Introduction

Project Timeline

Techniques and Styles in The Caretaker

Who is the Caretaker?

Davies as the caretaker:

Davies is the character who has the job of the caretaker, the position is offered to him by both brothers. In Act II, Aston offers Davies the job:

Davies is initially cautious in accepting the position from Aston. Davies and Aston engage in a painfully awkward conversation regarding the roles and responsibilities of the position, but Davies avoids answering Aston’s original question regarding how Davies feels about being the caretaker:

In this section Aston and Davies are speaking to each other in half sentences, both slowly edging around the question of the caretaker, and indeed the dynamic of their relationship. Almansi states that Pinter’s character’s "shift position crab-like, move forward like knights on a chess board, an oblique tentative step rather than bold progress. In Pinter’s game players do not advance towards their goal: they dribble."

In the above section we can see Aston and Davies ‘moving crab-like’ around the question of the caretaker. Davies does not formally accept Aston’s offer of the position of caretaker, he goes as far as putting on the caretaker’s coat, but the question of answering the bell throws the situation back into uncertainty, and the section ends with Davies stating that he’s ‘got to be a bit careful’ and delivering a lengthy monologue about the dangers he would be in, if he had to answer the caretaker’s bell.

As this scene fades into silence, the audience is left with the absurdity of the situation that Davies is fabricating.

Davies is offered the position of caretaker for a second time by Mick. Mick’s style of offering Davies the position is a complete contrast to the conversation between Aston and Davies.

Mick is sharp and direct, he does not allow Davies to prevaricate around the question but demands a direct answer from him, and Davies responds to this approach.

It is worth noting that Davies does not raise the same objections to caretaking with Mick, as he does with Aston. This is because Davies recognizes that Mick is the dominant brother and wishes to align himself with the stronger of the two. We see this again when Aston attempts to remove Davies from the property, and his position of caretaker at the end of the Act III; Davies refuses to leave believing himself to be under the protection of Mick, instead he attempts to eject Aston:

But Davies is mistaken in his assumption, he has not considered the bond between the brothers; Mick rejects Davies from the house:

Following his rejection by Mick, Davies attempts to rebuild his relationship with Aston, however he is also unsuccessful in this, and we are left with the parting image of Davies desperately begging Aston to say, whilst realizing it is futile.

Aston as the caretaker:

At the beginning of Act I, Aston is the character who adopts the role of Davies’ caretaker. Unlike Davies this is not in terms of the property, but in terms of the physical welfare of Davies. As the play opens, Aston has already began this role, he has saved Davies from a brawl:

By the start of the play, Aston has also invited Davies into his home, and by the end of Act I, Aston has offered Davies a place to stay until he gets himself sorted out:

Aston’s caretaking of Davies physical welfare extends beyond giving him a bed to stay in; throughout the play Aston is also engaged in finding Davies a suitable pair of shoes, clothing, a job, money and even acting as an alarm call to wake him. The fact that Davies does not respond in a positive way to Aston’s kindness, is a sad truth within the play, and ultimately responsible for Davies downfall.

Mick as Caretaker:

Like Aston, Mick is not a caretaker in the traditional sense of the word (taking care of the house); instead Mick’s role of caretaker involves taking care of his brother’s physical and mental state.

Mick is the first figure that appears on the stage, and although the audience is unaware at this point, Mick is waiting for Aston to return home safely. Mick prowls around Aston’s room, exploring his objects (an activity Mick is not free to do whilst in the presence of his brother), before sitting on the bed to wait for Aston.

Mick wants to create a situation of which Aston feels in control, and in order to do this, he does not want Aston to see him in his room. We know that the brother’s do not meet on the stairs for two reasons: firstly when Davies and Aston enter the room they pass no comment about meeting Mick. Secondly when Mick appears to Davies at the very end of Act I, beginning of Act II, Davies has not idea who he is:

The audience is aware that Mick is a figure that is ever watching and protective of his brother. Mick will not let Davies criticize his brother. We can see this in two incidents: firstly when Davies calls Aston funny and secondly when Davies calls Aston nutty. In both cases, Mick behavior becomes decidedly threatening when Davies insults his brother:

Mick support for Aston is shown through Mick allowing Aston to reach his own decision about Davies, rather than just ejecting Davies from the house himself.

Although we should not, like Davies, underestimate the power of brotherly love; it is important to recognize the strain that Mick experiences as the caretaker of his brother. In the play we only see Mick loosing control of his composure once.

However once Mick has spent his passion and Aston enters, the audience is aware from the stage direction ‘They look at each other. Both are smiling faintly’ that their relationship will continue in the same way, and that the presence of Davies has ultimately not destroyed or altered their relationship – Mick will still be his brother’s caretaker.

Sarah Clough, Education Officer,
Creative Development Programme