a tiny flame flickering in an immense void

 

        In Wednesday's post here, titled "semantics can drive you crazy," I had put in what Bob Dylan wrote about The Balcony, by Genet--

        it portrayed the world as a mammoth cathouse where chaos rules the universe, where man is alone and abandoned in a meaningless cosmos

It reminded me of the museum scene in Play It Again Sam, a play by Woody Allen which was also turned into a movie:

Woody Allen's character, named "Allen" in the story, and the Diane Keaton character "Linda" are at an art museum looking for a woman for Allen to ask out on a date.  He doesn't see anyone and suggests,

"Why don't we split and see if there's any action at the Berkeley Museum?"

Linda spots a woman who is observing a painting alone.

Linda:

There's one.

(He stares.)

Allen:

(an awestruck tone)

Oh, she's great.

Linda:

Go ahead Allen, speak to her.

Allen:

No, are you kidding?

Linda:

Go on.  Go on, give it a try.

(he protests and demurs)

That's what we're here for, Allen.

(in an urgent whisper)

Go on!

Allen walks toward the girl.

Allen:

(in a low voice, to himself)

Casual.  Casual.

He walks up to the girl and admires the painting with her.

Allen:

It's quite a lovely Jackson Pollock.

Girl:

Yes, it is.

Allen:

What does it say to you?

Girl:

(she has a slight European accent and her words drone a little, on one note, like a mysterious chant)

It re-states the negativeness of the universe.  The hideous, lonely emptiness of existence.  Nothingness.  

The predicament of man forced to live in a barren, godless eternity, like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void, with nothing but waste, horror, and degradation forming a useless bleak straitjacket in a black absurd cosmos.

Allen:

What are you doing Saturday night?

Girl:

(in same droning tone)

Committing suicide.

Allen:

What about Friday night?

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        In the post-World War II period, 1945 to 1970, some authors wrote about existential dread.  The dialogue in PIAS is parodying existential dread -- telling the same story, only with dark humor.

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{Play It Again Sam.  1972 film.  Written by Woody Allen.  Directed by Herbert Ross.}

(fun fact:  Herbert Ross was married, for a time, to Lee Radziwill, the sister of Jackie Kennedy)

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