Studies in Literature and Language
On Word-Play in The Dead Father by Donald Barthelme
Abstract
The Dead Father (1975) by Donald Barthelme recounts a quite simple story but it won Barthelme a well-deserved reputation; the most significant element for the achievements concerning this novel lies in the writing itself, which represents a splendid application of postmodern writing techniques, especially word-play. In this novel, Barthelme manages to transform the traditional rational language in a playing manner. This employment contributes The Dead Father as a typical postmodern work, which reflects the postmodern society in Barthelme’s eyes and displays prominently Barthelme’s intention and talents to evolve the literary writing techniques. Nothing of the traditional literature is safe from his challenging pen in the context of this novel: words, phrases, sentences or fables are equally dismentaled and deconstructed.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/7069
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