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Act 3, Scene 1
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Caretaker, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Deception
The Absurdity of Modern Society
Alienation and Family
Identity and Authenticity
The Limitations of Language
Summary
Analysis
It’s night, and Aston and Davies are in bed. Davies makes noises in his sleep. Aston lights a cigarette, walks over to Davies’s bed, and shakes him awake, ordering him to be quiet. Irritated, Davies tells Aston he’s “not surprised they took [him] in” and accuses Aston of giving him nightmares. Davies continues to berate Aston. He throws aside his blanket to reveal that he is fully dressed and yells at Aston for opening the window and making it freezing in the room.
Whereas in his earlier conversation with Mick, Davies only implicitly criticized Aston for his mental illness, this time he addresses the matter explicitly, insulting Aston to his face for something over which Aston has no control. Again, Davies is tearing another person down in an attempt to make himself feel superior—but this, of course, makes Davies less likeable rather than more so.
Active
Themes
Davies continues his rant, mocking Aston for his stay in the mental institution. He claims that Mick can send him back to receive more electroshock therapy and that the hospital made a mistake in releasing Aston in the first place, as he’s clearly still crazy. Davies continues to berate Aston, accusing him of “treating [him] like a bloody animal,” even though Davies isn’t the one who’s been institutionalized. Aston moves toward Davies, who takes out his knife.
Davies tries to pit Aston against Mick by claiming that Mick wants to send Aston away again, even though Mick hasn’t made any such remarks. Davies takes advantage of Mick and Aston’s distant relationship, believing that if he can drive a wedge between the two of them, he can ingratiate himself with one (or both) of them and, in so doing, become part of an in-group. Davies’s remark about Aston “treating [him] like a bloody animal” is projection, given that it’s really the other way around: it’s Aston who treats Davies with respect, and Davies who denies Aston compassion and understanding. Further, when Davies takes out his knife, he’s literally treating Aston like an animal—a creature who is unable to comprehend language and will only respond to brute force.
Active
Themes
Aston tells Davies he should find somewhere else to live. Appalled, Davies argues that he can’t leave because he’s been offered the job of caretaker. Aston tells Davies he’s not a good candidate for the position. Davies tells Aston to get Mick, who’ll vouch for him.
Active
Themes
Aston offers Davies some money to get to Sidcup. Davies rejects Aston’s money and tells him to “build [his] stinking shed first.” Aston moves toward Davies, forcing him to back into and knock over the chair that’s behind him. Davies picks up the chair and uses it as a weapon, while Aston timidly defends his shed. Davies cautions Aston not to come any nearer and pulls out his knife.
Active
Themes
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Aston accuses Davies of “stinking the place out,” which greatly offends Davies. Aston again tells Davies to leave. Enraged, Davies points the knife at Aston’s throat. Calmly, Aston tells Davies to pack his things, initiating the task himself as he goes to Davies’s bed and places some items in Davies’s bag.
Davies sputters a weak protest about Aston not having “the right” to do this to him, and about how Mick will vouch for him. Unfazed, Aston brings Davies’s packed bag to the door. Davies walks through the door, muttering that he no longer trusts Aston. After Davies leaves, Aston places the chair back in the center of the room. He hangs the blue coat on the wall, straightens the room, and fiddles with a plug as the stage fades to black.
Active
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