Pale Horse, Pale Rider

The theater is a key part of Pale Horse, Pale Rider. The theater symbolizes performance, as every character in the story is performing to some extent. Miranda recognizes the insincerity of society. She believes that everyone is simply performing their emotions to one another, as though society is itself a theater. The characters don’t want to confront their raw, honest emotions, so they perform more socially acceptable alternatives to one another. Only in secret can they break away from this performance. Towney, for example, knits a sweater. She knits in public, so that most people assume she’s knitting a garment for a soldier, thereby contributing to the war effort. However, she confesses to Miranda that she’s knitting the sweater for herself. The act of knitting is a performance: Towney is performing patriotism for society—while acting out of self-interest—because she fears the reprisal of being seen as someone who isn’t patriotic. The Liberty Bond salesmen function in the same manner, expecting everyone to publicly perform their patriotism in a spectacular, obvious manner. The theater is an important symbol in the story because it’s not just a building. The entire society is a theater in which characters perform roles and emotions to one another.

When Miranda visits the theater with Chuck, an actor accosts her, demanding an apology for a critical review Miranda wrote about one of his performances. Like Towney’s knitting, the actor fears what will happen if people know the truth about him. A critical review undermines his performance and limits his ability to take part in the theater (and, by extension, to contribute to society). The actor is concerned that he won’t be able to secure future roles, and he wants Miranda to know that his past performances were well reviewed. The believability of his acting is extremely important to the actor, suggesting that he’s aware on some level of the theater’s symbolic importance. He understands that everyone needs to perform constantly and that, as a professional actor, he should be among the best performers. If he can’t secure roles, if he can’t act, he’d be shut out of the theater. He fears being shut out because, to him, this equates to social ostracization. The actor willingly engages in the symbolism of the theater, investing his performances (and the reviews of his performances) with a level of importance and validity that go beyond just a job. The theater symbolizes society, and the actor’s desire to remain in the theater and deliver convincing performances symbolizes his urge to function in the performative society.

For the characters in the story, the theater fulfils a social role too. The theater is a chance to escape the grind of wartime existence. Miranda and Adam go to the theater because she’s professionally obliged to review the performances. However, sitting in the dark of the audience gives them an opportunity to spend time alone without being scrutinized. They can hold hands and simply exist with one another, allowing themselves to put aside their thoughts about war and illness—and instead focus on each other. The actual play is irrelevant in these moments; the theater symbolizes the escapism necessary for the characters to maintain their sanity in a difficult time. Miranda and Adam don’t go to the theater because they enjoy the dramatic productions. They go because they enjoy each other’s company, and the theater provides a place to be together without the crushing pressure of society. They can escape from the news, from other people, and from their own anxieties.