The theme of a work of literature is its central or dominant idea. Like a short story or a novel, a play is open to interpretation. The language of the text influences readers" reactions, and audiences" reactions are influenced by the performance on stage. An individual's point of view to a story can reveal certain themes that may be totally different to the other person reading or watching the same play, short story, novel or movie.
In the works of art that we were exposed to in this class there were many themes like surrendering, disassociation, which can be separating your self from society or something, words, words, words which is the lost meaning of words, and the difficulty of communication, World taught vs. Work of Experience, Free will vs. Determinism, and symbols vs. images.
I am going to write on the theme that is most clear to me "surrendering". I will start by discussing the play Equus. In Equus Dysart the doctor surrenders to his job by helping kids become normal to the point where they will be accepted by society like he did with Alan, he helped Alan become normal but to do this he had to take away the most important thing that Alan had, which was his passion. He did not believe that is was the right thing to do but it was his job to do it in order for Alan to fit into society. He also surrenders to the need of kids even though he knows first he needs to help himself find his purpose in life. He does not believe that what he does is of any use; he believes that he does not really help these kids. He thinks that all he does is put a Band-Aid on their problems or pain. In act two he says, "I need more desperately than my children need me- a way of seeing in the dark." At the end of the play he compares himself to a horse making a notation to the chains in the horses" mouth and the pain that it feels, he too has begun to feel this pain. He realizes that even though he cannot see his purpose in what he does and he does not believe that he really helps these children he has to stay and do this job.