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Lost in the Postmodern Era Henry Shepard University of Southern Mississippi The Catalyst Volume 2 | Issue 1 Article 3 2012 Lost in the Postmodern Era Henry Shepard University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: http://aquila.usm.edu/southernmisscatalyst Recommended Citation Shepard, Henry (2012) "Lost in the Postmodern Era," The Catalyst: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 3. DOI: 10.18785/cat.0201.03 Available at: http://aquila.usm.edu/southernmisscatalyst/vol2/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in The aC talyst by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. n John Barth's "Lost in the Fun­ Lost in the Postmodern Era Barth also discusses the I house," a char- need to rediscover conven­ acter named Ambrose Henry Shepard tional devices used in litera­ winds up lost in the ture: "After which, I add on confines of a funhouse, an attraction that is supposed to offer en­ behalf of the rest of us, it might joyment by mixing the uncertain with adventure. 1 However, this be conceivable to rediscover story is not told through conventional means, as the narrator of this validly the artifices of language tale is lost himself. The narrator, while focused on telling the tale and literature - such far-out of Ambrose, is also distracted by the various literary devices and notions as grammar, punctua­ techniques of putting a fictional work together. The narrator's ob­ tion ... even characterization! servation of how the piece is being put together as the work un­ Even plot!" ("Literature of Ex­ folds, or of any type of device that makes the reader aware that he haustion" 3). Here Barth spells or she is indeed reading a form of fiction, is known as metafiction. out exactly what his narrator John Barth's use of metafiction in "Lost in the Fun house" stops the is doing in "Lost in the Fun­ reader from fulfilling his or her role by reflecting on how the story house." Through the narrator's is pieced together stylistically. That is, metafiction stops the reader explanation to the reader con­ from discovering the secrets of the work for themselves, as the in­ cerning exactly how the story is ner workings are spilled out in plain text. By doing this, Barth also pieced together, Barth is redis­ splits the narrator into two "selves." There is a story-centered voice, covering or exploring the liter­ the self that wishes to convey the story (the self that still believes ary devices he uses every day there is a story to tell), and there is a metafictional voice which ex­ in order to question the old as­ plains exactly how the story is put together and by doing so dispels sumptions of the craft. Mainly, the notion that there is an original way in which to tell a story. These he focuses on characterization, two voices are working against each other throughout "Lost in the plot, and form in "Lost in the Funhouse." However, Barth also mixes these sentiments together Funhouse." Specifically, "Lost when Ambrose is lost in the funhouse, thereby reflecting the read­ in the Funhouse" is an example er's frustration of trying to represent experience in the postrnodem of one of his "novels that imi­ era. tate the form of a Novel, by an The narrator in "Lost in the Funhouse" is very similar to a voice author who imitates the role of found in John Barth's essay "The Literature of Exhaustion," spe­ an Author" ("Literature of Ex­ cifically during times where the narrator is revealing exactly what haustion" 6). Again he achieves he is doing in order to tell the story. During these times, a bit of this through his use of metafic­ Barth's personal thoughts are being mixed with the story in order to tion. By examining how he has create a metafictional work expressing Barth's ideas. He wrote this put together the story, Barth essay to explore the notion of "the used-upedness of certain forms is exploring the main role of or exhaustion of certain possibilities" in literature. 2Specifically, he an author. Authors try, at all explores the idea that the possibilities for novel writing have been costs, to hide their hand within exhausted, and that for literature to continue existing, it must move the story; they do not want the into a new era ofintermedia art. He lists some examples ofinterme­ reader to think about reading a dia art, including Robert Filliou's Ample Food for Stupid Thought, story while reading their story. a work comprised entirely of questions written on postcards, and However, the use of metafiction Jorge Luis Borges' work "TlOn, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius," which in­ makes it almost impossible for cludes footnotes for works that exist in the imaginary world ofTlOn. the reader to maintain this de­ sire, as the inner workings of 9 the story are explicitly spelled where we first meet Ambrose, ments that examine how the out to them while they are read­ read, "A single straight under­ work is put together). ing it. The effect here is to stop line is the manuscript mark for A good example of the voices the reader from fulfilling his or italic type, which in turn is the continually mixing together is her normal role. Barth does so printed equivalent to oral em­ through the characterization of by not fulfilling his own role phasis of words and phrases [. the relationship between Am­ as an author, but merely imitat­ ..] They should be used spar­ brose and Magda. Barth knows ing it. He covers the responsi­ ingly" (72). The metafictional that characterization can be bilities of an author in "Lost in voice reads like a textbook and strongly achieved through ac­ the Funhouse," but he also ex­ is seemingly (but not entirely) tion. For example: plains how his tricks work, thus unrelated to the story, as Am­ betraying his actual role. It's brose has nothing to do with comparable to a magician who how italics are used in literature. Ambrose pushed his glasses reveals the secret to his trick as However, this metafictional back onto the bridge of his nose he is doing it. side of the narrator, evident by with hi s left hand, which he Unlike the magician, howev­ the complete change of subject then negligently let fall to the er, Barth has a reason for show­ matter, tone, and voice, is not seat cushion immediately be­ ing his hand in "Lost in the Fun­ telling Ambrose's story but the hind her. He even permitted the house." In order to discover this story of how Ambrose's story is single hair, gold on the second reason, one must look closely put together. Both sides of the joint of his thumb to brush the at what Barth is doing with the narrator are working together to fabric of her skirt. Should she narrator throughout the piece. tell the story ofAmbrose and the have sat back at that instant, his The first few lines of "Lost in funhouse, but each side is fo­ hand would have been caught the Funhouse" read, "For whom cused on a different aspect of the under her. (77) is the funhouse fun? Perhaps for story. The narrator's split selves start off on completely differ­ lovers. For Ambrose it is a place This passage ts written m ent sides with distinct voices, of f ear and confusion. He has only one voice, the story-cen­ but they continually mix with come to the seashore with his tered votce, and it suggests each other in an attempt both to family for the holiday. ." (72). Barth cares about the Ambrose tell the story and to explore the These sentences are all consis­ story despite his interruptions possibilities that exist in writing tent with each other; they each with notes on style. The detail it. In a way the two narrating sound as though they have the in which he describes the situ­ voices reflect the sentiments in same speaker. The voice here ation brings the nervous energy "The Literature of Exhaustion," is the first side of the narrator of a first love alive through hes­ where Barth explains he is both who wants to continue with the itation. The tension created by worried about representing ex­ story of Ambrose and his trip the lingering questions, will she perience in a refreshing way to Ocean City. This self is the sit back, what will happen if she (represented by the constant story-centered voice. However, does, brings these characters to effort to continue the story of in this opening passage, we also life in a way that suggests that Ambrose), as well as worried meet the metafictional side of Barth wants to tell the story. It about how the story is being narrator, the one that reflects would have been easy to riddle pieced together in regards to the Barth's ideas in "The Literature a cliched story of love with exploration of old assumptions of Exhaustion." The metafic­ metafictional aspects to express of his craft (represented by the tional voice's first lines, in the Barth's feelings of "The Litera- middle of the same paragraph metafic- tiona! ele- 10 ture of Exhaustion," but by go­ metafictional side of the nar­ with writing in a postmodern ing to such lengths to present a rator notes that the story's title era, of which this story is a re­ fully original story, Barth shows is "Lost in the Funhouse" and sult.
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