Walking Through Paul Auster's 'City of Glass': 'Flânerie' in his Novel

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Walking Through Paul Auster's 'City of Glass': 'Flânerie' in his Novel by Jeanette Gonsior, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jeanette Gonsior ISBN: 9783640268931
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: February 16, 2009
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Jeanette Gonsior
ISBN: 9783640268931
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: February 16, 2009
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Department of English and American Studies), course: The Flaneur and the Visual Culture of the City, 30 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: 'To stroll is a science, it is the gastronomy of the eye. To walk is to vegetate, to stroll is to live.' (Balzac, 'Physiologie du Mariage') 'City of Glass' is Paul Auster's first novel, published in 1985, after being rejected by several publishers. The first part of 'The New York Trilogy' has been translated into 17 languages so far, a fact that pleads for the novel's commercial success nowadays. An indication for the literary importance of 'City of Glass' is the continually growing number of essays, anthologies and monographs all over the world. It is undeniable that its selling success is related to the general fascination for the cosmopolitan city of New York and for detective stories, as - at first sight - Auster's novel follows the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe. However, he follows the tradition 'as creator of 'the lost ones'', as - on closer inspection - the reader has to realize that the real mystery is one of confused character identities and realities. 'City of Glass' does not meet the reader's expectations about a typical New York 'city novel': Auster created an adequate text for a modified, postmodern cityscape where all objects of the city seem like linguistic codes that need to be deciphered. The risks of the city result from the confusion of language and perception. The fear of an identity collapse comes along with the apparent collapse of the cityscape. Auster picks out the loss of stability and security in the city as central theme. He describes a world begging for order and interpretation where 'nothing is real except chance'. (...) Auster's character Quinn is a deconstructed character of postmodernism, he acts like a 'flâneur', but does not feel comfortable while walking through the city, he seems lost. New York is the 'nowhere' Quinn has built around himself. Professor Stillman also seems to stroll like a 'flâneur', but he has to fulfill an operation (in contrast to the 'classical' 'flâneur' who has no aim). Auster deconstructs the postmodern figure of the flâneur as he deconstructs the classical detective novel. Ironically, these very deconstructions help to shape the novel. Quinn can be read as flâneur adapted to a postmodern world, I argue. In the following, I will explore the relations between Auster's 'City of Glass' and concepts of 'flânerie', strolling urban observing. In order to discuss 'flânerie' in Auster's work, it is essential to take a closer look on the term first. (...)

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Department of English and American Studies), course: The Flaneur and the Visual Culture of the City, 30 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: 'To stroll is a science, it is the gastronomy of the eye. To walk is to vegetate, to stroll is to live.' (Balzac, 'Physiologie du Mariage') 'City of Glass' is Paul Auster's first novel, published in 1985, after being rejected by several publishers. The first part of 'The New York Trilogy' has been translated into 17 languages so far, a fact that pleads for the novel's commercial success nowadays. An indication for the literary importance of 'City of Glass' is the continually growing number of essays, anthologies and monographs all over the world. It is undeniable that its selling success is related to the general fascination for the cosmopolitan city of New York and for detective stories, as - at first sight - Auster's novel follows the tradition of Edgar Allan Poe. However, he follows the tradition 'as creator of 'the lost ones'', as - on closer inspection - the reader has to realize that the real mystery is one of confused character identities and realities. 'City of Glass' does not meet the reader's expectations about a typical New York 'city novel': Auster created an adequate text for a modified, postmodern cityscape where all objects of the city seem like linguistic codes that need to be deciphered. The risks of the city result from the confusion of language and perception. The fear of an identity collapse comes along with the apparent collapse of the cityscape. Auster picks out the loss of stability and security in the city as central theme. He describes a world begging for order and interpretation where 'nothing is real except chance'. (...) Auster's character Quinn is a deconstructed character of postmodernism, he acts like a 'flâneur', but does not feel comfortable while walking through the city, he seems lost. New York is the 'nowhere' Quinn has built around himself. Professor Stillman also seems to stroll like a 'flâneur', but he has to fulfill an operation (in contrast to the 'classical' 'flâneur' who has no aim). Auster deconstructs the postmodern figure of the flâneur as he deconstructs the classical detective novel. Ironically, these very deconstructions help to shape the novel. Quinn can be read as flâneur adapted to a postmodern world, I argue. In the following, I will explore the relations between Auster's 'City of Glass' and concepts of 'flânerie', strolling urban observing. In order to discuss 'flânerie' in Auster's work, it is essential to take a closer look on the term first. (...)

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Der Barcelona-Prozess by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Die Beschränkung der Frage- und Redezeit der Aktionäre in der Satzung einer AG oder durch den Versammlungsleiter by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Gesundheitsproblem Diabetes mellitus Typ 2. Präventionsmaßnahmen und Interventionen by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Der Dom zu Magdeburg - Die Baugeschichte der gotischen Kathedrale anhand des Bauwerks by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Leistungen durch ausländische Unternehmen im Reverse-Charge-Verfahren by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Das Arbeitszeugnis - Gesetzliche Grundlagen by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book The 1982 UN Convention and piracy off the coast of Somalia by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Religiöse Bildung für muslimische Kinder und Jugendliche in Deutschland by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Soziales Lernen als didaktische Komponente im Schulsport by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Staatsorganisationsrecht. Gesetzgebungskompetenz bei Subventionen, Gesetzgebungsoutsourcing, Gewaltenteilung, Insichklage des Bundestages by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Theologische Gespräche im Religionsunterricht by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Steuerliche Behandlung von Reparatur- und Modernisierungsaufwand bei den Einkünften aus Vermietung und Verpachtung by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Mahnen und Beitreiben by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Castingshows - Möglichkeit zur Identitätsstiftung und kritische Auseinandersetzung by Jeanette Gonsior
Cover of the book Das Teammeeting - Ablauf und Informationen des Projektcontrollers by Jeanette Gonsior
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy