There's no question that this is a difficult book, probably the most
difficult thing you'll read this semester. Dark Decade strikes me as a sort
of postmodern morality play -- and I think the allusion to Brecht is very
apt. Since I'm the one mainly responsible for inflicting this on you all
(and yes, my own class will be reading it too), here's my take on the cast
of characters (seems like the least I can do):
O. ("I") The exiled narrator, first introduced on p. 39
The Man The President of the United States of America
Sterling Paxton A politician (AKA "father F.")
Damage An associate of Paxton's
Silva Sloane A movie star
Work An avant garde poet
Dyna Work's lover
Palmer Reed A computer programmer and Dyna's brother
Aldo A painter and friend of Palmer Reed
Oolga The narrator's sister, a missionary living in Calyso
Dr. Pop A dictator, head of the provisional government of Calyso
Big Glen A mercenary in the service of Dr. Pop
Pidgin & Squeak Leaders of the children's crusade
Obviously Drucker's language is opaque. So the question then becomes, what
purpose does that opacity serve? I think Todd's on the right track with some
of his stuff about recuperating language -- and Royal Trux.
--Matt
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Matthew G. Kirschenbaum University of Virginia
mgk3k@virginia.edu Department of English
http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~mgk3k/ Electronic Text Center