| William Gaddis' novel, Carpenter's Gothic, is written almost completely in dialogue. It is the story of Liz, a struggling writer, and her husband Paul, a vietnam vet struggling to set up a buisness as a media consultant. The couple rent a house in the Hudson Valley, from the mysterious McCandless. Paul represents Reverende Ude, a missionary trying to garner support for his cause. However, when a little boy drowns when Ude is baptising him, Paul is face with a great professional challenge. This puts strain on his marriage with Liz, who seeks solace in the arms of their landlord McCandless. As communication between the couple breaks down completely, Liz becomes isolated and desperate. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - depressed Time/era of story - 1980's-1999 Romance/Romance Problems Yes Kind of romance: Political/social activism Yes Plotlet: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Unusual characteristics: Main Adversary Identity: - society Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 () United States Yes The US: - Northeast Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - touching of anatomy - actual description of hetero sex Amount of dialog - mostly dialog |
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