Open Prompt Oct 16

In many works of literature, a physical journey - the literal movement from one place to another - plays a central role. Choose a novel, play, or epic poem in which a physical journey is an important element and discuss how the journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

To journey is to go from one place to another. And separating these two places, nearly invariably, there are doors. Doors are barriers, gateways even, between rooms or even worlds. However, as with any preconception, this thought can be undermined. In Noises Off, Michael Frayn argues that no matter how many doors one journeys through, one cannot truly get anywhere or find meaning, and any attempts to do either of these are a waste of time.


Throughout the entire play, the stage is pandemonium as everyone seems to be trying to get everywhere all at once, but nobody gets anywhere. Doors are constantly slamming and actors traipse across the stage, bumping into each other and passing by one another in a frenzy to get to yet another door. Everyone is fixated upon the singular task of going through doors, and the only reason one would go through a door is to get somewhere. In the words of the director, "That's what it's all about: Doors and sardines." Sardines are obviously superfluous and of no importance, and the pointlessness of these doors is emphasized in this line by putting the two side by side.  Despite everyone's obsession,  nobody gets anywhere; every actor remains confused throughout the show and by the end hasn't grown or learned anything.


Every attempt to find meaning in the play is fruitless. Freddy, one of the actors, frequently stops rehearsal to inquire as to the meaning behind his character's actions. The god-like, seemingly omniscient director of the play, though, doesn't have answers, and even goes so far as to fabricate truth merely to placate the questioning spirit. There is one rather confusing scene in which a Sheik inexplicably resembles another character in the show. Nearly everyone is confused by this, and some brave sole dares to raise the question to the group: "Why does the Sheik look like Phillip?" This question of resemblance and relation clearly represents the deeper question of "What does it all mean?" as it is consistently brought up in times of uncertainty, even when the Sheik is nowhere present. Anytime someone asks this question, rehearsal is brought to a halt as everyone shares their opinion and nobody is convinced of anything in the end. Any attempts to find meaning are not only without success but hinder the troupe in their overall goal of putting on a show.


Hidden behind, and even within, the slapstick and scandal of a sex farce lies a post-modernistic view of the world which borders on nihilism. Frayn shows us a pointless struggle as the actors make journey after journey through countless doors but arrive nowhere, denying us of truth. Next time you go through a door, as yourself: Where are you really going?