Maybe the first, second, or hundredth time that he returned to his rock, he realized: though his fate ties him to this ceaseless and futile labour, he is the owner of that fate. Once we are conscious of the useless and absurd things we do daily, we can accept them as our duty, and revel in joy that we accomplish even the most meaningless goals. Sisyphus walks down the slope ready to try again, and ready to fail, because it is his purpose.

             Camus has added a little bit of hope to the lives we so often regret. Perhaps Camus believed that Sisyphus tries again because someday he can push the rock to the very top, and it will stay. Through the play Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett leaves little room for hope. Two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, are waiting for a man called Godot. Every day they wait, in the same spot, living out their lives believing that Godot will come. They are unsure, unsatisfied, and unhappy because they wait. They are restricted in their actions and decisions because they wait. This exchange occurs at least five times in the only two acts of the play:.

             "Let"s go.".

             "We can"t".

             "Why not?".

             "We"re waiting for Godot".

             Vladimir - tall and abstract, and Estragon - stout, earthly and concrete, represent two halves of the same person. They are dependent on each other and both are dependent on their desire to meet Godot. The roles, time, and states of consciousness change, but for no purpose, because everything strangely remains the same. As they wait, they play repetitive games, asked unanswered questions, and speak much, but seldom act. Sound familiar? Vladimir and Estragon"s situation is our own. Through the characters" repeating actions and words and the play"s obvious absurdity, Beckett has shown us how absurd and redundant our lives truly are. While waiting for something that doesn"t exist, we run around in circles, make the same mistakes, and lose faith - yet retain a great deal of denial about it all.