The play’s ending leaves the audience uncertain and puzzled. The “unfired bullet” at the conclusion symbolizes unresolved issues or unfinished business. Pinter uses silence and straightforward yet perplexing dialogue to create an air of mystery and tension. The characters rarely say exactly what they mean, adding to the ambiguity.
A key symbol in the play is the dumb waiter, which acts as an unseen presence delivering mysterious food orders to Ben and Gus. These orders seem to come from an unknown authority. By trying to fulfill these demands, Ben and Gus demonstrate their submission to this invisible power. The dumb waiter’s menu can have multiple interpretations. It may symbolize authority issuing commands or the feeling of being constantly observed. This emphasizes the power imbalance between the characters.Gus, the more inquisitive of the two, brings along simple snacks like biscuits, chocolate, milk, an Eccles cake, and tea. When strange orders such as macaroni pastitsio or bamboo shoots come through, Gus hesitates, as they lack the resources to fulfill these requests. He even suggests they ask for some money in return. However, Ben insists they must provide whatever they have, seeing it as their duty to obey the authority. This difference in their perspectives highlights larger themes of power and control. Gus questions the need to comply completely, while Ben rigidly upholds their duty, reflecting their contrasting approaches to authority and submission.
From the beginning, the setting emphasizes Ben and Gus’s status as low-level criminals, placing them at the bottom of the social hierarchy compared to their boss, the unseen Wilson. Wilson’s blatant disregard for their comfort is evident—for example, he provides them with matches and a stove to make tea but doesn’t supply the gas needed to use it. Ben and Gus handle their lowly positions in different ways. Ben, though frustrated by his lower-class status, accepts it and conforms to the power dynamics. He acts polite and follows orders without resistance, adhering to the rules of the system. On the other hand, Gus openly shows his dissatisfaction with authority. He speaks casually and loudly, doesn’t bother polishing his gun, and feels no need to appear refined or impress anyone. The revelation at the end—that Gus himself is the target they’ve been waiting for—underscores the grim reality of power politics. The play reveals how those at the bottom are manipulated and ultimately sacrificed by the very system they serve.
The play highlights a conflict not only between those in power but also among those who serve, as seen in the dynamic between Ben and Gus. Ben believes in complete obedience, willing to give up everything without question, while Gus dares to challenge authority and ask why. The ‘jail-like’ basement symbolizes the imprisonment of Ben and Gus by an unseen yet controlling power. The newspaper, a recurring symbol, represents unquestionable knowledge and authority. Ben’s act of constantly reading the newspaper while observing Gus highlights his dominance. The newspaper becomes a tool that reinforces Ben’s superior status over Gus, reflecting the power imbalance between them. In this play, silence and conformity are enforced, while oppositional voices are suppressed. Gus repeatedly tries to engage Ben in conversation, but Ben’s silence asserts his control, reinforcing Gus’s inferior position. Michel Foucault’s concept of discipline helps explain this dynamic. According to Foucault, discipline involves creating rules to correct behaviors that deviate from societal norms. Gus’s persistent questioning makes him “abnormal” because he challenges authority instead of conforming. His growing defiance positions him as a threat to the system. The dumb waiter itself acts as a tool of control, interrupting Gus whenever his resistance intensifies, testing whether he can remain obedient. Gus’s refusal to conform ultimately marks him as a rebel—a figure who seeks answers in an absurd world. By questioning the rules, Gus disrupts the system’s order, making him a problem that must be silenced.
The play demonstrates how Ben and Gus are controlled by invisible power structures. True freedom, it suggests, is illusory—it exists only within the confines of obedience to authority.