Jess Pacheco Gonzlez

Narrative II
Paul Auster

City of Glass Question Sheet (3-11 PDF)

[1] On the first page of the novel, what does the narrator tell us about Dan Quinn?
The information provided about Dan Quinn is that he is a thirty-five man who was once married and
had a son, but now they are dead. He wrote many mystery novels under the name of William Wilson.
The protagonist of his books is called Max Work. He published a book every five or six months. He
was really fond on reading, going to the movies, watching paintings, baseball, opera. What he liked the
most was walking down the street. He walked in rainny, sunny nor windy days, with hot, cold or snow.
The narrator describes him as a peculiar man.
[2] How does the narrator describe New York and how do you think this might be a metaphor for both
the structure of the novel and one of the novels themes?
look at page 4 of the graphic novel; page 101
New York is described as a chaotic maze where anyone can get lost in, a metonymy of chaos. A place
that no one can control. The big buildings and their glassy walls creates this confusing effect. The
citizens are some kind of pieces of a machine; they are aware of this control, but they can do anything
to change it.
In the same way Dan Quinn gets lost in the city, he feels that he is lost inside. The city of New Yorks
resembles the chaotic state of consciousness Dan Quinn is in and his identity problems.
[3] Why is Quinns relationship with the mystery/detective novels he writes? Think about his
relationship with his pseudonym. Do you know the intertextuality that Auster is flagging up when he
employs the name William Wilson. And page 8 of the graphic novel.
Quinn feels a strong admiration to William Wilson, even though they are the same person. This identity
disorder resides in the fact that William Wilson covers an ambition that Dan Quinn cannot fulfill under
his own name; being a prestigious writer. The same happens with Max Work, the main protagonist of
his novels, a fruitful detective. He feels some kind of envy upon his own creation, but when he attempts
to be a detective as well, he deribelately fails. This admiration makes that in this attempt to be a
detective, he acts in the same way of the characters of his novels.
William Wilson is also the title character in a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's use of identity
disorder and dppelgnger had a big influence on Paul Auster's work.
[4] What is Quinns relationship with his agent and why do you think he doesnt want to appear in
public?
Business and money. No intimacy in their relationship, he just connects Quinn with the publisher. He
doesn't appear in the novel as well as any other person directly related to Quinn appears (friends,
family...). He is antisocial and only cares about his pseudo identities, not about himself.
[5] What is Quinns relationship with Max Work, the character he has created? in graphic novel. Think

about the genre that Quinn writes and comment on what you know about the staples of this genre. How
does the name Auster gives this character have to do with one of the sub-themes in the novel?
Max Work is a clever and brave representation of Dan Quinn. That's way Quinn is based on Max Work
to carry out his detective role. Dan Quinn created a perfect detective model in creating Max Work, so
Quinn is supposed to know how a good detective should be, but he fails when he puts his knowledge in
practice.
[6] The narrator states that, the writer and the detective are interchangeable. Comment on this.
While writing mystery novels, Quinn creates fictitious detective characters at the same time he creates
an imaginary writer who takes his own role; William Wilson. Once he gets involved in Stillman's case,
he is again playing the role of the detective and writer at the same time, but this case, in the first person.
The story is constructed by detectives and writers.
[7] From what we have discussed so far, look at all the different questions about authorship that the
novel presents and comment on how this becomes a postmodern technique of narrating. Look at page
26 of the graphic novel.
Intertextuality, antifoundationalism, and ontological questions are the main features that makes City of
Glass a complete postmodernist novel. It is intertextual; the writer uses numerous intertextual devices,
one of them is the Don Quixote reference. Auster draws the existence of other books to construct his
own novel. Secondly, it is antifoundationalist; the author disputes the foundations. Every issue, rule or
belief is questioned. Paul Auster questions the fact of authorship. In a few words; he deconstructs the
model of the author and equalizes it to the reader. The last feature is the existential questions;
ontological questions. Withing this, we also find some identity questions.
The Fight Club

Chuck Palahniuk

Question Sheet (taken from chapters 1-3 of PDF)

Questions for chapter one.

[1] Palahniuks novels have a tendency to begin en media res. What does this mean and what effect
does it have on the reader?
Palahniuk's novels tend to start in the chronological end, and then relate all the events that lead to that
end from the beginning. This creates an state of defamiliarization, where everything is confusing and
unfamiliar so that the reader pays true attention.
[2] What effect does the opening of Fight Club have on the reader? Analyses the descriptions and how
these may have a symbolic content and also of how the opening of the book is subversive. Think of the
building, its name. Pp 3-6.
The opening of Fight Club creates an initial impact to attract the reader's attention from the very
beginning. The barrel of a gun within Jack's mouth, the thorough descriptions of the bombing mission
of the building and the countdown creates a tension that makes the reader to be alert and aware of what
is going on.
This also has to deal with defamiliarization again; from the opening and so on, the readers know that all
the story is a retrospection, and all the flashes (back and forwards) serve as a tool to build and explain

the storyline.
The Parker-Morris is the name of the building Tyler and Jack are standing on. This place is
fundamental because it reminds to that commodified world of offices and bureaucracy Tyler is always
blaming.
[4] Tyler tells the narrator, "This is your life, and it's ending, one minute at a time." What impact do
these lines have?
In these lines, Tyler tells the narrator that his life is ending little by little and he is not appreciating it.
This is your life means Carpe diem, and it's ending, one minute at a time means Tempus fugit.
Which is the same; you only live once, and time flies. He wishes a radical change, and from that
repressed desire, Tyler is born.
Questions for Chapter Two pp 7-13 PDF
[3] Where is the protagonist? Why do you think he goes to this place and how does it reflect upon him?
The protagonist is in a testicar cancel support group. He finds temporary relief by attending them. In
some way, he rejoices in the pain and suffering of other people. He may feel better that way. He is also
attracted by death, that's why he joins a group where the attenders are relatively close to death. Another
reason is that, in the support group, he is seeking the paternal affection he never had.
[4] What effect does visiting these support groups have on the protagonist? How do you feel about the
protagonist doing these kinds of things?
In these support groups people are not what they own; these support groups are sort of prelude of the
fight club and the mayhem project, the starting point from Jack to carry them out. Jack needs help, and
what I feel and most of the readers may do is empathy, the author makes clear for us that Jack is not
okay and we have to figure out how will he solve this. In fact, he meets Tyler after getting away from
these support groups. The fact that he beats himself thinking that he is punching Tyler makes us think
that he hates himself, so that he injures himself. This kind of obscene issues are very common in the
texts considered as dangerous writings.
Questions for Chapter Three pp14-20 PDF
[5] There is something disquieting about how the narrator keeps introducing Tyler. Look for all the
passages that describe Tyler and see if you identify what is happening in the narrative from what you
know from the film.
The reader is always provided suspicious and ambiguous arguments about how Jack met Tyler. The
readers surely doubt about his existence from this point. Also, the way the main triangular of the story
(Marla-Tyler-Jack) never stands together at the same time, makes the reader not to get comfortable and
to analyze what is happening.
[6] Why do you think the author suddenly goes into a detailed description of Tylers job as a film
projectionist and how does this tie in with one of the books main motifs.
This is a metaphor of how Tyler works behind the world, how he manages everything; he switched the

reels and fill them with momentary pornographic photograms, and serves food where he has urinatwed
in before. He is some kind of ruler, a God, the illuminated man in Plato's allegory of the cave. The
author details the descriptions to validate Tyler's existence (a detailed lie seems more likely to be true).
[7] One of the features of Palahniuks writing is repetitions (the author calls them choruses). In chapter
three can you detect some of these repetitions? What purpose do these repetitions have?
Defamiliarization and emphasis. The characters always present ambiguity in their utterances and seem
likely to distort reality. When Jack sees Marla at the support group and stares at her, he repeats the
same word on his mind; Faker Faker Faker. This makes the reader pay attention on the focusing of this
repeated word. It involves the reader to notice what is happening in that fictional reality.
[8] Can you comment on Palahniuks style of writing and does it remind you of any other author we
have seen on this course? How do you think the form he uses suits the themes he wants to put across?
Palahniuk uses slang terms, and provides a reflexive narrative that sets Jack as an unrealiable narrator.
This is similar to Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. In both, the reader is only presented a partial reality,
that it may be true or not but it's not complete.
The Naked Lunch
Benway
[1] Who is the narrator of this episode of Benway? P31
The narrator is a man who contacts Dr. Benway to begin a new project called Islam Incorporated.
Benway agrees to work with the narrator for Islam Incorporated.
[2] Look at the descriptions that the narrator gives on the use of control over the individual. There are
many. How is this control brought about? Who is it that exercises this control? Give specific examples.
What kind of genre do you think this kind of narrative belongs to and can you think of any other kinds
of novels that fit into this genre? Pp 31-32
The arbitrary punishments are given for everyday offenses instead of using physical torture.
Demoralizing and mental tortures are the employed methods. The police state is encouraged to exercise
this control.
In page 21. we can see how a patient is psychologycally bullied;
Yes. Says Benwaym they still have reflexes. Watch this. Benway takes a chocolate bar from his
pocket, removes the wrapper and holds it in front of the man's nose. The man sniffs. His jaws begin to
work. He makes snatching motions with his hands. Saliva drips from his mouth and hangs off his chin
in long streamers. His stomach rumbles. His whole body writhes in peristalsis. Benway steps back and
holds up the chocolate. The man drops to his knees, throws back his head and barks. Benway tosses the
chocolate. The man snaps at it, misses, scrambles around on the floor making slobbering noises. He
crawls under the bed, finds the chocolate and crams it into his mouth with both hands.
This controversial book is an experimental novel, and also it fits into the obscene narrative genre. Some
other novels that fit into this genre could be James Joyce's Ulysses, Gustave Flaubert's Madame
Bovary and Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange.

[3] What is the name of the place where all this takes place? P33
Freeland, a form of limbo where we learn of Islam Inc.
[4] What has Benway to say about the use of torture? P33
Benway says that in general, he avoids the use of torture. He claims that it locates the opponent and
mobilizes resistance. To this idea, he literally adds that the threat of torture is useful to induce in the
subject the appropiate feeling of helplesness and gratitude to the interrogator for withholding it. And
torture can be employed to advantage as a penalty when the subject is far enough along with the
treatment to accept punishment as deserved.
[5] p 35-36 Benway now launches into a tirade about drugs. What is the final outcome of drug use as
far as Benway is concerned? Can you think of any historic event where drugs are used as a means of
control?
Benway concluded that the use of drugs could be justified as a relief of life. The process involved the
disconnection of the hypothalamus, which is the center of psychic energy and libido. That is, to make
the patients unaware of life, what they are living and what they are suffering.
In the 1930s, ther introduction of government drug controls aggravated the issue, instead of solving it.
When you create laws that make being an addict a crime, rather than possessing an illegal substance,
you create a police state where beliefs are controlled instead of actions.
This is closely related to the medical experiments of the Holocaust and Nazi medicine, where drugs
was used to as an experimental and narcotic weapon.
What are the specific references to sexual control and what do you think Burroughs might be criticizing
through his exaggerated dystopia?
Sex is also used in the same way as drugs. It becomes a tool for manipulation and blackmail.
Sometimes it is even taken further, when a person literally takes over the body and mind of another. In
Naked Lunch sex is always mainly concerned with power. To have sex is to exert control over the body
of another, whether it is willingly or unwillingly.
[6] On page 36 the narrative shifts from the digression on Benway. Identify where this shift is.
The constant conversational shifts made him rave about personal and past events of his life.
[7] 36-40 Where does Benway show the narrator around? How is this place described and what kind of
impression does it produce on the reader?
The R.C, a sort of operating and recruitment room. The narrator feels both fascinated and disgusted at
the same time.
[8] 41 Benway now gives his theory about addiction to junk (heroin). What is his theory? Are there any
parallels with Benways comments and the personal experiences of William Burroughs?
The theory is based on the use of morphine on the back brain to imatete a stimulation similar to schizo
substance. In the terminal stage of schizophrenia the back brain is permanently depressed. The result is

the permanent blackbrain depression and a state much like schizophrenia.

[9] 41 What does Benway have to say about the control of homosexuality in Freeland?
Benway observed that all his homosexual patients showed strong unconscious heterosex trends and
also on the other way around. He asserts that homosexuality does not occur to anyone as conceivable
behaviour and that homosexuality is a political crime in matriarchy, and that in Freeland, they are not
matriarchy.
Through Benway, William Burroughs unmasks deeply held assumptions about sexual normality, and
the economic and social function of normality. Through this chapter and the entire novel in itself, we
can see a fictionalised account of a normalising process. Burroughs shows this progressive attitude
to be just as steeped in judgemental moralising as the previous methods: it is merely an evolution of
methods of control.
[10] Burrows is famous for his cut and fold technique. Burroughs discovered the cutup in 1959 in
Paris through his friend Brion Gysin, a painter. Can you see how in this section on Benway he uses this
technique? Look at how the narrative begins on p42 on the roof of the R.C. and then try and map all the
narrative shifts that continue right up until the next section, Joselito begins.
Burroughs immediately saw in the cutup method the similarity to the juxtaposition technique he had
used in Naked Lunch and began extensive experiments with text. The cutup consists in cutting up
passages of prose by himself and other writers and then pastes them back together at random. This
literary version of the collage technique is also supplemented by literary use of other media. Burroughs
transcribed taped cutups, film cutups, and mixed media experiments . Thus Burroughs's use of cutups
develops his juxtaposition technique to its logical conclusion as an experimental prose method, and he
also makes use of all contemporary media, expanding his use of popular culture.