God of Carnage: Analysis of Major Characters
"God of Carnage" is a play that examines the intricate dynamics between two sets of parents following a schoolyard incident between their sons, Bruno Vallon and Ferdinand Reille. The story unfolds in a single afternoon as Véronique Vallon, an upper-middle-class French writer, invites Ferdinand's parents, Alain and Annette Reille, over to discuss the altercation. Each character embodies different societal roles and attitudes: Véronique strives for civility and humanistic ideals, while her husband Michel exhibits a more uncouth demeanor, revealing his discomfort with parenting. Alain, a sharp lawyer, oscillates between aggression and contrition, struggling to manage the fallout of his son’s actions while remaining preoccupied with his work. Annette, the wealth manager, grapples with her own frustrations, both with her husband and the situation at hand, leading to explosive confrontations after they all indulge in alcohol. The play skillfully highlights how civility can quickly erode under pressure, revealing the darker nature of human behavior. Ultimately, "God of Carnage" serves as a compelling exploration of how adult conflicts can mirror, escalate, and complicate the innocence of childhood disputes.
God of Carnage: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Yasmina Reza
Alternate Title: Le dieu du carnage
First published: 2007 (English translation, 2008)
Genre: Play
Locale: Paris, France
Plot: Comedy; domestic drama
Time: November 2005
Véronique Vallon, a married French writer and the mother of two young children. In her forties, she is an upper-middle-class French woman who prides herself on her humanistic, reasonable, and civilized outlook on life. After her eleven-year-old son Bruno is hit by Ferdinand Reille, a boy of the same age, she invites Ferdinand's parents over one afternoon to talk about the incident. She reads to the Reilles her statement about the incident between the boys on November 3. She wants Ferdinand to apologize sincerely to Bruno. With the issue between the boys almost settled, Véronique becomes angry when Annette Reille gets sick and vomits on her art books on the coffee table. As all four adults get drunk together, Veronique insists on her humanist principles in the face of Alain Reille's taunts. Upset at Michel for belittling her, she hits him. She also throws Annette's handbag at the door.
Michel Vallon, a French owner of a wholesale household goods company. In his forties, he appears to be decent and good-natured. He supports his wife Véronique's idea to invite the parents of the boy who attacked their son, Bruno, to their home. At first, Michel is accommodating, but he does take some pride in his son's wildness. He admits to his phobia of rodents and his disposal of his daughter Camille's hamster. He offers rum to everyone, and the adults get drunk in the afternoon. Intoxicated, Michel starts to fight with his wife and their guests. His language becomes cruder, and he uses obscenities. He prides himself in being uncouth and in his belief that children lead to disaster in a marriage. In the end, Michel questions the validity of all human knowledge.
Alain Reille, a sharp lawyer. A fortysomething upper-middle-class Frenchman, Alain combines a bright mind with underlying aggression. He immediately objects to the wording in Véronique's statement about his son's attack on Bruno, trying to soften its language. At first, he appears contrite and accommodating. Yet he considers his son a savage and doubts his apology will be sincere. He is constantly on his cell phone with a client and a colleague, trying to avert a scandal. After the adults get drunk, Alain challenges Véronique's humanism. Alain tells her he believes that a god of carnage rules the universe. When his angry, drunk wife, Annette, takes his cell phone and drops it into a flower vase, he deflates mentally.
Annette Reille, a French wealth manager. In her forties, she is married to Alain and is the mother of their son Ferdinand. She appears somewhat protective of her son. She gets increasingly annoyed by her husband's endless talks on his cell phone during the meeting with the Vallons. Annette violently vomits over Véronique's art books on the table and Alain's suit. After they clean up the mess, she joins the other three in getting drunk on rum, and their conversation deteriorates. She reveals her misgivings about Alain and also attacks the Vallons verbally. Finally, she throws her husband's cell phone into a flower vase, silencing it. She gets upset when Veronique throws her handbag at the door, breaking her compact inside. She swipes the two vases full of flowers onto the floor, shattering them.
Bruno Vallon, the son of Véronique and Michel Vallon. He is an eleven- year-old French boy who remains offstage during the play. A few days before the adults meet, two of his incisors were broken after Ferdinand Reille hit him in the face with a stick. As the adults meet, Bruno's dentist tries to save the nerve of his right incisor. Initially, Bruno did not want to reveal the name of his attacker, but his mother Véronique persuaded him to do so. The incident apparently began when Bruno refused to let Ferdinand join his clique of friends. Bruno called Ferdinand a “grass,” slang for a tattletale, for which Ferdinand hit him. The play ends before Bruno is scheduled to come home at five o'clock.
Ferdinand Reille, the son of Alain and Annette Reille. He is an eleven-year-old French boy who remains offstage during the play. On the afternoon of November 3, after being insulted and excluded by Bruno Vallon, he hit Bruno in the face with a stick, breaking two of Bruno's teeth. Ferdinand does not appear contrite over his action, as his parents reluctantly indicate to the Vallons.