Perceptions about Waiting for Godot: Insights from Pakistani Undergraduate Students

Abstract

This study has investigated undergraduate students’ perceptions of ‘Waiting for Godot’ at a public-sector university, in Pakistan. The study has explored how students identify existentialist themes and how do they relate to identified themes in the play. Rosenblatt's (1938, 1994) reader response and Sartre's (1956) existential model have guided this study. The findings are based on data supplied by 15 participants through semi-structured interviews. The study has applied a qualitative mode of inquiry employing the Thematic Analysis method by Braun and Clarke (2006). The key arguments based on findings reveal that participants’ responses were affected by their social and educational background. It highlights that participants connected existentialist themes that were very close to their life experiences and observations. It reflects that the play raised a sense of questioning as the spirit of posing introspective questions was more evident among male respondents. The play served as a source of motivation for participants to struggle for life’s meaning. It also highlights the role of teachers in developing participants’ understanding of the play. The results are important for teachers, curriculum designers, and researchers as they bring some implications in the context of literary pedagogy.