Paradise (Barthelme) Summary
Donald Barthelme

Paradise Summary

Paradise touches on a wide variety of themes as it explores the experiences, thoughts, and memories of its central character, Simon. Marriage, sexual and economic power, midlife crisis, generation gaps, male inadequacy, male fantasy, the element of fear in urban life, the responsibility of the artist, feminism, and religious ideas of guilt and grace all appear as concerns in the novel. Often, however, these themes remain undeveloped since Barthelme's style presents them as...

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