Freedom

The two central characters of this play, as well as the two characters they enact in the play they rehearse and perform, are all motivated by their perceptions of, and need for, freedom. For prisoners John and Winston, outer and physical freedom do not exist. They live and function within freedom’s opposite, physical constriction and suffering. They do, however, experience inner and psycho-emotional freedom, at least to some degree. This becomes apparent as they exercise their imaginations in order to keep themselves and each other going during their imprisonment.

Also, when John receives word that his sentence is going to be cut short and that he is that much closer to actual physical freedom, there is significant irony in the fact that for both him and Winston, freedom becomes both a cause of celebration and a cause of tension. Specifically, Winston feels a degree of...