Alienation and Loneliness

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In Saved, all the characters suffer from a sense of isolation—from nature, from one another, from their jobs, and from society at large. This profound disconnection results in deep loneliness. The brutal act of stoning the baby symbolizes their detachment from both the natural order, which involves the continuation of the species, and from basic human empathy. Shockingly, no one even recognizes the baby as a human being. Len is the only character who consistently shows compassion, making genuine efforts to connect with others. His loneliness is most starkly revealed when he asks Fred why Pam is so infatuated with him. A flicker of hope appears when Harry, albeit awkwardly, requests that Len not leave their household. Len represents the only embodiment of humanity they know, and his presence is crucial for their survival.

Anger and Hatred

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The characters' detachment from different areas of their lives leads to anger and animosity, which emerge throughout the play. Instances include Pete murdering the boy, the extended silence between Mary and Harry that escalates into violence, Pam's outburst over her missing magazine, and the stoning of the baby. More frightening than these explosions of anger is the persistent, repressed fury the family holds, which is particularly evident in the final, silent scene.

Guilt and Innocence

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The murder of the baby serves as a symbol for the Biblical Slaughter of the Innocents. Assigning blame for this act is complicated. Fred accepts the punishment, not out of guilt, but because he holds Pam responsible for leaving the baby in the park and for having it in the first place. He also blames "roving gangs" and the police for their failures. Fred embraces the punishment to elevate his status as a hero within the criminal world, which he sees as a significant part of his life.

Pete, on the other hand, feels no remorse for running over the boy with his van and is admired by others for avoiding any consequences. Similarly, Harry feels no guilt for killing a soldier during the war, viewing himself as "one of the lucky ones" for the experience. There is no blame assigned for the death of Harry and Mary's son, who was killed by a bomb in the park during the war. Bond suggests that the characters' actions are a result of the larger society that has created the harsh conditions they live in.

Limitations and Opportunities

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The characters in Saved encounter a lack of genuine opportunities. They are trapped by their circumstances, having been born into South London's working class, receiving limited education, and remaining disconnected from wider cultural contexts. They also struggle to express their own experiences. Throughout the play, Len juggles two or three different jobs, but they are all mundane and unremarkable. Harry goes to work but never talks about it; Fred oversees boat rentals; Pete drives a van. Their work is repetitive and unsatisfying, providing little beyond minimal wages. This absence of meaningful employment heightens the characters' feelings of detachment from their own lives.

Love and Passion

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In Saved, while sexual relationships are a focus, authentic passion and love are notably missing. Len and Pam are unaware of each other's names when they first become intimate, and they make jokes about their past partners. Fred takes advantage of Pam without any display of affection or passion. Harry and Mary have stopped communicating, suggesting they may never have experienced love; Harry perceives sex as a man's responsibility. Pam's obsession with Fred can hardly be considered love. Len is the only character who appears capable of love, which he shows through his wish to care for others.

Morals and Morality

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In the universe of Saved , conventional morals and ethical...

(This entire section contains 95 words.)

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standards are absent. Actions are governed by one's ability to "get away with it." Pete gains admiration for killing a boy without facing consequences; the baby is murdered in part because there is no authority figure to intervene, as Pete notes, “You don’t get a chance like this every day.” Bond broadens this critique to encompass society at large, which tolerates violence—as demonstrated by Harry's wartime behavior and the death of his son in a bombing—and systematically suppresses the spirit of its youth.

Science and Technology

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Bond perceives science and technology, the cornerstones of industrial society, as dual adversities that have estranged humanity from the natural environment. Workers in factories no longer find fulfillment in creating or contributing on an individual level. They lack control over their work and methods, never witnessing the end product as a testament to their efforts. They endure routines that are both physically and psychologically unnatural.

Their rewards are material, yet even these rewards elude their understanding and control, like a TV set they are unable to adjust. They have become mere components of the industrial and technological system, confined to artificial environments such as row houses and government housing designed to accommodate the system. As a result, they have lost touch with their humanity.

Fred, standing in the park with a fishing rod purchased on installment, fishing in a man-made lake, vividly illustrates the alienation of man from both nature and himself.

Sex

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In Saved, sex has turned into a dispassionate activity for the characters. In the first scene, Len and Pam engage with each other without even knowing each other's names, a situation that seems to be a regular occurrence for both of them. Fred exploits Pam and then deserts her, feeling no obligation for his behavior. The quest for sex is methodical and impersonal, with venues like the church social club and all-night laundromats regarded as prime spots for encounters. The closest instance of a warm, human sexual interaction in Saved happens between Len and Mary when he mends her stocking and becomes aroused. However, even in this moment, it seems Mary has set her boundaries and deliberately used Len for her own self-esteem boost. The detachment of sex from real human connection is merely one facet of the dehumanized lives these characters are compelled to endure.

Violence

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Violence is undeniably present in Saved. The significant public uproar was primarily due to the intense violence depicted in the baby-killing scene in Scene Six. As Bond mentions in the introduction to the Methuen edition of Early Morning, "I write about violence as naturally as Jane Austin wrote about manners. Violence shapes and obsesses our society ... It would be immoral not to write about violence." The brutality in Scene Six is shocking, similar to the violence when Pete runs over the boy with his van. Violence emerges naturally from the depersonalizing elements of the society where it occurs, rooted in the physical and psychological manipulation of people to conform to the work patterns of the industrialized world, the absence of control over their own lives, and the confinement in a sterile environment lacking cultural heritage.

Capitalism's Debasing Effect on Society

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Saved seeks to lay bare the harsh realities of contemporary capitalist society, peeling back layers to reveal more than just a gritty portrayal of urban gang violence and the hollow, dispassionate existence within the working class of Great Britain. At first glance, it might seem like a straightforward depiction of the emotional and social impoverishment among laborers. However, playwright Edward Bond intends to delve deeper, challenging audiences to see beyond the surface. Much like a modern-day George Bernard Shaw, Bond frames his works with clear statements that underscore his message. The essence of his argument is a conviction that capitalism, as a system, not only strips away material wealth but also erodes the very fabric of human interaction and the collective capacity for individuals to coexist meaningfully.

Urban Decay and Indifference

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Written in the 1960s, the play Saved presents a chilling portrayal of urban decay that remains profoundly relevant in the early twenty-first century. This decay is not merely a deterioration of the physical environment but a more insidious decline in the way people live their lives. The narrative crafted by Bond invites us to look beyond surface-level issues like unemployment, drugs, and criminal violence. His characters are not merely victims of economic hardship; they are instead trapped in a pervasive apathy, where violence emerges as a byproduct of their existence despite having steady employment.

Bond's critique is directed at a capitalist system that strips individuals of their ability to engage in a truly civilized life. The characters' basic instincts and tendencies toward violence are not inherent but are instead cultivated by a profit-driven society. The pervasive influence of media, such as television, inundates them with violent imagery, transforming violence into a ubiquitous commodity. This availability of violence at a low cost reflects how capitalism exploits and commodifies aggression, embedding it into the fabric of society.

Violence as a Product of Capitalism

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The narrative unfolds against a backdrop where capitalism is portrayed as a corrosive force, stripping society of its moral fabric, particularly impacting the working class. Within this framework, individuals are reduced to mere cogs, their lives manipulated by the whims of the ruling class. This systemic oppression manifests in the chilling behaviors observed in the park, where violence is both a tool of control and a reactionary force.

The ruling class cloaks its dominance under the guise of law and order, prompting a cycle of violence. As those oppressed by the system experience injustice, their response often mirrors the brutality inflicted upon them. This retaliatory violence is not measured or rational; instead, it explodes in raw, instinctual outbursts, akin to a wild animal's desperation when cornered. This metaphorical transformation likens human beings to dogs, not pampered pets, but creatures pushed to their limits, highlighting the dehumanizing effect of capitalist structures.

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