God of Carnage interrogates the paradox of “civilized” conflict resolution, suggesting that the more people attempt to control a disagreement, the more chaotic it can become. What begins as a rational discussion about accountability quickly devolves into personal attacks, marital breakdowns, and physical altercations. Reza satirizes the futility of bureaucratic conflict resolution when human hearts (and egos) are involved, showing that even well-intentioned efforts to mediate disputes can have violent impacts - whether they are hijacked by underlying resentments or unresolved tensions. By the end of the play, all characters have abandoned the pretenses of modern societal norms, demonstrating human nature is often overshadowed by unprocessed emotions and reactivity, rather than balanced, intellectualized reconciliation.

In God of Carnage, Reza offers a biting critique of marriage and traditional gender roles, exposing the unspoken resentments and power struggles that exist beneath the surface of seemingly stable relationships. Throughout the play, the couples oscillate between supporting and undermining their spouses, revealing the subconscious transactional nature of their marriages. Alan, the emotionally detached lawyer, dismisses his wife Annette’s concerns, reducing her to a secondary role in both their personal and professional lives. Meanwhile, Michael and Veronica’s relationship is marked by passive-aggressive jabs and simmering frustration, highlighting the tensions between traditional masculinity and modern expectations of emotional engagement.As the evening unravels, the characters revert to gendered stereotypes—men asserting dominance through aggression or indifference, and women forcefully resorting to physiological outbursts or caretaking behaviors. This exploration of marriage in the twenty-first century suggests that beneath the polished exterior of partnership lies a battleground of unmet needs, shifting power dynamics, and deeply ingrained societal expectations.