What is a common theme of the Theater of the Absurd?

A. Purposelessness

B. Hope

C. Injustice

D. Love

A. Purposelessness.

Explanation:

The genre of literary writing that emerged from after the Second World War, in which a group of absurdist writers began to write about the absurdity of human situation. Primarily beginning among the European and American dramatists, these drama writers seem to agree with Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus", which mostly stressed about the uselessness of human life.

Famous writes of this genre include Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot), Eugene Ionesco (Rhino), Jean Genet (The Balcony) etc. All of these plays for the "Theatre of the Absurd" genre deals or lays emphasis on the purposelessness of a man's life and life in general. The major elements that are deployed or used in this type of genre are the anti-character, anti- plot etc, while all trying to present a serious issue in a comic tone. This theatrical movement was unusual, quite different from the regular "normal" forms of stories or plays ion it's depiction of what life is really like- a purposeless, useless, meaningless world.

1. read the following excerpt from franklin d. roosevelt's "fireside chat 19":

on the other side of the picture, we must learn also to know that guerilla warfare against the germans in, let us say serbia or norway, us; that a successful russian offensive against the germans us; and that british successes on land or sea in any part of the world strengthen our hands.

remember always that germany and italy, regardless of any formal declaration of war, consider themselves at war with the united states at this moment just as much as they consider themselves at war with britain or russia. and germany puts all the other republics of the americas into the same category of enemies. the people of our sister republics of this hemisphere can be honored by that fact.  

the true goal we seek is far above and beyond the ugly field of battle. when we resort to force, as now we must, we are determined that this force shall be directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. we americans are not destroyers — we are builders.

analyze the effectiveness of this excerpt. how does it function within the speech as a whole? how does the structure of the excerpt to convey the speech's purpose and key points? support your argument with evidence from the speech. (10 points)