This dissertation aims to investigate the structural causality of violence in John Steinbeck''s Of Mice and Men(1937), Edward Albee''s The Zoo Story(1959), and Marsha Norman''s Getting Out(1979) that characterize the 1930s, 1950s, and 1970s of American society. John Steinbeck''s Of Mice and Men deals with the life and friendship of laborers standing against their absurd fate. Edward Albee''s The Zoo Story portrays the fragmented phenomena of human relationships in reverse proportion to the economic development. Marsha Norman''s Getting Out deals with the psychological growth of a woman who seeks to find her real self in a patriarchal world.
As a preceding study, the theory of Rene Girard is taken into consideration, which suggests the origin of human violence and the scapegoat principle, in order to discuss in detail the operational principle of psychological violence, which is the same element of conflict penetrating through all three plays. The study of the plays is chronologically based upon the theories mainly dealt with in the multiple works of Girard. Simply put, the conflict of the characters and the crisis of the community presented in Of Mice and Men and The Zoo Story correspond with the ''double'' phenomenon caused by the increase of mimicry and mimetic desire, which are the core topics of discussion in Deceit, Desire, and the Novel : Self and Other in Literary Structure, while the solution to restoring peace in the community in crisis can be found in the scapegoat theory of Violence and the Sacred. The third play, Getting Out, puts the focus of the discussion on I See Satan Fall Like Lightning, which points out the contradictions of the scapegoat theory through the analogy of Satan''s temptation. Furthermore, by scrutinizing the emotion of fear which the characters of each play experience in a world rampant with violence as an allusion to the term ''absurd'' by Albert Camus, this dissertation attempts to shed light on the appearance of ourselves in a society that allows violence.
Of Mice and Men portrays the suffering of human beings and the futility of life, which are transpired by the fateful gap between dream and reality. The main characters George and Lenny are subjects of social oppression and are born with the fate of a hard life, but they struggle in order not to lose their humanity from the absurdity of society. They would be regarded as doubles mimicking each other''s desires in that they both hope to possess a piece of land that they can cultivate. However, George chooses to coolly face reality by removing Lenny who pursues only an instinctual desire, and precipitates their dreams into vain fancy.
Although George and Lenny symbolize the double, the disagreement between their desires demands the unavoidable sacrifice of one or the other. Furthermore, because Lenny''s repeated mistakes and blind, unrealistic desires drive their community into a crisis, his death serves to end the surging conflict of the community. Although it seems that George agrees with the scapegoat system, his choice is something that allows him to break away from the sacrificial violence of the era. Although society still emphasizes the danger and inefficiency of human relationships, George will keep on practically living in an absurd society by forming relationships with those around him, just as he does with Lenny. Rather than succumbing to fate, he tries to preserve his dignity by voluntarily accommodating his fate. In such a way, Lenny''s sacrifice is a preventive measure that stops a greater violence which may happen within the society. Moreover, it plays a critical role in recreating George, not as a scapegoat of absurdity, but a rebellious hero who fights against the absurdity, by causing change even to George''s world view.
In The Zoo Story, Albee suggests the dignity of modern human beings hurt by social absurdities. Jerry and Peter are deprived of emotional stability due to the materialistic values of the community forced by American society. However, Jerry recognizes this social absurdity and tries to break free, whereas Peter turns away from his reality and gets intoxicated from the illusion caused by his social status so that he is involved in the psychological violence directed toward himself as well as the whole community.
Jerry feels it urgently that he should propose an upright direction for Peter who leads an alienated situation just like his own. Jerry makes an effort to elicit a true reaction from Peter even through a violence by mimetic instinct, but when all of his plans fail, he chooses his own death as a last resort. Jerry is convinced that his death will liberate Peter from an isolated life, and at the same time, he hopes to be remembered as an origin of voluntary sacrificial violence for preventing violence, to the whole American society including Peter.
Jerry’s sacrificial violence which is directed at himself is in contrast with the American society of that time, which is devoid of any consideration of other people. Albee, who speaks through the voice of Jerry, hopes that a true social purification will be achieved by recovering wholesome relationships with others, by shedding away the illusion and helpless laxity caused by the American self-satisfaction.
The main character of Getting Out, Arlie, is a woman who has stood against the absurd social violence of a patriarchal society since her childhood. As her character tries to preserve her subjectivity as a woman resisting the authority of men and threats the patriarchal social order, it has made her into the typical target for persecution. The pastor who represents the patriarchal figure in the play changes her into an obedient woman by carrying out psychological brainwashing through continuous fake kindness.
Arlie, who has decided to become Arlene, the new name given to her by the pastor, carries out a sacrificial ceremony herself in order to wipe out her miserable and violent past. But as the desires for the independence defending Arlie and the incorporation into society desiring Arlene contend against each other, she gradually becomes a monstrous double. It seems that Arlene has momentarily won the battle, but they are unseparable because they have split from the same self.
After getting out of prison, Arlie, who has been living as Arlene, learns from Ruby how to live without becoming a scapegoat of society while retaining a strong and independent spirit as a woman as well as the importance of solidarity between women. In that way, Arlene reunites with Arlie, and Arlene establishes a firm self-identity so that she no longer becomes a victim of the absurd violence of the world, and promises to herself that she will not live a numb life conforming to the absurdity of temporary security.
Steinbeck, Albee, and Norman dramatize the absurd systematic violence prevalent in the first half of 20th century American society through their literary works which picture the innocently sacrificed lives of human beings. These writers agree with the effect brought about by the scapegoat theory of Girard but also claim that the emotion of absurdity toward social violence must be overcome through solidarity between the communities as well as through the individual will, which avoids resorting to violence.