.

The Sandbox is a sort of simple but meaningful play by Edward Albee

which is biting satire on America family life called The American Dream. There

are five characters in the play: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, the Young man, and

The Musician. The play begins with the entering of Mommy and Daddy. Mommy

says where they are. The Young man does his calisthenics. Then, not for long,

The Musician enters, seats himself in the chair which is placed in the left stage

and ready to play when Mommy nods to him. When The Musician begins to play,

Mommy and Daddy exit, then not for long they re-enter, carry Grandma. She is

borne in their hands under her armpits. She looks very rigid, puzzled and scared.

Mommy and Daddy put Grandma in the sandbox; they are more like dump her in.

Grandma voices are voices between baby’s laugh and cry. Grandma begins to tell

audience, she complains about their treatment. Then she realizes that there is a

Young man does calisthenics, he is the Angle of Death. Grandma and the Young

20

21

man have a chat, she tells him about her past that her husband dies when she is

thirty. Then the lights dim, the night comes out, The Musician still plays music.

Not for long, there is an off-stage rumble. Mommy understands what the meaning

of off-stage rumble is. It means that the time for Grandma has come. Again the

off-stage rumble comes again, louder than before, all the lights go out, saves the

spot on the Young man while The Musician stops playing. Grandma then says

“don’t put the lights up yet…I’m not ready; I’m not quite ready. (Silence) All

right, dear…I’m about done.” Then, the lights come up again, to brightest day (it

indicates that it is daylight, next day). The Musician begins to play, while

Grandma is discovered, still in the sandbox, propped up on an elbow, and half

covered by the sand. When Mommy and Daddy come to the sandbox want to see

her, she plays dead. “Lovely! It’s…it’s hard to be sad…she looks …so happy. …

Well daddy…off we go” says Mommy, then they exit. After they exit, Grandma

tries to sit up but she can’t. Seeing that, the Young man stops his calisthenics and

walks over to Grandma. The Young man confesses that he is the Angel of Death.

Hearing that, Grandma looks neither surprised nor frightened. Indeed, she feels

composure and faces the Death with a smile. She deals death so sweetly by saying

“You’re …you’re welcome…dear.”

Mommy is the leader of the family. Daddy is the dumb husband who is

afraid of his wife. Grandma is old, powerless, and still wants to live but

unfortunately Mommy and Daddy do not think the same thing. That is why

Mommy prepares a perfect plan for Grandma to spend her remaining days. The

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interesting thing about the characters is that Mommy and Grandma sometimes

talk to the backstage man when they are on stage.

The scene is realistic setting, the backyard of a house belonging to a

musician who has a small child, since there is a large child’s sandbox with toy pail

and shovel. The sky cloth background is used symbolically, darkening slowly

from brightest day to darkest night. However, the first dialogue would revise

reader’s impression where the setting takes place when Mommy says “Well, here

we are in the beach.” It means Mommy has the authority to decide the setting.

The stage direction of the play states that the scene is ‘bare stage.’ The

stage direction states that The Young man stands upstage of the child’s sandbox

does calisthenics with his arm. It is stated that the calisthenics should suggest the

beating and fluttering of wings. The Youngman is, after all, the Angel of Death.

The main conflict is occurred between Mommy and Grandma. It is about

misunderstanding in interpreting death correctly. Mommy thinks that by preparing

a perfect plan for Grandma to spend her remaining days, she already did her duty

as a good daughter. On the other hand, Grandma who still wants to live thinks that

her daughter wants to get rid of her soon so that she could move on their life. On

the other hand, The Musician sees death as a job and The Young Man see death as

a duty. The conflict is actually the theme of the play. It is the gap between two

generations which creates misunderstanding in handling situation.

The play itself is about misguided values and how nowadays society

especially treats elder people. This play is very unique in its packaging especially

23

characters, who are very varying in the qualities of personality and roles, and the

setting and stage direction which are unusual from traditional play.

The play was performed on May 16, 1960 at the Jazz Gallery, New York,

directed by Lawrence Arrick with Jane Hoffman and Sudie Bond. Most of

Albee’s works are concerning the criticism on America nowadays society and all

of its respects. It is stated in the online journal of SMU Meadows School of the

Arts posted in May 1, 2004

“Today, Albee’s plays from a body of work that has been called unique, uncompromising, controversial, elliptical and provocative. Albee describes his works as an examination of the American Scene, an attack on the substitution of artificial for real values in our society, an condemnation of complacency, cruelty, and emasculation and vacuity, a stand against the fiction that everything in this slipping land of ours is peachy-keen.” (http://www.smu.edu/newsinfo/release/m2049.html 10/11/04 03:30:54 AM)

B. The Approach

The writer uses philosophical approach to find the idea of the play itself.

Philosophical approach provides the reader the correct interpretation formula of

text using the intrinsic nature or quality of something, especially something

abstract, which determines its character of the text itself.

Guerin (1979:29) in A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature says

that the largest function of literature is to teach morality and to probe

philosophical issues. From that definition, it means that literature not only teaches

morality but also explores philosophical issues by considering that the literary text

should be interpreted within a context of philosophical thought of a period or

certain group.

24

In order to find the essence of realism and surrealism, the writer will

employ the philosophical approach. By using this approach the writer will concern

about the work itself. Since philosophical approach deals with the process or an

active relation with reality, it can be applied to analyze The Sandbox, which is

supposed to be the work of realism and surrealism. Therefore, the writer is

focusing only on the intrinsic elements of the work itself. The writer will relate

the intrinsic elements to the characteristic of realism and surrealism.

C. Method of the Study

The study of this thesis is a library research. It means the writer takes most

information and references from the books. Two sources were used to support this

thesis, primary source and secondary source. The primary source of the study is

The Sandbox written by Edward Albee in David Thompson’s Theatre of today.

The secondary sources are the sources that were closely related to the topic

analyzed, including books, essays, and selected criticism on the play and also

several references on biography of author, and many other related sources on the

study. Those secondary sources were used to help to strengthen this thesis.

There are several steps that are taken in this research. First, the writer

should read the play in order to have a better understanding about the play. It was

necessary to read the play several times considering the play was rather confusing.

The writer used the text as the primary source of the analysis to find the

characteristic of realism and surrealism.

25

Second, the writer had to make an objective and reasonable analysis on the

work. It means the writer should understand the whole context of the work and

also the entire elements that are exist in it (Burton, 1977: 18-19). The writer

focused on the intrinsic elements of the play and then relates the aspects of The

Sandbox to the characteristic of realism and surrealism.

The writer tried to analyze the play by using philosophical approach to

find the idea of the play itself since philosophical approach provides the correct

interpretation of text using the intrinsic nature or quality of something, especially

something abstract, which determines its character of the text itself. This approach

is explication or closed reading. It means the basic principles of this approach is

verbal, the entire primary source is taken from the work itself. Then the writer

made a summary and took notes of the points that the writer wanted to discuss

such as the intrinsic elements of the play. The writer also tried to find the relation

between the intrinsic elements of the play and then relate it to the characteristics

of realism and surrealism.

The first step in analyzing the play was identifying the character of

Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, the Young man, and the Musician. Their characters

were revealed by finding the conversation between the characters. Started from

here, the writer could find some important role and personality of each character.

After identifying the characters, the writer tried to find out the setting and the

stage direction mentioned in the play. The setting and the stage direction

explained the situation and the property used in the play. Plot is also important

since it was influencing the character and the theme of the play. Considering that,

26

the writer analyzed the plot. And the last, the writer analyzed the theme of the

play. Theme is the main idea what the play is about so it was important to analyze

the theme of the play. Once analyzing the intrinsic elements, the writer tried to

relate it to the characteristic of realism and surrealism.

The final step was drawing conclusion. Burton stated in his book The

Criticism of Prose that the conclusion made by drawing it from the analysis and

combined with the writer’s objective analysis and subjective response, and finally

the writer would find the result as the conclusion (1977: 19).

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

The analysis is divided into three main parts. It is particularly due to the

number of questions in the problem formulation mentioned in chapter I. The first

part focuses on the intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox. The second part

focuses on the idea of realism through the specific details based on the analysis of

the intrinsic elements. The third part focuses on the idea of surrealism based on

the analysis of the intrinsic elements.

A. Intrinsic Elements of The Sandbox

There are, at least, five intrinsic elements that can be discussed in this

chapter. However, since this study focuses on revealing the idea of realism and

surrealism in The Sandbox, this chapter will discuss only the intrinsic elements

which support this study.

1. Character

A character is one of the most important elements of a play. Usually the

strength of a play depends on how the characters are presented. There are 5

characters in this play, i.e. MOMMY, DADDY, GRANDMA, the YOUNG MAN,

and the MUSICIAN. According to Albee, these names are empty of affection and

state the pre-senility and vacuity of their characters. Among five characters there

are only four speaking characters except the MUSICIAN. However, the writer

will analyze the character of MOMMY, GRANDMA, DADDY, the YOUNG

MAN, and the MUSICIAN.

27

28

a. MOMMY

MOMMY is fifty-five years old. After she gets married with DADDY she

gains the high social status. This is shown through her description as a well-

dressed and imposing woman. Formerly, she comes from lower social class. She

is a daughter of a farmer. She becomes rich because she gets married to Daddy.

Here is the dialogue of GRANDMA that indicates MOMMY’s previous class

status.

GRANDMA. (to the audience again, shrugs) Anyhow, I had raise…that over there all by my lonesome; and what’s next to her there…that’s what she married. Rich? I tell you…money, money, money. They took me off the farm…which was real decent of them…and they moved me into the big house with them…fixed a nice place for me under the stove…gave me an army blanket…and my own dish…my very own dish! So, what have I got to complain about? Nothing, of course. I’m not complaining (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

MOMMY is a superior character. She wants everybody to obey everything

she says. She dominates every decision in the family. She has a quality to be a

ruler in the family. She is the leader of the family. She likes to give order

especially toward DADDY. She treats DADDY like a child, tells him that it is a

‘warm and toast’ day.

DADDY. (whining). I’m cold. MOMMY. (dismissing him with a little laugh). Don’t be silly; it’s as warm as toast. Look at that nice young man over there: he doesn’t think it’s cold. (Waves to the Young Man). Hi! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 170).

This is similar to a situation when a mother tries to tell her child to obey mother

order. By saying “don’t be silly; it’s as warm as toast” mother wants DADDY,

‘her child’, to obey what she has ordered DADDY to do so.

29

MOMMY likes DADDY to listen to her order. The evidence is shown

when Grandma gets angry and throws sand at MOMMY.

GRANDMA. GRAAAAAA! MOMMY. Don’t look at her. Just… sit here…be very still…and wait. (To

the Musician) You… uh… you go ahead and do whatever it is do (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173).

She is the one who makes the decision to put GRANDMA in the

"sandbox" in the remaining hours of GRANDMA’s life. This decision reflects

how she actually wants to prepare a perfect place for her mother to die, which is

in the sandbox, since she thinks that GRANDMA is in her second childhood. She

thinks that by doing a good arrangement, laying some soothing music, and waiting

patiently, she has done her duty as a daughter.

MOMMY. (looking about): This will do perfectly…don’t you think so, Daddy? There’s sand there…and the water beyond. What do you think, Daddy? (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 170).

--- DADDY. Where do we put her? MOMMY. (the same little laugh). Wherever I say, of course. Let me

see…well…all right, over there…in the sandbox. (Pause). Well, what are you waiting for Daddy? ... The sandbox. (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 171).

According to GRANDMA, MOMMY is a disobedient daughter and

GRANDMA feels sorry that she has raised her, especially because of the way

MOMMY treats her.

GRANDMA. Ah-haaaaaa! Graaaaaa! (Looks for reaction; gets none. Now…directly to the audience.) Honestly! What a way to treat old woman! Drag her out of the house…stick her in a car…bring her out here from the city…dump her in a pile of sand…and leave her here to set (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173).

------ GRANDMA. (after a pause, a mild double-take, continues, to the

audience). My husband died when I was thirty (indicates Mommy), and I had to raise that big cow over there all by lonesome. You can

30

imagine what that was like. Lordly! (Albee in Thompson, 1965:173)

From the dialogue above, it can be said that GRANDMA is quite angry toward

MOMMY because MOMMY no longer respects her, though GRANDMA is her

mother. Of course every parent wants his or her elderly life be safe and sound and

it is a great gift if he or she could receive good attention from his or her daughter.

Unfortunately the reality does not give what GRANDMA wants and it is natural if

she gets mad at MOMMY.

MOMMY does not only give order to her family member but she also tells

the MUSICIAN when to play and when to stop. MOMMY is the one who decides

the symphony of the situation by directly ordering the MUSICIAN either to play

or to stop.

MOMMY. (leading the way out, stage-left). Of course, whatever I say. (To the Musician) You can begin now.

The Musician begins playing; Mommy and daddy exit; the Musician, all the while playing nods to the Young Man (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 171).

Another evidence which shows the superiority of MOMMY occurs when

GRANDMA is about to die.

There is an off-stage rumble. DADDY.(starting). What was that? MOMMY.(beginning to weep). It was nothing. DADDY. It was… it was… thunder…or a wave breaking…or something. MOMMY. (whispering, through her tears). It was an off-stage

rumble…you know what that means… DADDY. I forget… MOMMY. (barely able to talk). It means the time has come for the poor

grandma…and I can’t bear it! DADDY. (vacantly). I… I suppose you’ve got you be brave (Albee in

Thompson, 1965: 175).

31

From the dialogue, MOMMY gives sadness and bravery expression. The

dialogue “It means the time has come for the poor grandma…and I can’t bear it!”

means that MOMMY wants to show the audience that the time for GRANDMA

has come and she feels bad about that. However, the next dialogue shows that she

should face death with brave. If we read the text from beginning until the end, the

impression we get about mother is that she actually only pretends to look sad

since from the beginning of the play it is MOMMY that intends to put

GRANDMA in the sandbox. The word ‘pretends’ here means that she is ‘acting’

to feel sad. In the writer’s opinion, MOMMY’s position is higher than other

characters’.

b. DADDY

DADDY is a sixty-year-old small man. He has gray hair and is a little bit

thin. Though actually he comes from a rich family, he is a husband who is afraid

of his wife because he always accepts everything MOMMY says by responding

“Whatever you say, Mommy.” It shows how powerless DADDY is that even to

speak he should ask his wife’s permission. DADDY is a depiction of a dumb

husband who does not know what he should do, and for that reason he then asks

his wife what he should do next. This situation occurs after MOMMY and

DADDY put GRANDMA in the sandbox.

DADDY. (pause). What do we do now? MOMMY. (as if remembering). We…wait. We…sit here…and we

wait…that’s what we do. DADDY. (after a pause). Shall we talk each to other? MOMMY (with that little laugh; picking something off her dress). Well,

you can talk, if you want to…if you can think of anything to say…if you can think of anything new.

DADDY. (thinks). No…I suppose not.

32

MOMMY. (with a triumphant laugh). Of course not! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 172)

From the dialogue above, according to MOMMY DADDY is a character

with low mental quality because he cannot speak something new. And his

character remains the same until the end of the play.

c. GRANDMA

She is a tiny and an aged woman with bright eyes. She is eighty-six years

old. When she is seventeen years old she gets married to a farmer but when she is

thirty years old, she becomes a widow. She has to raise MOMMY alone.

GRANDMA. I’m eighty-six years old! I was married when I was seventeen. To a farmer. He died when I was thirty (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173).

Even so, when MOMMY gets married to DADDY, her social life increases.

GRANDMA is a childish woman. She likes to attract others’ attention by

screaming and crying like a babby “Ahhhhhh! Graaaa!”. She is also trying to get

MOMMY’s attention by throwing sand to her when she does not pay attention to

her protest.

GRANDMA. (same as before) Ahhhhhh! Graaaaa! ---- GRANDMA. (bagging the toy shovel against the pail) Haaaa! Ah-haaaa! MOMMY. (out over the audience) be quiet, Grandma…just be quiet, and

wait. GRANDMA. throws a shovelful of sand at MOMMY (Albee in Thompson,

1965:172).

The way GRANDMA looks for an attention is similar to a child who looks for her

mother’s attention. When child does not get what her or his wants she or he will

be upset and throw what he or she holds. Nevertheless, MOMMY and DADDY

33

ignore her, as many people do when they do not want to deal with their elderly

parents.

MOMMY and DADDY think that her time is nearly over. That’s why they

dump her in the sandbox until the end of her life and they just sit and wait for

GRANDMA to die.

GRANDMA. Ah-haaaaaa! Graaaaaa! (Looks for reaction; gets none. Now…directly to the audience.) Honestly! What a way to treat old woman! Drag her out of the house…stick her in a car…bring her out here from the city…dump her in a pile of sand…and leave her here to set (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173).

This shows how elder people are being dumped by her family when they are

getting old. GRANDMA is old, sensitive, and difficult to care for. Her behavior is

like other elderly; prefer complaining and talking and babbling like a baby. In fact,

GRANDMA still has a lot more fun in her life. She is still spry and is even

humorous. It is shown when she meets the YOUNG MAN. She can cast a roguish

eye at the handsome boy.

YOUNG MAN. (same smile) Hi! GRANDMA. (after a pause, a mild double-take, continues, to audience) YOUNG MAN. (flexing his muscles) Isn’t that something? (Continues his calisthenics) GRANDMA. Boy, oh boy; I’ll say. Pretty good (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173-174). Though GRANDMA is described as old and powerless in the beginning of

the play, she is descried as having power to rule in the middle of the play. This is

shown through the situation when she speaks to the back stage man, the setting

man.

GRANDMA. I’m not complaining. (She looks up the sky, shows to someone off stage). Shouldn’t it be getting dark now, dear?

34

The lights dim; night comes on. The Musician begins to play; it becomes deepest night. There are spots on all the players, including the Young Man, who is, of course, continuing his calisthenics. (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

Another evidence showing GRANDMA’s talking to the back-stage people is after

the off-stage rumble occurs and all the lights go out.

A violent off-stage rumble. All the lights go out, save the spot on the Young Man; the Musician stop playing. MOMMY. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh……poor Grandma……poor Grandma….. Silence GRANDMA. Don’t put the lights up yet… I’m not ready; I’m not quite ready. (Silence). All right, dear… I’m about done. The lights come up again, to brightest day; the Musician begins to play. Grandma is discovered, still in the sandbox, lying on her side, propped up on an elbow, half covered, busily shoveling sand over herself (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 176). GRANDMA can also be considered as the narrator of the play because she

frequently talks to the audience. From the text it is clearly stated that she describes

her story by addressing directly to the audience, just as if she is talking to people

in front of her and in this case the ‘people’ in front of the stage are the audience.

GRANDMA. Ah-haaaaaa! Graaaaaa! (Looks for reaction; gets none. Now…directly to the audience.) Honestly! What a way to treat old woman! Drag her out of the house…stick her in a car…bring her out here from the city…dump her in a pile of sand…and leave her here to set. I’m eighty-six years old! I was married when I was seventeen. To a farmer. He died when I was thirty. (To the Musician). Will you stop that, please?

The Musician stops playing.

I’m a feeble old woman…how do you expect anybody to hear me over that peep! Peep! Peep! (To herself) There’s no respect around here. (To the Young Man) there’s no respect around here!

YOUNG MAN. (same smile). Hi! GRANDMA. (after a pause, a mild double-take, continues, to the

audience). My husband died when I was thirty (indicates Mommy),

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and I had to raise that big cow over there all by lonesome. You can imagine what that was like. Lordly! (Albee in Thompson, 1965:173).

GRANDMA. (to the audience again, shrugs). I’m smart that way. Anyhow, I had raise…that over there all by my lonesome; and what’s next to her there…that’s what she married. Rich? I tell you…money, money, money. They took me off the farm…which was real decent of them…and they moved me into the big house with them…fixed a nice place for me under the stove…gave me an army blanket…and my own dish…my very own dish! So, what have I got to complain about? Nothing, of course. I’m not complaining (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

From the analysis above, the writer concludes that though GRANDMA is

talking like a powerless baby who is crying and babbling, she is also acting like

the stage director of the play who has power. She is also the narrator because she

frequently talks to the audience.

d. YOUNG MAN

He is a good looking and well-built boy in bathing suit. He is, after all, the

Angel of Death. He is doing calisthenics from the beginning of the play until the

end of the play. His calisthenics suggests the beating and the fluttering of the

wings. His calisthenics actually distracts the line of the play because by doing this

the YOUNG MAN steals the focus of the audience. In other word, his calisthenics

suggests that there are two actions in this play, one is the conversation between

MOMMY, DADDY, and GRANDMA and the other is his calisthenics. It can also

suggest that there are two actions occur at the same time.

In this play, the YOUNG MAN is like an amateur actor. After MOMMY

and DADDY exit from the stage, GRANDMA finds that she cannot move so the

YOUNG MAN stops his calisthenics. He nods to the Musician, kneels down by

the sandbox and delivers his key line.

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GRANDMA. I…can’t move…. YOUNG MAN. Shhhh…be very still…. GRANDMA. I…I can’t move….. YOUNG MAN. Uh….ma’am; I….I have a line here. GRANDMA. Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie; you go right ahead. YOUNG MAN. I am…uh… GRANDMA. Take your time, dear. YOUNG MAN. (prepares; delivers the line like a real amateur). I am the

Angel of Death. I am… uh… I am come for you. GRANDMA. What… wha… (Then, with resignation.)… ohhhh…ohhh, I

see (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 177). The special thing about this character is that he says he expects to get into

film, although he is not a good actor, has a good-looking face though.

YOUNG MAN. I mean … I mean, they haven’t given me one yet…the studio…

--- GRANDMA. You’re…you’re an actor, hunh? (Albee in Thompson, 1965:

174).

It might criticize the ‘American’ Hollywood Dream Factory where stars are made

on their looks only. And the reason why he plays as the Angel of Death is because

he is asked to.

And when the YOUNG MAN does well, GRANDMA is like a stage

manager who flatters the actor when he does well.

GRANDMA. What I mean was… you did that very well, dear… YOUNG MAN. (blushing)….oh… GRANDMA. No; I mean it. You’ve got that… you’ve got a quality. YOUNG MAN. (with endearing smile). Oh… thank you; thank you very

much…ma’am (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 177-178). From the dialogue above the writer concludes that in this play the

YOUNG MAN also acts like the actor. This idea is supported by the stage

direction. If MOMMY acts like a director and GRANDMA acts like a stage

director then the YOUNGMAN acts like an amateur actor who does not have

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experiences in acting. It is shown when he delivers his key line. He says it with

few pauses which indicate his anxiety.

The other reason to say that the YOUNGMAN’s acting is that his function

is under one’s authority that is the director or the stage director. This is clear when

the YOUNGMAN delivers his line and according to GRANDMA, the stage

director, he is doing well. If the YOUNGMAN does not act well, he will not blush

when GRANDMA flatters his act.

e. The MUSICIAN

This character has no specific details, neither the appearances nor the

personality. However, the text suggests that ‘young would be nice’. This character

appearance is only to create and fill the symphony of the play. The MUSICIAN

stops whenever MOMMY tells him to stop and he will play whenever MOMMY

asks him to start again. It means that The MUSICIAN is the music arranger who

plays on stage.

2. Setting

The next element is setting. There are three settings in this play: setting of

time, place, and social condition. The play takes place in one day from morning

until the next morning.

The background is the sky, which alters from brightest day to deepest night. At the beginning, it is brightest day (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 170).

From the explanation of the scene above, it is clear that the play occurs on a bright

day. In the middle of the play the time setting then changes when the lights dim.

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The lights dim; nights comes on. The Musician begins to play; it becomes deepest night (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

After a violent off-stage rumble, GRANDMA tells to put the lights on. It indicates

the brightest day. Here is the evidence:

The lights come up again, to brightest day; the Musician begins to play (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 176). The setting of place is a realistic setting. It can be seen from the

description of the play.

Near footlights, far stage-right, two simple chairs set side by side, facing the audience; near footlights, far stage-left, a chair facing stage-right with music stand before it; farther back, and stage-center, slightly elevated and raked, a large child’s sandbox with a toy pail and shovel; the background is the sky, which alters from brightest day to deepest night (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 170).

From the description above the writer concludes that the setting happens

on the backyard of a house belonging to someone who has a little child since there

is a sandbox and two simple chairs. Nevertheless, this thought is revised by the

first dialogue said by Mommy “Well, here we are; this is the beach.”

The social setting happens in a rich family.

GRANDMA. Rich? I tell you…money, money, money. They took me off the farm…which was real decent of them…and they moved me into the big house with them…fixed a nice place for me under the stove…gave me an army blanket…and my own dish…my very own dish! So, what have I got to complain about? Nothing, of course. I’m not complaining (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

From the dialogue above, it is seen that the family has a big house, a nice place,

army blanket, and its own dish. It is also seen that GRANDMA has nothing to

complain about. In other words, in GRANDMA’s point of view, the family is rich,

since it gives her things that she might not find in the farm.

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3. The Stage Direction

Another element of a drama which directly influences setting and

character is the stage direction. The first stage direction mentions that the scene is

“a bare stage”.

The scene A bare stage, with only the following: Near footlights, far stage-right, two simple chairs set side by side, facing the audience; near footlights, far stage-left, a chair facing stage-right with music stand before it; farther back, and stage-center, slightly elevated and raked, a large child’s sandbox with a toy pail and shovel; the background is the sky, which alters from brightest day to deepest night. At the beginning, it is brightest day; the Young Man is alone on stage, to rear of the sandbox, and to one side. He is doing calisthenics, he does calisthenics until quite at very the end of the play. The young man is after all the Angel of death. Mommy and Daddy enter from stage left, Mommy first (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 170). This stage is a ‘bare stage.’ It means that the setting of the play is not

clearly stated, which also means that the Playwright wants the audience to

imagine the setting of the play. The stage direction is there in order to make the

play easy to understand for the actors and the audience, and to keep the intention

of the author. Though it is short, but the stage directions give direct shape toward

the personality of the actor. It gives effective information to the actors what they

should do.

GRANDMA. (righting herself to a sitting position; her voice a cross between a baby’s laugh and a cry). Ahhhhh! Graaaaaa! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 171).

In the dialogue above, when GRANDMA’s voice is a cross between a

baby’s laugh and cry it means that the Playwright asks GRANDMA to act like a

baby. It gives the audience visualization about her character in this play.

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Though GRANDMA is described as old and powerless, the stage direction

gives the contrary evidence.

GRANDMA. (bagging the toy shovel against the pail). Haaaaa! Ah-haaaaa! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 172).

As the writer has mentioned before in review by Justin Olynyk on

www.newwinnipeg.com, the act of GRANDMA’s throwing shovel introduces that

she looks like she is half her stated age and she has strength of a young woman.

The idea of character talking to the audience is also introduced by the

stage directions “to the audience.”

GRANDMA. (to the audience). Bright, too! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

---- GRANDMA. (turning her attention back to the audience). Fine; fine.

(Then, once more, back to the Young Man.) You’re… you’re an actor, hunh? (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174).

In this play, only GRANDMA who talks to the audience while other characters

communicate among characters.

In short, the stage direction also intertwines with the content of the play.

Since the theater language is not easy, so the function of stage direction is to give

clear information about the gesture of the actors, the situation of the play, the

scenery, and also the instruction for the entrance and exit of the actors. Stage

direction also shows the Playwright’s purposes in order to send a message from

Playwright’s mind to the director and audience.

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4. Plot

In the play, the arrangement of events should be well-organized because it

makes the story be more interesting to watch or read. The plot however influences

the characters’ movements and personalities. In analyzing the plot of The Sandbox,

the writer depicts it based on the plot’s arrangements but since this is only a one-

act play the occurrence between the exposition and the climax will be short and

fast. It makes plot more compact.

a. Point of attack

This play begins with the entering of two characters, MOMMY and

DADDY. MOMMY says that they are in the beach. This statement indicates

where the story takes place. She says that the beach is the perfect place for

GRANDMA to spend her remaining hours. Besides the two characters, there is

also the YOUNG MAN who is doing calisthenics. Before MOMMY and DADDY

exit, MOMMY calls out the MUSICIAN to enter and play music. When

MOMMY and DADY re-enter, they bring GRANDMA with them. They bear her

on their hands under their armpits. Thus, GRANDMA is hanging in their hands,

her legs are drawn up and her feet are not touching the ground. Her face is a

combination between puzzlement and fear. She is dumped in the sandbox. Being

threaten badly, she then cried and screamed. However, MOMMY and DADDY

are not responding to her complaint. They sit on the chair and chat about her.

Feeling so desperate and angry, GRANDMA throws sand to MOMMY and it

makes MOMMY be irritated.

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From the analysis above, the point of attack in the Sandbox makes clear

what the play is about. It is about a family, who the elder is getting old so the

daughter and the son-in-law bring GRANDMA at the perfect place to spend her

remaining hours. In this part the complication is also introduced. Here, actually

GRANDMA still has a lot of life on her. She does not want to die soon. It means

there is conflict between the characters.

Likewise, MOMMY and GRANDMA share different point of view about

death. MOMMY thinks death is a time to show her duty as a daughter. That is the

reason why she prepares perfect place for GRANDMA in the sandbox, at the

beach. On the contrary, GRANDMA thinks death is a game. The different point of

view between them results as the basic conflict of the play.

b. Exposition

In order to follow the story line of the play, exposition is needed. It is the

aspect that shows to the audience events which are not witnessed. Here,

GRANDMA tells the audience about her disappointment.

GRANDMA. Ah-haaaaaa! Graaaaaa! (Looks for reaction; gets none. Now…directly to the audience.) Honestly! What a way to treat old woman! Drag her out of the house…stick her in a car…bring her out here from the city…dump her in a pile of sand…and leave her here to set. I’m eighty-six years old! I was married when I was seventeen. To a farmer. He died when I was thirty (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173). ---- I’m a feeble old woman…how do you expect anybody to hear me over that peep! Peep! Peep! (To herself) There’s no respect around here. (To the Young Man) there’s no respect around here! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173). GRANDMA. (after a pause, a mild double-take, continues, to the

audience). My husband died when I was thirty (indicates Mommy), and I had to raise that big cow over there all by lonesome. You can

43

imagine what that was like. Lordly! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 173).

---- GRANDMA. (to the audience again, shrugs) Anyhow, I had raise…that over there all by my lonesome; and what’s next to her there…that’s what she married. Rich? I tell you…money, money, money. They took me off the farm…which was real decent of them…and they moved me into the big house with them…fixed a nice place for me under the stove…gave me an army blanket…and my own dish…my very own dish! So, what have I got to complain about? Nothing, of course. I’m not complaining (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 174). From the dialogue above, GRANDMA tells the audience how her past

condition is. The exposition is important because it gives audience information

some scenes that are not performed but influences the conflicts in the play. This

element is depicted by GRANDMA because she directly tells the audience about

it. The exposition is not always depicted by the character to the audience though.

c. Rising Action

The tense of the play is rising when the conflict occurs. The conflict raises

the tense. It occurs when there is an off-stage rumble and MOMMY says:

MOMMY. (whispering, through her tears). It was an off-stage rumble…you know what that means… (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 175).

----- MOMMY. (barely able to talk). It means the time has come for the poor

grandma…and I can’t bear it! (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 175). The stage direction also suggests that the tense is increasing.

A violent off-stage rumble. All the lights go out, save the spot on the Young Man; the Musician stops playing. (page 176)

When the lights go out and the Musician stops playing, the sound heard is only the

off-stage rumble which suggests the increasing tense. The situation is similar to

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gasping, if someone gasps she or he will stop talking, and even stops breaths for

few second because of the suspending situation.

d. Climax

The highest level of actions in the play is built here. The climax in the

Sandbox is the death of GRANDMA. The death is ambiguous because MOMMY

and DADDY’s point of view is different with GRANDMA’s point of view.

According to MOMMY and DADDY, GRANDMA is dead. While according to

GRANDMA, she only plays dead.

MOMMY. (brightly). So it is! Well! Our long night is over. We must put away our tears, take our mourning…and face the future. (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 176).

--- GRANDMA plays dead. MOMMY and DADDY go over to look at her; she is a little more than half buried in the sand; (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 176).

e. Resolution

It is the last fragment of the plot. The conflict is resolved here. Since the

main conflict is the dead of GRANDMA, this part explains that GRANDMA is

really dead. She realizes that it is not a game when she cannot move.

GRANDMA (after they leave; lying quite still). It pays to do things well…Boy, oh boy! (She tries to sit up)…well, kids… (But she finds she can’t)…I…I can’t get up, I…can’t move…(Albee in Thompson, 1965: 177).

The Young Man stops his calisthenics, nods to the Musician, walks over

Grandma, knell down by the sandbox. GRANDMA. I…can’t move… YOUNG MAN. Shhhh…be very still… (Albee in Thompson, 1965:177). In fact, GRANDMA is really dead but she does not realize that at first. She

realizes it after the YOUNG MAN delivers the dialogue. He says that he is the

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Angel of Death and he is coming for GRANDMA. After he hears that

GRANDMA can take the fact with the resignation by saying “Wha…wha…(then,

with resignation)…ohh…ohhhhh, I see.” From this point, it is clear that

GRANDMA finally can accept the truth that she is dead. She even faces the death

with smile. Here is the last dialogue before the curtain comes down.

GRANDMA (slowly; softly-as the Young Man puts his hands on top of Grandma’s). You’re…you’re welcome… dear (Albee in Thompson, 1965: 178).

According to the analysis above, it can be said that the plot of The

Sandbox is climatic. It is because the act moves in a single line or so called linear.

It covers within a short space of time, one day. The number of character is only

five. And also the setting does not change, that is in the beach.

5. Theme

To state a theme of the play, we cannot ignore its title. According to

McMahan, the title of the story can point out the meaning (1988:19). It means that

by understanding the title we can understand the works as well. The Sandbox

means a place where GRANDMA should spend her remaining hours of her life on

the sandbox. Why is it in the sandbox? It is because in MOMMY’s opinion

GRANDMA is in her second childhood. As laid down by MOMMY and DADDY,

GRANDMA is just a petulant baby so the sooner they get rid of her the happier

they will be. However, GRANDMA thinks what MOMMY and DADDY do is a

careless thing.

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From that point it is concluded that the theme of The Sandbox is a gap

between generations which creates misunderstanding in handling situation. For

example, MOMMY faces death by making perfect arrangements while

GRANDMA thinks death is just a game. In MOMMY’s opinion, she has done a

good thing, as a daughter, by preparing the perfect place for GRANDMA and

even renting the MUSICIAN. However, GRANDMA does not think like that. She

thinks that MOMMY and DADDY want to get rid of her because she is old,

sensitive, and difficult to take care of. She thinks that they do it because they want

to get rid of their responsibility so they dump her in the sandbox. It is a bit ironic

because actually GRANDMA still has a lot more fun in her life than MOMMY

and DADDY think. Again the gap between these generations creates some serious

misunderstanding. Both of the generations fail to understand or interpret death

correctly. In result, it creates a conflict which finally involves the reader to

wonder whether GRANDMA is really dead or just playing dead.

A significant message in this play is that sometimes we do not realize the

existence of a gap between our generation and our parent’s generation. If we are

careless this will cause a mass misunderstanding.

B. Realism in The Sandbox

In this part, the analysis will discuss how the intrinsic elements reflect the

characteristic of realism. In this part, the writer will focus only to the intrinsic

elements of The Sandbox which contain the characteristic of realism. By using the

philosophical approach, the writer analyses the essence of realism in this play.

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1. Realism

The basic criterion of realistic drama is that it tries to capture every single

movement, phenomenon, and picture of real life. The presentation of reality

means that Albee has to present an accurate description of the intrinsic elements

so that the audience can see realistic depiction of life presented on stage. The

reality here does not mean absolute reality since no writer can present a real life as

reality really is.

a. Character

There are five characters already discussed, they are MOMMY,

GRANDMA, DADDY, YOUNG MAN, and THE MUSICIAN. Those characters

represent realism in their own way.

First is MOMMY. MOMMY is described as well-dressed and imposing

woman. Though she is a dictator, her character represents a woman at that era.

She represents the figure of nowadays American woman generation. Women in

nineties are no longer described as traditional figures. They make a breakthrough

in eliminating male dominated society. They inherit the male aggressiveness by

no longer being afraid in stating their mind. They want to change the women’s

role in family. For example in 1938 The Eighth International Conference of

American States passes a resolution supporting women's rights. After the

legalization, women movements become more active. In 1942-1945 by the

publicity helping, using the image of fictional character “Rosie the Riveter,”

persuades millions of women to join the labor force. Over the course of the

conflict, more than 6 million women will be employed outside the home. It was

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after the United States enters World War II, the government initiates a massive

media campaign to employ women for the war effort. Although most of them

return to the domestic field at the end of the war, American women gain respect

and acceptance in work traditionally reserved for men (Redmond, WA. "Rosie the

Riveter." Microsoft Student 2007).

Regarding the facts above, MOMMY is the character who tries to show

the depiction of American woman in twentieth century. A woman who can run

family and even arranges her mother death.

Second is GRANDMA. In contrast with MOMMY, GRANDMA is a

picture of traditional woman. She is a sole humane, generous character in Albee’s

manages. She tries to relate to others in an outspoken and meaningful approach,

but at her age she no longer commands the obligatory social weight. If MOMMY

is a picture of twentieth century American woman, then GRANDMA is the

incarnation of the American nineteenth century who is still alive in earlier

twentieth century.

Third is DADDY. He is a picture of a dumb and passive husband because

he always asks MOMMY what to say and what to do. It is unclear whether he is

MOMMY’s husband or son. The function of displaying this character is to show

the reader that the male-dominated society is no longer survives.

Next is YOUNG MAN. He is described as a handsome, well-built boy in

bathing suit who is doing calisthenics. He is the Angel of Death. He expects to get

into film although he is plain and unskilled, but he has a handsome face. His

character is used to criticize the ‘American’ Hollywood Dream Factory where

49

stars are made on their looks only. He is a picture of American idol. Furthermore,

the purpose of presenting this character is to reveal how American prefers

appearance than skill.

The last is the MUSICIAN. His function on stage is to play music as

MOMMY hires him to do so. He is a picture of a workingman, person who works

for wages and does not pay attention to other business.

From the discussion above, the writer has to conclude how the realism is

revealed through the characters of The Sandbox. According to Howells, Herne,

and Gillette (1961: 37-38), realistic drama prefers its characters face everyday life

problems unsolved until the end of the play. In this case, what the characters in

The Sandbox face are everyday life problems like death, growing old, and

misunderstanding. According to Elliot in (1988: 502), realist attempts to “give a

comprehensive picture of modern life.” In The Sandbox MOMMY, GRANDMA,

DADDY and the MUSICIAN are common characters. The reason why Albee uses

the name ‘MOMMY, DADDY’, and other characters are to suggest that there is

“no regionalism” so that the name will be empty and no offense to particular name

used (Thompson, 1965: 170). The presentation of characters must be real and be

met with the persons in actual life (Saphira, 1928: 50). The characters in realism

should be rationally acceptable by common people. The characters in The

Sandbox are also common people.

In short, it can be said that the characters in The Sandbox represent the

picture of American people in twentieth century. Their characters are the example

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of American people at that time. And what they faced is everyday problem which

sometimes does not resolve in the end.

b. Setting

The play takes place in one day from morning until the next morning. At

first, the writer concludes that the story takes place on someone’s backyard that

has a little child because there is a sandbox. There are also two simple chairs. The

social setting is in the high social status family. In describing the setting Albee

gives a very clear description, though the description is very limited. It can be

seen from the description in the scene at the beginning of the play.

Setting in realism must present the real environment. The stage is a

convincing replica of real-life situation so that audience can see the allusion of

reality (McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama 5, 1972: 249-250). In this

case the play takes place in someone’s backyard. Though the sceneries (two chairs,

the sandbox, and the sky-cloth background) are least, it still represents the idea of

someone’s backyard.

c. Stage Direction

The function of stage direction should give complete description of the

characters, setting, and the plot in the play in creating allusion of reality to the

audience. The stage direction says that the stage is a “bare stage.” It means that

Albee wants the audience to imagine the setting of the play. However, in this play

Albee does not give a comprehensive stage direction. Once more, it means that

Albee wants the audience to free their mind in interpreting this play. The same as

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the setting, the function of stage direction in presenting the stage is to create a

replica of reality.

d. Theme

The theme of The Sandbox is a gap between two generations creates

misunderstanding idea about death. The subject in this play is about social

problem, in this case is how the now generation treats the elders.

The Sandbox’s subject is about social repression and conditioned mores.

Hedrik Ibsen (1979: 541) says that the subject of realism drama deals with

corruption business, social repression, exploitation, conditioned mores, neurotic

behavior, and outdated beliefs. MOMMY and GRANDMA have a disagreement

about death. MOMMY, as the family leader, wants to arrange a perfect death for

GRANDMA. She thinks that by doing it she already does her duty as a good

daughter. On the contrary, GRANDMA thinks what MOMMY does is to get rid

of her sooner because GRANDMA is old. The sooner they can get rid

responsibility for GRANDMA the happier they will be. The MUSICIAN also has

his own view about death. He sees it as a job. His character is the picture of

American working people who does not concern about their environment.

B. Surrealism in The Sandbox

In this part, the writer will focus only to the intrinsic elements of The

Sandbox which contain the characteristic of surrealism. Since not all intrinsic

elements reflect the characteristic of surrealism, the writer will focus only on the

intrinsic elements of The Sandbox which represent the characteristic of surrealism.

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Surrealism is the principles, ideas, or practices of producing fantastic

imagery in art or literature by means of bizarre juxtapositions and combinations.

To produce fantastic imagery, surrealism uses symbols which are taken from

everyday life but the depiction is rare and sometimes unrelated and incongruous.

It frees our mind in interpreting object.

a. Character

As it has already been discussed, there are five characters. They are

MOMMY, GRANDMA, DADDY, YOUNG MAN, and the MUSICIAN. Those

characters do not only represent realism but also represent surrealism. Not all

characters represent realism and surrealism though.

First is MOMMY. There is something unusual in her character. Having the

highest position among other characters, she is also the director of the play. She

shows the authority to decide what other characters should act by always giving

order and it proves that she has power. This function is similar to a job description

of a director. According to Harymawan in Dramaturgi (1988: 64), the director’s

position is in the center of the triangle between playwrights, actors, and audience.

Bellow is the picture:

Playwright

Director

Actor/ess Audience

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Based on Gordon Craig theory, one type of play directing is that the director’s

function is like a dictator. Consequently, the actors or actresses are the director

tools. Considering this fact, MOMMY also functions as a director of the play. In

other word MOMMY is the ‘theatrical director’ of the play, since she directs what

other characters should do. Her superiority is not bad, but MOMMY’s role is to

organize what the characters should do on stage. In addition, she should direct

herself to act on a specific character.

Second is GRANDMA. Besides talking to the audience, she also acts like

the director of the play who has power and gives order to the setting man. This

function is similar to the task of a stage director. Harymawan says in Dramaturgi

(1988:63) that the stage director is an executive staff of director. The task of a

stage director is to set a stage and the whole properties. Though GRANDMA does

not set the properties but her task is similar to a stage director. Her role in this

play is to make sure that either on stage or back stage is all right. Once more, it

revises our view about GRANDMA. At first she seems powerless, old, sensitive,

and she complains a lot, but she has power to act like a stage director.

Third is the YOUNG MAN. Something unique about this character is that

Albee suggests that he is the Angel of Death. His calisthenics should “employ the

arms only; suggest the beating and fluttering of wings.” Usually, angel is invisible

for living people but in this play he is not. In fact, he wants to be an actor just like

living people who dreams to be actors. The reason he is being the Angel of Death

is because the studio tells him to do so. It means that the Angel of Death, that

Albee’s trying to present, is unusual. The death image is no longer presented in

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dark, sad, and frightening way but it is presented in incongruous way by using

object like sandbox, beach, musician, and handsome Angel of Death.

The last is the MUSICIAN. He is a picture of workingman but he also

functions as a music arranger of the play. This character has double functions. The

fascinating thing here is that he sees death as a worksite. He pays no attention to

any action occurs in the play. For example, seeing GRANDMA who cannot wake

up, he does nothing. It means that he only pays attention to what he is ordered to.

From the analysis above, the function of each character brings a surprise

but purposeful, which is one characteristic of surrealistic drama. Surrealistic

drama wants to arrange the derangement of the senses. The character of MOMMY,

GRANDMA, the YOUNG MAN, and the MUSICIAN show that what is seen by

our senses might play tricks on us. It is a bizarre thing to see the backstage crew

perform on stage.

b. Setting

The first setting which represents characteristic of surrealism drama is the

setting of place. Though it happens on the backyard of a house belonging to

someone who has child, since there is a sandbox and two simple chairs, this idea

is opposed by MOMMY’s first dialogue “Well, here we are; this is the beach.”

The condition is as in reality but the dialogue revises that. It means that even the

setting can be changed by the character. In this case it is MOMMY, the director of

the play. One characteristic of surrealism play is that its focus is on the

representation of unconscious processes, the irrational, and combination of bizarre

that seems incongruous followed by the free association (A Glossary of Literary

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Terms). It might be irrational if the property indicates someone’s backyard but

MOMMY freely says that it is the beach. It means that there is a dislocation.

However, dislocation is caused by free association.

The setting of time is also very simple, from a bright day to a deepest night.

Surrealist play was made up of quick scenes (Styan, 1992:54). In this play the

change of scene is very quick since the story only occurs in one day. According

to www.newwinipeg.com, the play only takes twelve minutes. There is nothing

much can be done in such short time.

c. Stage Direction

The scene occurs in ‘bare stage’ which means that the interpretation of

setting place or stage is left open for the audience. Copeau defines that the object

used by surrealist attacks the commercial dramas. For the usual decorative

spectacle, it is substituted by an extreme simplicity and purity of staging (1992:

92). The audience feels free to explore their mind. It constitutes an open invitation

to transform reality into dream, nightmare, and projection of violent satire. It is

the basic principles of surrealism, the freedom of mind (Marry Ann Caws,

2001:489). The form refreshes American’s stage after long period of realism.

d. Theme

The theme of The Sandbox is the gap between two generations creates

misunderstanding idea about death. The problem that builds misunderstanding is

death. MOMMY and GRANDMA have their own interpretation about death.

MOMMY sees death as a duty fulfillment of daughter to her parent, while

GRANDMA sees death as a game. The MUSICIAN sees death as a job, where he

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can gain money by providing musical entertainment at the last minute of an old

woman. However, something that involves surrealism is the depiction of death.

Death in The Sandbox is represented in a different way. Death usually deals with

something frightening and gloomy. However, in The Sandbox it uses bizarre

object like sandbox, beach, musician, and the handsome Angel of Death. In the

real life it will be malicious to dump old woman, mother, in the sandbox to spend

her remaining days. Also, an old woman will not face death by playing shovel and

acting extremely like a baby. The remarkable thing in this play is that Albee uses

bizarre juxtaposed symbol in expressing death. And even the Angel of Death is

described as well-built handsome boy in bathing suit. Guillaume Apollinaire

defines surrealism: “When a man wished to imitate walking he invented wheel,

which bears no resemblance to a leg. In this way he has unconsciously created

surrealism” (1992:56). It is the same case as Albee’s depiction of death. He states

death as something childlike, human, romantic, sweet, because death is but the

next great adventure.

From the whole analysis about The Sandbox, the writer concludes that the

intrinsic elements of the play reflect the characteristics of realism and surrealism.

According to Hayman (1971: 20), “The Sandbox represents Albee’s most extreme

departure from realism.” Though The Sandbox extremely departures from realism

there are, still, found realism characteristics in this play. However, the proportion

is not very balance between realism and surrealism since this play is more reflects

surrealism characteristic than realism characteristic. In writer’s opinion, The

Sandbox is rather a rehearsal than a life presented on stage since there is a director,

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stage director, and music arranger performs on stage rather than on back stage.

The characters are no longer behaving as if there were no audience watches them

but they prefer to explore their freedom of mind. The scenery and the setting

become more illusionistic and less elaborate. The function of creating illogical

situation in this play is a way to interpret the world we live in.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

After doing a research based on philosophical approach on The Sandbox,

as it mentioned in Chapter I, and applied in Chapter IV, the writer has come into

the conclusion. There are three findings. The first finding is the intrinsic elements

that are found in The Sandbox. The second is the realism characteristics that are

reflected in the intrinsic elements. The third finding is the surrealism

characteristics that are reflected in the intrinsic elements.

There are five intrinsic elements found in The Sandbox: characters, setting,

stage direction, plot, and theme. The first intrinsic element is character. There are

five characters: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, the Young Man, and the Musician.

Mommy is the superior character. She is the director of the family and the play.

Daddy is the passive husband, who is afraid of his wife. Grandma is an old,

childish and humorous woman. She is also the narrator and the stage director of

the play. The next character is the Young Man. He is the Angel of Death who

wants to be an actor. The last character is the Musician. He is the music arranger

of the play. The second intrinsic element is setting. In the play, the setting of time

is in one day, from morning until the next morning. The setting of place is at the

beach, and the social setting is in a rich family. The third intrinsic element is the

stage direction. The stage directions in The Sandbox function as information to the

actors or actress and the director about the gestures, setting, personality of each

characters, tone, and also what the actors or actress should do. Though it is very

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short but it is very effective because the stage direction should show the

Playwright’s message. The plot of The Sandbox is climatic because the act moves

in a single line or so called linear. It covers within a short space of time, one day.

The theme of this play is a gap between generations creates misunderstanding idea

about death

Realism and surrealism are opposed each other in the concept of

presentation. Most of surrealistic items’ descriptions are the opposite of realistic

items’ description.

The realism characteristics which are presented by the characters of The

Sandbox reflect a picture of American people in twentieth century. The setting

presents the real environment, which means a convincing replica of real situation

so that the audience can see the allusion of reality when the play is performed.

The stage direction should give a complete description of the characters, setting,

and the plot in the play. The stage direction should successfully show the replica

of reality. The theme of The Sandbox is a gap between generations creates

misunderstanding idea about death. It means the subject of this play is about

social repression and it criticized the conditioned mores of American society in

treating elderly.

However, not all intrinsic elements in this play reflect the characteristic of

surrealism. The surrealism characteristic reflected by the characters is the

elements of surprise. Mommy, Grandma, the Young Man, and the Musician have

double casting. Mommy is the superior character and also the director of the play.

Grandma is the childish woman and also a stage director. The Young Man is the

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Angel of Death and an actor. The Musician is a workingman who is hired by

Mommy and also the music arranger. Their double casting brings the element of

surprise toward the audience. There are two setting, first is setting of place. Here,

the setting seems to be a realistic setting, the backyard of a house belonging to

The Musician who has a little child (evidence: sandbox). However, the first

dialogue of the play changes when MOMMY states that “well, here we are; this is

the beach.” It means that there is a dislocation which is caused by free association.

It might be irrational if the property indicates someone’s backyard but MOMMY

freely says that it is the beach. The second setting is setting of time. It takes place

in one day, from morning to the next morning. The change of scene is very quick

and surrealist play is made up of quick scenes. The stage direction is unusual too

because the first stage direction mentions that the scene is “a bare stage.” It allows

audience feels free to explore their mind. It is an open invitation to transform

reality into dream, nightmare, and projection of violet satire because the basic

principle of surrealist drama is the freedom of mind. The last is theme. The theme

of The Sandbox is the gap between two generations creates misunderstanding idea

about death. Both of the generations fail to understand or interpret death correctly.

Death is daily object, but in The Sandbox it is presented in incongruous object

such as using sandbox, beach, musician, and the handsome Angel of Death. It,

again, proves that there is surrealism characteristic in this play. Albee’s depiction

of death is described as something childlike, humane, romantic, and sweet

because death is but the next adventure. Based on the analysis above, the writer

comes to conclusion that the character, setting, stage directions, and theme of the

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play represent both, realism and surrealism characteristic. Though the play reveals

most of the surrealism’s characteristic but there still realism characteristic

reflected by intrinsic elements of in this play.

The play is a form of pretence. It is rather a rehearsal than a life presenting

on stage since there are director, stage manager, and music arranger performing

on stage rather than back stage. The actors and actresses are no longer behaving as

if there were no audience watches them. The scenery and setting become more

illusionistic and less elaborate. By creating illogical situations in this play, the

audience is invited to interpret the world they live in. The function of using

realism and surrealism characteristic is to give audience a better understanding in

viewing life, deeper than their senses.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc., 1971.

Ann, Mary Cawis. Manifesto-A century of –isms. London: University of Nebraska

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Forsman and Co., 1988. Burton, S.H. The Criticism of Prose. London: Longman Group, 1977. Daume and Watson. The Encyclopedia Americana. New York: Grolier Inc., 1977 Edward, P. The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. New York: McMillan Inc., 1967. Elliott, Emory. Columbia Literary History of the United States. New York City:

Columbia University Press, 1988. Guerin, Wilfred L., Earle Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Ressman, and John R.

Willingham. A Handbook of Critical Approach to Literature. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Hans, Guth P. The Literary Heritage. Lexington, Massachusetts: D.C Heath and

Company, 1981. Harymawan, RMA. Dramaturgi. Bandung: CV Rosda, 1988. Hayman, Ronald. Contemporary Playwrights Edward Albee. London:

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1972. Kender, Todd. K., Amstrong, Nancy., Briggum, Sue. M., and Knobloch, Frank. A.

Modernism in Literature. New York: Holt, Rine Hart and Winston, 1977. Little, Graham. Approach to Literature. Sidney: Science Press, 1981. Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. Massachusetts: Inc Publishers,

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Miller, Jordan Y. American Dramatic Literature. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, Inc., 1961

Murphy, M.J. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and

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Perrine, Laurence. Literature: Structure, Sounds and Sense. New York: Harcout

Brace Jovanovich Inc., 1969. Redmond, WA. "Rosie the Riveter." Microsoft Student 2007 [DVD-Rom]

Microsoft Corporation, 2006. Styan. J.L. Modern Drama Theory and Practice vol.2. Cambridge: Cambridge

University press, 1992. Thompson, David. The Sandbox in Theatre of today. London: Longmans, Green

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ONLINE REFERENCES: Adair, Terrin Lynch. Elements of Theatre and Drama.

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Harris, Robert. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Version Date: January 4, 2002.

<http://www.virtualsalt.com> (Accessed on 10 November 2005). Hart, James D. "Fitzgerald, Scott F." Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. 1995.

<http://www.cyberessays.com/English/93.htm> (Accessed on 28 October 2005).

Jacobson, Joshua. Juilliard Journal Online. Vol. XVII No. 8 May, 2002.

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Olynyk, Justin. “Join Mommy, Daddy & Grandma in Albee's sandbox-Albee Fest 2004.” Winnipeg’s Digital Magazine. (January 26, 2004). <http://newwinipeg/albeefest_review/thesandbox.html> (Accessed on 15 March 2006).

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APPENDIX

Summary of The Sandbox

The Sandbox, which is written by Edward Albee, is the story about different

point of view between two generations, young and old generation, in interpreting

death. This different view develops into serious problem. The story takes places in

one day from morning until the next morning. It is happen in a rich family

consists of Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma is, according to Mommy, about to die

and because of that Mommy wants to find a perfect place for her in the remaining

hours. Mommy chooses the beach and she rents the Musician. However, Grandma

does not think it was a brilliant idea. In fact, she feels that Mommy and Daddy

only want to get rid of her soon. Daddy, who is so passive, he always agrees to her

wife decision. He is a husband who is afraid of her wife and he always obeys what

Mommy ordered him to do.

The story begins when Grandma, who is old and about to die, is brought to

the sandbox by Mommy and Daddy. The sandbox is a place which has been

chosen by Mommy. Mommy thinks that by doing all the perfect preparation for

Grandma, she already did her duty as a daughter. On the other hand, Grandma

thinks that Mommy and Daddy abandon her because in her view the sooner they

get rid of her, the happier they will be. In fact, Mommy and Grandma share

different view about death. Mommy thinks that death is time to show her last

respect to her mother. On the contrary, Grandma thinks that death is just a game.

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The increasing tense of the play is started when there is an off-stage

rumble. The off-stage rumble indicates that the time for Grandma has come.

Mommy and Daddy show their sadness of her death. Grandma, who plays dead,

does not realize if she already dead. She realized the truth after the Young Man

told her that he is coming to take her, since it is his duty as the Angel of Death to

take Grandma with him. Knowing this, Grandma shows no regret and she can

admit the truth in a sweet and willfully that she is already dead.