Waiting for Godot Friendship Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line) Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.

Quote #10

VLADIMIR
(exploding) It's a scandal!
Silence. Flabbergasted, Estragon stops gnawing, looks at Pozzo and Vladimir in turn. Pozzo outwardly calm. Vladimir embarrassed.
POZZO
(To Vladimir) Are you alluding to anything in particular?
VLADIMIR
(stutteringly resolute) To treat a man . . . (gesture towards Lucky) . . . like that . . . I think that . . . no . . . a human being . . . no . . . it's a scandal!
ESTRAGON
(not to be outdone) A disgrace!
He resumes his gnawing. (1.386-9)

Estragon’s chiming in here is a brilliant addition to the exchange; he clearly holds no genuine concern for Lucky, as he’s busy eating his bones while the man is abused. Vladimir, too, is aghast at Pozzo’s treatment of Lucky, but wait a bit and watch him berate Lucky for mistreating Pozzo. There’s no logic or consistency in his concern, so his attempt at sympathy is negated by its absurdity.

Quote #11

VLADIMIR
I'm going.
POZZO
He can no longer endure my presence. I am perhaps not particularly human, but who cares? (1.401-2)

Pozzo directly contradicts his earlier statement that he is just like Estragon and Vladimir—that they all are made in God’s image. He thinks of himself as somehow above mere humans, perhaps even divine. But the line "who cares?" is an interesting one. He may mean to say that he can still relate to the men despite his not being "particularly human," but we can interpret this in another, less optimistic way: it could be that, since men can’t connect to one another anyway, it doesn’t matter whether or not Pozzo himself is human. He’s going to be isolated either way.

Quote #12

VLADIMIR
Who told you?
POZZO
He speaks to me again! If this goes on much longer we'll soon be old friends. (1.403-4)

Pozzo defines friendship by mere interaction. Communication—even poor communication—is enough to break isolation, at least in his mind.