Elder people in the community offer invaluable insight into life’s challenges and how to overcome them based on experience. In a well-adapted society, older adults should be assisted by their family members after retirement to ease into a relatively comfortable life. However, as Edward Albee demonstrates in his play TheSandbox, not every person perceives them as resources or is willing to be sensitive to their needs. The sandbox setting in Albee’s play represents how elder people like the character Grandma are neglected and ignored in society despite being integral sources of information.
The characters Mommy and Daddy are ignorant of Grandma and her needs, from her introduction to the stage to her eventual demise. Both are satisfied with the minimum requirements they find at the beach and do not attempt to re-orient the sandbox to accommodate Grandma. Additionally, Daddy shrugs responsibility to his mother-in-law by boldly retorting, “She’s your mother, not mine” (Albee 2). Their actions reflect the negative attitude with which elder people are treated in society. Neither parent wants to take responsibility for her and would instead dump her in a sandbox. Moreover, her cries of agony and pain go unheard until she has no choice but to speak to the audience. Despite being cognizant, Grandma is forced to accept the sandbox’s condition and is relegated to it, further evidence of being an afterthought to the entire vacation process.
In addition, Grandma cries and makes agitated sounds after being dropped in the sandbox, but it yields no results. The relationship between Mommy and Grandma serves as a metaphor for the interactions between parents and children globally. Despite banging the shovel and groaning loudly, Mommy implores her to be quiet and wait because she does not see any worth in her. Whereas the musician is free to do as he pleases, Grandma does not receive the same freedom but is instead forced to occupy the sandbox as she awaits death. Furthermore, after moving her into a big townhouse, they treat her like an animal, providing her with only the essentials to survive (Albee 4). Grandma’s harsh treatment percolates into the musician’s actions, who doesn’t stop even when she starts monologuing (Albee 3). By using the characters’ actions, Albee criticizes society, particularly the extent of elder abuse regarding physical and emotional trauma.
Sandboxes are childish playgrounds meant to occupy children’s attention while parents focus on vacation, which is like the attitude Grandma is treated in the play. The setting represents the cycle of life, with crucial similarities existing between elder people and children. Both require a high level of care and are perceivable sources of burdens if not handled with the right attitude. Furthermore, parents eventually treat both groups based on their mental acuity and resourcefulness. Indeed, the sandbox may represent venues such as retirement homes where older adults transition after being let go from their workplaces. These facilities demonstrate a high level of service delivery and patient satisfaction care but are not a replacement for familial care and love.
There is a definite contrast between the young man and grandma in the play. The former represents youth and vitality, whereas the latter is approaching death. The sandbox is symbolic of a funeral home where people bring their loved ones and are satisfied with the minimum level of service. This burial motif is evidenced by Mommy’s response when Grandma passes away, “It pays to do things well,” which accurately represents the low level of care the nuclear family has for her death (Albee 5). According to the parents, Grandma was a burden to bear that they are relieved to be rid of. Furthermore, the characters agree that it is difficult to be sad when she looks so happy. They perceive what they want to appease themselves emotionally.
The callous attitude of the characters gives the play an ominous mood, mainly because they are communicating serious themes like death and grief. From his introduction, the young man says ‘Hi’ in a jovial manner to every other character (Albee 2). Similarly, Daddy acquiesces in every sentence to Mommy and looks to her for direction on simple to complex issues. Albee writes these characters humorously and lightly to represent life’s bleak nature, as evidenced by Daddy’s quote, “Whatever you say, Mommy” (Albee 2). However, the interaction between Grandma and the young man at the end of the play establishes the sandbox as the transition between life and death (Albee 5). Nonetheless, the angel of death, identified as the young man, delivers his line hesitantly and similarly implores Grandma to be quiet as Mommy did. Indeed, the ignorance continues in the afterlife, and her needs come second, as the instructions provided to her indicate.
In conclusion, Grandma’s treatment in Edward Albee’s play accurately depicts elder abuse in society. Ignorance, abandonment, and emotional neglect are some of the problems Grandma is subjected to by her nuclear family and the musician. Her cries and groans are ignored, and she is left to die in a sandbox that dimensionally represents a coffin in the play. In addition, her family’s attitude is primarily negative and fails to account for her life experiences or the benefits she may still manifest in society. The contribution of elder people in raising families and driving society must be appreciated and reflected in the actions of those taking care of them.
Work Cited
Albee, Edward. The Sandbox and The Death of Bessie Smith. Plume, 1988.