Authored by Sam Shepard, Buried Child is a play that was first showcased in 1978. Consequently, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in the year 1979. In the play , Shepard was aimed at highlighting the ongoing fragmentation of the nuclear family in the United States (U.S). One of the drivers of the breakdown in the nuclear family unit was the American Dream, amongst other issues affecting the American society. For instance, the economic breakdown of the American rural areas in the 1970’s resulted in a disruption of the traditional American family values and structures. Owing to his efforts in highlighting the societal shortcomings, Shepard was highly lauded . The play won the Pulitzer Prize in 1979. It also won the Obie Award for Playwriting in the same year. This essay will, therefore, explore the power of secrets and their negative impacts on both families and people in general. In this pursuit, characters in the play will be used to support and justify the key points.
Buried Child highlights breakdown in a nuclear family unit set up in the twentieth –century. One of the characters in the play is Shelly who is Vince’s girlfriend. Shelly compared the family’s farmhouse to a painting . This way, she gives the impression of a perfect family. However, Shepard’s goal is not to create a ‘perfect-picture’ of the family. Rather, the playwright’s objective is to subvert this notion. Thus, he highlights how flawed the family is before Shelly completes shares her observation. This way, the audience is aware that Shelly’s position is flawed. In a real sense, the family members are constantly fighting for authority and power. This implies that the family is far from being a source of mutual support and love. For example, while Dodge and Haile own a fairly functional and successful farm, this success is not celebrated. This is because the two are always at loggerheads and can’t bear each other’s company. On the other hand, Dodge was previously a powerful figure. However, due to illness, he is immobilized. Instead of being Dodge’s source of strength, Haile becomes his biggest critic. Besides considering Dodge ‘useless,’ Haile uses his immobility as an excuse for acting the way she wants. Thus, Dodge and Haile are ineffectual and have a dysfunctional home. They also make use of other characters in efforts to justify and defend their positions.
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The family’s problematic nature is also highlighted with regard to the estate’s inheritance. The candidates for this are Tilden and Bradley, who are Dodge’s sons. It is clear that the two are not fit to inherit their father’s estate. On the one hand , Tilden is childish, often needing the constant care of his parents. On the other hand , Bradley is obsessed with power. As a result, he is regularly abusing his father. It is apparent to the audience that Bradly is not fit to lead. This is because he lost one leg as a young man, and is continuously bitter about it. The family is also threatened by feelings of shame and guilt. This is manifested in the behaviors of various characters. While Dodge ends up abusing alcohol, resulting in his death, Halie becomes promiscuous. Tilden, on the other hand, abandons the family while Bradley is transformed into a coward and a vicious being. Murder and incest impact negatively on the family. Shepard reveals that Dodge killed a baby in the past. This baby was borne out of incest between Halie and Tilden. These acts portray the breakdown of the family’s moral code, right from the two heads of the family.
In Buried Child, Shepard highlights how detrimental secrets can be not only to a family but also to individuals that make up that family. This is exemplified by the lives and actions of Dodge, Halie, Tilden, and Bradley. Thus, in this play, Shepard sought to open peoples’ eyes to the evils of secrets in the advancement of the family unit as well as the society in general.
