"ANGELFOOD"

This is one of the nonsense words the deaf and dumb Orator writes on the blackboard while delivering the Old Man's message, which occurs in Part Five. The message has no meaning because the Old Man's life has been irresponsible and, as the existentialists believed, only a life of responsibility can bear meaning. The Old Man's final touch of irresponsibility is putting the onus of conveying the message onto the Orator, since he feels he cannot express himself well. One can view the Orator's butchering the message along these lines of irresponsibility, in which case Ionesco is criticizing his own irresponsibility in not transmitting the message himself. However, another possibility is that Ionesco criticizes the Orator for not understanding his message. The Orator is essentially an actor, as he looks the part, is self- absorbed, and signs autographs. At any rate, he is a frustrated playwright who feels either he or his actors have failed his work.