Author Question: Who is El Santo Americano? Do we know for sure? What will be an ideal ... (Read 13 times)

moongchi · **on:** Jul 20, 2018

Who is El Santo Americano? Do we know for sure?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why does Clay put a gun in his mouth? Does he seem to be seriously considering suicide?

What will be an ideal response?

jackie · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 20, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Again, we cannot know for certain, but the context would suggest that this name, which is never mentioned in the play itself, is the one Clay intends to use professionally as a wrestler in Mexico. There may be trace elements of irony in the phrase: at times Clay portrays himself as suffering for the well-being of others, and at the very end of the play he may be about to undergo a kind of twisted martyrdom.

Answer to Question 2

Theres certainly enough gone wrong in his life to drive a man to want to kill himself. His wife cant stand him, his son is ashamed of him, he literally makes his living as a loserand now even that has been taken from him. No doubt his manic optimism is a way of fending off depression, if not outright despair. Still, as the stage direction tells us, he then, as a little boy might, twirls the gun on his finger, and pretends what itd be like to shoot himself in the head. . . . in strange fun. Even when he puts the gun in his mouth, he only holds it there for a second or two with his hand, then lets go. He may be flirting with the idea of ending it all, if only as an escape option to keep him from feeling hopelessly trapped, but he doesnt seem terribly serious about it.