A play like this could be extremely depressing, but it is rarely sad or maudlin. The men are funny, and their characters are so bizarre that the audience is always waiting to see what they think of next. The comedy is broad and slapstick, which draws the audience in and makes the characters extremely sympathetic. They are not afraid to act outrageously or laugh at themselves, but they want to be taken seriously just the same. Even though the audience does not know much about their backgrounds, they are still extremely likeable, and the audience finds themselves hoping they will make good on their attempt to escape and enjoy just one more adventure in life.
Perhaps the most interesting image in the play is the row of poplars that edges the garden where they carry out most of their imagined escapes. The poplars come up often in the play - the wind...
Unfortunately, he is afraid to leave the home, even though he has only been there a few months. Henri is the down-to-earth member of the group, who finally decides he does not want to take part in the expedition, which sours the others on him. Finally, Philippe is the funniest of the three, due to an unfortunate war wound. He has shrapnel in his brain that causes him to
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