What does the title mean? The family has lived for decades with a secret, and this secret has twisted this family. The death in the past has created a family, which even though they are living, is dead in the confusion of the present. Maybe they were once connected and caring, but not anymore. Dodge is an alcoholic, Hallie is out of touch, Tilden is child-like; whatever happened to the child has left a destroyed family.
Who are the main characters in the play? How are the characters related through the plot of the play? The shadow on the stage, that impacts the entire family, is the buried child. There is no name, and the body is not seen until the end; but the presence shapes everything. Dodge is the family leader, or he used to be. He sits
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My flesh and blood’s out there in the backyard!”
This last line leads the audience to believe, due to the title of the play, there is a child buried in the backyard, and Dodge was the father of this child. But the confession to Shelly, by Dodge in Act III, opens up the mystery again. Halie says that Dodge is “decomposing,” and we will later see that there has been an actual decomposing body in the backyard.
3. In Act I, Tilden appears with armloads of corn. Dodge and Halie talk about the fact that there has been no corn planted in the backyard in years, hinting again at the possibility of the baby’s body being buried in the backyard; where the corn now grows. Corn could symbolize life, and Shepard could be using this to hint that something is happening. Tilden says that there is plenty of corn, he is accused of stealing it; and the play moves on. After Vince and Shelly show up, and Vince goes into town to buy alcohol with Dodge’s money; Tilden opens up to Shelly. Shelly let’s Tilden feel her coat and hold it. It is almost like the coat is a living thing that Tilden is petting. Tilden breaks the secret and tells Shelly about the burial of the child. Dodge is yelling at Tilden to not tell her in Act II, Page