“Night-Sea Journey” John Barth Lost in the Funhouse

Outline Introduction: John Barth Lost in the Funhouse: "Oh God comma I abhor self-consciousness.“ “Night-Sea Journey”

Introduction: John Barth Prolific and influential metafictionist His first few novels are existentialist dark comedy (e.g. The Floating Opera, The End of the Road), and his novels become longer and more intricate (in the over-plotting track). Literature of Exhaustion (1967) Lost in the Funhouse (1968) -- influenced by the revolutionary passion of the time, highly experimental.

Literature of Exhaustion & Replenishment Exhaustion:  Realism –a dead end;  Today’s novelists need to confront the exhaustion of realist literary techniques-- “an artist may paradoxically turn the felt ultimacies of our time into material and means for his work -- paradoxically, because by doing so he transcends what had appeared to be his refutation (71). ...novels which imitate the form of the Novel, by an author who imitates the role of Author (72)”  his own novels as examples –the use of labyrinth Literature of Replenishment: a creative synthesis of realism, modernism and postmodernism.

Lost in the Funhouse Starts with “Frame Tale” -- the Moebius Strip ( 《魔比斯環》 ) -- endless circle with a twist in the middle.  circular, self-referential The growth of Ambrose as a sperm  a child  and then his struggling with writing  and his mythic tales.

"Night Sea Journey" Although this story is about a sperm, it can also be interpreted as a story about an artist or human beings in general. Clues – p. 7; 8, 11 A swimmer-hero + a She  in a night- sea and maker of future night-seas;

1. Different interpretation of the journey A. the narrator – lack conviction:  "my own invention?" p. 3; p. 9; out of blind habit 5  Exhausted and dispirited. P. 3  Reflective moments –wonder, doubt and despair.  Two choices: give up and go under; embrace the absurdity p. 5 B. Others or the group:  A common Maker  N: the journey partakes of their absurdity.  “Love! Love!” for Love  ignorance of what whips us. Dream of the Shore.  p. 4; out of interest in swimming;  p. 5; conformity  ambition for race at a younger age p. 8

1. Different interpretation of the journey (2): a cynic’s view 1. Father: pp unconscious; doesn’t care; wishes us unmade; perverse, etc. 2. the end of the journey: extinction? -- nihilism  thousands of seas and Makers, Makers in their own sea, pluralism pp. 7-8

The Sperm in the present No longer scoff p. 9 – purged of opinions, etc. I may be the only survivor, tale-bearer p. 9  may have been drowned; The new emotion The friend Our destination: a mysterious being p. 10 consummation, transfiguration, etc. A hero stops the cycle, refuses her proffered “immortality.” What do you think about the ending?

The Sperm’s Decision Not love. some unimaginable embodiment of myself (or myself plus Her if that’s how it must be) To You: “stop your hearing against Her song! Hate love!”  senseless love and senseless death.

Ending: A. Personal-biological level: End of the life of a sperm (or male ego); sexual intercourse ‘may’ not be for love; B. Personal-Existential level: Thinkers or doers, we don’t know where the Shore is or whether there is one. There are different interpretations of the “goal” of human life. C. Global level: We are in a night-sea (or many seas) producing night-seas, which can be productive or self- destructive.