VLADIMIR: {}. We'll see when the time comes. {} I was saying that things have changed here since yesterday.ESTRAGON: Everything oozes.VLADIMIR: Look at the tree.ESTRAGON: It's never the same pus from one second to the next.VLADIMIR: The tree, look at the tree. ESTRAGON: Was it not there yesterday?VLADIMIR: Yes of course it was there. Do you not remember? We nearly hanged ourselves from it. But you wouldn't. Do you not remember?ESTRAGON: You dreamt it.VLADIMIR: Is it possible you've forgotten already?ESTRAGON: That's the way I am. Either I forget immediately or I never forget.
In this dialogue from "Waiting for Godot," Vladimir and Estragon engage in a conversation that highlights a theme of memory and change. Vladimir tries to remind Estragon of a significant event involving a tree, suggesting that time has altered their surroundings and experiences. Estragon's responses indicate a lack of recollection or perhaps a different perception of their shared past, suggesting a disconnect between their realities. This exchange emphasizes the uncertainty of memory and the difficulties in grasping one's history.
The mention of the tree serves as a symbol of continuity amidst change. While Vladimir believes the past to be evident and memorable, Estragon exhibits a more fluid relationship with time and memory, often forgetting or questioning what has happened. This conversation reflects the broader existential themes of the play, as the characters grapple with their identities, the passage of time, and the significance of their actions, or inactions, in the absurd world they inhabit.
