The Pillowman: Enjoy Life through the Pain.

After watching The Pillowman, I felt one important aspect that should be considered is an underlying message to enjoy life. Even though Katurian wrote horrific stories, some of which were played out on the stage, his zest for life was easily seen. Katurian did what he enjoyed… and loved it so much, his life meant less than his stories. He wanted his work to live on. Examining the rest of the dramatis personae in turn, Michael was a simple person… though that was from his parents’ torturing of him early on in life. He was a little slow, and did not think about what he did to those children, but he seemed to enjoy life too… though in a morbid and sick way. He enjoyed his brother’s stories and used them to make his life more interesting even if it meant the deaths of these young children. The street-wise policeman Ariel hates child abusers and from what the audience can gather, enjoys his job since he can make a difference in people’s lives. Even though he plays the Bad Cop, he is still one that is sympathetic to others… even to Katurian in some extent by keeping his stories from the flames. The character of Tupolski is another that enjoys life by being a detective and taking down scum like Katurian and Michael. Even though the audience is exposed to the horrifying tales of Katurian, we can perhaps sympathize with the idea that one must do what they enjoy… but as we can be hit by the conscience, we must temper our own zest with decency and thought. As long as you do not hurt others or yourself in your enjoyment of life, you do a fine job. The Pillowman makes us uncomfortable on different levels but there is that message of “don’t follow the Pillowman, no matter how enticing he might seem, no matter what happens in life”.