Carpenter's Gothic

William Gaddis

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morally ambiguous characters

dark satire

themes of abuse and isolation

carpenter's gothic setting

ironic and layered narrative

fragmented prose

complex plot with interconnected characters

symbolism of decay and dysfunction

slow pacing with extensive dialogue

societal critique

bleak and challenging world

The novel 'Carpenter's Gothic' by William Gaddis follows the life of Elizabeth 'Liz' Booth and her husband Paul as they rent a house from a mysterious man named McCandless. The story unfolds in a form of dialogue, with intersecting monologues and unattributed speech, revealing different elements of the plot as the novel progresses. The setting of the house, described as a 'Carpenter's Gothic' style, becomes a character in itself, symbolizing deception and illusions. The characters navigate through themes of abuse, isolation, and cynicism, creating a bleak and challenging world for the reader to explore.

Characters:

Characters are morally ambiguous and often unlikable, contributing to themes of isolation, abuse, and societal critique.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by extensive dialogue and fragmented prose, creating an ironic and layered narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is complex, featuring interconnected characters and their turbulent relationships, primarily set within the confines of a single house.

Setting:

The setting is a Carpenter's Gothic house, which symbolizes decay and dysfunction, mirroring the characters' inner turmoil.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow, primarily driven by long dialogues that build tension rather than traditional narrative action.

The bird, a pigeon was it? or a dove (she'd found there were doves here) flew through the air, its colour lost in what light remained. It might have been the wad of rag she'd taken it for at first gla...

Notes:

Carpenter's Gothic is one of William Gaddis's shorter novels and is highly regarded despite being considered his weakest by some.

The book takes place entirely inside a house, which itself is a character in the story.

The architectural style of Carpenter's Gothic reflects the novel's themes, combining outside appearances with inner chaos.

The story features a complex plot involving themes of American neo-colonialism, masculinity, and hypocrisy.

It depicts the lives of characters dealing with issues like addiction, abuse, and self-righteousness.

The novel employs a unique writing style with extensive dialogue and minimal descriptive prose, challenging the reader's understanding.

Gaddis uses characters to satirize aspects of American culture, such as televangelism and greed.

There's a focus on overlapping monologues, creating a chaotic narrative that reflects the characters' isolation.

Paul, one of the main characters, represents a self-absorbed and abusive husband, while Liz is a psychologically trapped woman.

The book is described as dark and bleak, presenting a world without compassion or love.

Many readers find the dialogue hilarious yet deeply realistic, adding to the overall experience of the novel.

Thematically, the book questions existence, truth, and the facades people maintain in life.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of domestic abuse, mental health struggles, alcohol abuse, and cynicism regarding religion and society.

From The Publisher:

This story of raging comedy and despair centers on the tempestuous marriage of an heiress and a Vietnam veteran. From their "carpenter gothic" rented house, Paul sets himself up as a media consultant for Reverend Ude, an evangelist mounting a grand crusade that conveniently suits a mining combine bidding to take over an ore strike on the site of Ude's African mission.

At the still center of the breakneck action--revealed in Gaddis's inimitable virtuoso dialoge—is Paul's wife, Liz, and over it all looms the shadowy figure of McCandless, a geologist from whom Paul and Liz rent their house.

As Paul mishandles the situation, his wife takes the geologist to her bed and a fire and aborted assassination occur; Ude issues a call to arms as harrowing as any Jeremiad--and Armageddon comes rapidly closer.

Displaying Gaddis's inimitable virtuoso dialogue, and his startling treatments of violence and sexuality, Carpenter's Gothic "shows again that Gaddis is among the first rank of contemporary American writers" (Malcolm Bradbury, The Washington Post Book World).

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