Buried Child

The way I understand Realism is that it is a truthful treatment of ordinary people involved in ordinary dilemmas of life.  In my encounters with realism I have seen a general focus on the middle class and not the lives of the poor and socially outcast.  Therefore I do not believe that Buried Child is not an example or realism.  The preface to Buried Child in the Norton Anthology of Drama explains that Shepard was exposed to Theatre of the Absurd through Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.  Although this except states that Shepard claims he did not understand the play I believe that this greatly influenced his writing and Buried Child.  My understanding of Theatre of the Absurd as defined by Martin Esslin is a combination of Existentialism, “the only significant action and individual can take is to accept responsibility for his or her own deeds,” and avant-garde dramatic form.  The plots tend to move in circular form.  Ending in the same structure they began.  This can be seen in Buried Child where Vince mirrors Dodge.  Although I am not convinced that Buried Child is an example of Theatre of the Absurd I do believe that it has been strongly influenced by this theatrical approach.