Searching for identity: The mutual projection of the ‘postlapsarian’ protagonist and his environment in Paul Auster’s "City of Glass"

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2005 , 23 Pages , Note: 2,3

Philologie Américaine - Littérature

This essay argues that Daniel Quinn, the protagonist of Paul Auster’s City of Glass, has a multiple personality reflected by the other characters of the novel as well as by the city. Referring to De Certeau, I will deal with the city as a text which the subject tries to read and write in search of his own identity.
After displaying his relationship to the novel’s most important figures and the way in which his own personality is projected on them, I will show that Quinn himself is a fallen creature: he does not have an identity since the breach between “signifier” and “signified” cannot be overcome, just like in ‘postlapsarian’ language.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 0. Introduction
• 1. Quinn as part of other figures
• 1.1 Quinn's fictional characters
• 1.1.1 Max Work
• 1.1.2 William Wilson
• 1.1.3 Other fictional characters – intertextual figures
• 1.2 Peter Stillman
• 1.3 Stillman sr.
• 1.4 Paul Auster
• 2. Quinn's fall
• 2.1 Loss of control
• 2.1.1 Chance and reality
• 3. Quinn as part of the city
• 3.1 The city as a text
• 3.1.1 Quinn as an author
• 3.1.2 Quinn as a reader
• 3.2 Quinn as a 'postlapsarian' character
• 4. Is there a solution?
• 5. Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This essay examines the fragmented identity of Daniel Quinn, the protagonist of Paul Auster's City of Glass, and the ways in which he is reflected in the other characters and the city itself. The main objective is to demonstrate the interconnectivity between Quinn's personality and his environment, drawing on the concept of the city as a text.

• The interplay between Quinn's multiple identities and the surrounding characters.
• The city as a textual landscape that Quinn attempts to decipher and navigate.
• Quinn's "postlapsarian" state, characterized by the loss of a cohesive identity.
• The role of chance and reality in shaping Quinn's experiences and his search for self-discovery.
• The concept of "signifier" and "signified" in relation to language and identity.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 0: Introduction: This chapter introduces the main argument of the essay, highlighting the multifaceted nature of Quinn's identity and its connection to the novel's other figures and the city itself. It also foreshadows the analysis of Quinn as a "fallen creature" with a fragmented sense of self.
• Chapter 1: Quinn as part of other figures: This chapter examines the various characters in the novel who reflect and shape Quinn's identity. It delves into the interplay between Quinn and his fictional creations, such as Max Work and William Wilson, as well as his interactions with real-life figures like Peter Stillman and the enigmatic Paul Auster.
• Chapter 2: Quinn's fall: This chapter focuses on the process of Quinn's identity disintegration, analyzing his loss of control and the blurred boundaries between reality and his fictional world. It examines the implications of chance encounters and the role of "signifier" and "signified" in shaping his fractured sense of self.
• Chapter 3: Quinn as part of the city: This chapter explores the city as a textual landscape that Quinn attempts to decipher and navigate. It delves into the ways in which Quinn interacts with the city as both an author and a reader, highlighting the city's influence on his evolving identity and his "postlapsarian" condition.
• Chapter 4: Is there a solution?: This chapter explores the possibility of Quinn finding a solution to his fragmented identity. It discusses the themes of search and discovery, questioning the potential for self-realization in a world where identity is constantly shifting and contested.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This essay focuses on the intricate relationship between identity and environment in Paul Auster's City of Glass. Key concepts include fragmented identity, the city as a text, "postlapsarian" language, intertextuality, chance and reality, "signifier" and "signified," and the blurring of boundaries between fictional and real worlds.

• Université: University of Cologne
• Note: 2,3
• Auteur: Rafaela Breuer (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2005
• Pages: 23
• N° de catalogue: V91709
• ISBN (ebook): 9783638050722
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Searching, Paul, Auster’s, City, Glass