Identity in "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard

 

 Identity in "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard

Identification is what the things or the persons are in real. There are several characters in the play who can be identified differently. 

Halie, mother of the family, has several aspects of her identity in the play. 

First; there is a dark secret in the family ,in past, and family members hide it from the society. Haley was the main part of that secret as she had born illegal child in result of unfair relation that was  killed by Dodge and buried in the farm hidenly.

Secondly; In present she has unfair relation with father Devis. 

Third; she asks father's advice in light of religious point of view in handling the issue about Shelly as she was outsider and has come in her house  in her absence. Besides she had numerous crucifixes in her room . She shows as she is a religious but in fact she does not seem.

Forth; it seems as she is caring to some extent . When she was  going out side in mourning dress she asks Dodge that if he need anything he would ask Bradley .Again when it is raining outside she worries about Tilden and says it is raining outside and it is not good for him. Her identity is the more confusing and more conflicting in the play than any other character.

Then there is Dodge ,his sitting on the soffa repeatedly and wearing cap show , symbolically,his inner feelings as he wants authority being head of the family in  proper way as he is torched by cutting or shaving his hair in sleep or for the blanket.In last he is died unnoticed and lost his identity totally.

Tilden's and Bradley's identity seems vague as they ,both, depend on parents .

 As far as concerned the identity of Shelly she goes back. She has come to support Vince and she tries her best to convince his family to accept him being a member of that family.When she sees that Vince has got his identity but her own identity is in threat or in danger she goes back even leaving her relation with Vince may be in search of  the fulfillment of American Dream , Idealization of relations, idealization of family or idealization of a house with farm some where else. 

 Only Vince is who is successful in getting his identity as he is accepted by family being a future head of the family as Dodge willed his house farm and land to Vince.

As far as concerned the identity of father, Devis, he is a religious person and has responsibility. Usually he is considered the man in society who guides and directs the people, what is right ,what is wrong but we see he drinks and has unfair relation with Halie. There seems duality in his identity. 

Then there is identity of the main theme of the play that is the struggle of creativity and destruction. Vince and Shelly have come to re-unite,re-link and re-relate the family. they have come with positive thinking and positive thinking cause creativity .In fact positive thinking always causes creativity and negative thinking causes negativity.