The Sandbox: An Analytical Research Essay The absurdity of the characters in Mr. Albee's "The Sandbox" is necessarily evident from the beginning of the work. The duration of the show, less than 15 minutes, is sufficient to ensure that the audience should not be further abused by the presence of these caricatures of characters. The playwright has captured the essence of mom, dad and grandmother so effectively that there's no doubt he had been rehearsing the play in his mind for some time before putting pen to paper. The impatience and hypocrisy displayed by Mom and Dad while waiting for Grandma to die is callous and despicable. A review in the New Yorker suggests that this play's dedication to Albee's grandmother was most likely not done lightly. He was estranged from his adoptive parents. (She reportedly remarked, "They weren't very good at being parents, and I wasn't very good at being a son.") Through her portrayal of the grandmother in both "The Sandbox" and "The American Dream " one can assume he had more affection for her than her parents.(Als). In fact, it was her grandmother's trust fund that was her livelihood until she became successful. The grandmother enters the stage carried under the armpits of mum and dad, with her body rigid, her legs raised and then thrown into the sandbox, she stammers: ".....her voice is halfway between laughter and tears of a child." (Albee 1065). Dad asks Mom, "Do you think? . . do you think she's . . . comfortable?" Mom replies, “How do I know?” (1066). His incapacitated state shows the innocent helplessness of both the newborn and the elderly. This suggests mom and dad's reluctance to deal with an elderly parent or perhaps even their child. The abused grandmother in the play remembers... in the center of the card... Death's gel and came to get her, and then gives her a kiss on the forehead. She compliments him on his efforts and the curtain closes to the sound of the musician playing.(1069). The conclusion, consistent with the work and the characters, is bizarre. “Much of his most characteristic work constitutes an absurdist commentary on American life.” (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). Works Cited Albee, Edward. "The Sandbox/Game." Structure, sound and meaning of Perrine's literature. 10th ed. Boston, 2002. 1064-069. Print.Als, Hilton. "Orphans." The New Yorker 84.12 (2008). Academic research completed. Network. February 21, 2011.Kolin, P.C. "Edward Albee." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. Academic research completed. Network. February 21, 2011. Stasio, M. "ALBEE'S AGELESS DUO. Rev. of. The Sandbox Variety April 7, 2008: Web. Research Library, ProQuest Web. February 21, 2011 February 21. 2011