Tales of Ordinary Madness Chapter Summary & Analysis - Purple as an Iris Summary

Purple as an Iris Summary

Inside an insane asylum Bukowski describes how, when the men's and women's wards mix together, the patients immediately pair off and have sex. They get away with this breach in protocol because the staff is also busy having sex with each other. Once, Bukowski has sex with a girl named Mary in the ladies' room. He also collects drugs prescribed to him from the doctor and sells them to other patients. In general, he is a troublemaker.

One day, he and Mary go up into a barn to have sex. In the middle of intercourse, Bukowski and Mary are discovered by a team of orderlies. They gawk at his purple penis and are tempted to take advantage of him until the doctor arrives. The doctor punishes him but Bukowski knows that the sex with Mary is worth the suspension of his privileges.

Purple as an Iris Analysis

The idea that sex can cure insanity drives...
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